Preventing New Clusters at Shopping Centers

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A woman enters Pondok Indah shopping mall, South Jakarta, which was opened to the public following the imposition of large-scale social restrictions on Monday (15/6/2020). Shopping malls in Jakarta are back in operation during the transition period from large-scale social restrictions. The open of shopping malls comes with the application of strict health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The public’s enthusiasm for flocking to shopping centers in Jakarta must be anticipated in the strict enforcement of health protocols. This is to prevent the emergence of new clusters of Covid-19 infection during the transition phase of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB).

This enthusiasm was palpable at a number of locations on Monday (15/6/2020), the first day that shopping centers reopened across Jakarta after months of closure. The reopening of shopping centers in the capital is part of the third phase of the PSBB transition period.

Read also: Beware of Transmission in Jakarta’s Public Spaces

Dina, a 45-year-old resident of South Jakarta, arrived at a local mall with her husband and two children at 11 a.m., the hour at which the mall reopened on Monday. She planned to shop for clothes, have lunch and visit a children’s hair salon so her two 10-year-olds could get their hair cut.

Another visitor, 16-year-old Patricia, came with her family to shop for clothes and have lunch together. “I’m actually afraid [of contracting Covid-19], but we are trying to adhere to the health protocols. We wear masks, bring hand sanitizer and maintain safe physical distance from other people,” said the homeschooled teenager.

Shopping center managements have implemented various rules and are providing a number of facilities to prevent the spread of the disease.

Visitors are only permitted to enter the mall after using hand sanitizer from a no-contact dispenser, having their temperature scanned and their bags checked.

At Senayan City, for instance, visitors are required to fill out an online form that includes their travel and health history. Visitors are only permitted to enter the mall after using hand sanitizer from a no-contact dispenser, having their temperature scanned and their bags checked. Visitors are also required to wear masks and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from other visitors.

Plaza Senayan has implemented similar rules. The mall’s employees are required to wear face shields, and it is enforcing physical distancing in large areas like the food court.

At Emporium Pluit in North Jakarta, five security officers stand guard at each entrance to check incoming visitors. They remind visitors to maintain physical distance by standing in the marked spaces in the queue for the security check.

Visitors are also given special stickers to attach to their shoulder or chest to show that they have passed the Covid-19 prevention check.

ITC Kuningan in South Jakarta is enforcing its health protocols with the help of six police officers, military personnel and public order officers (Satpol PP).

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A trader at ITC Kuningan, South Jakarta arranges his goods after about two months closing, Monday (15/6/2020).

“We have a group of traders here. Before reopening, we constantly encouraged them to implement the health protocols. The facilities are moving toward no contact, including wash basins,” said ITC Kuningan general services head Faishol Helmy.

Mira, 20, an imported clothes seller on the mall’s second floor, said that she was glad she was able to return to work. Despite her worries about contracting Covid-19, Mira said that she hoped to earn some income from sales after two months of closing her shop and earning no income.

Shifa, a 33-year-old visitor, said that he arrived at ITC Kuningan on the first reopening day to have his broken cell phone repaired. “Last week, I came here, but it was still closed. Fortunately, it has reopened today so I can repair my broken cell phone. I always wear a mask for prevention,” he said.

The government’s firmness and individuals’ actively adhering to the health protocols are required to minimize the spread of Covid-19.

Shopping malls also reopened with strict health protocols in Bandung, West Java. The government’s firmness and individuals’ actively adhering to the health protocols are required to minimize the spread of Covid-19.

Chairman Ede Surya Darmawan of the Indonesian Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI) said the data showed that Covid-19 was still spreading. Therefore, the managements of shopping malls, traditional markets and other public spaces must work hard to prevent the emergence of new clusters.

The structural parts that were exposed to frequent human touch must be cleaned regularly. Registration was important to limit the number of visitors and help with tracing if a visitor was found to have Covid-19.

Read also: Covid-19 Outbreak Not yet Under Control

Shopping programs that attract crowds, such as large discounts, would be best postponed. Visitors must bring spare masks, as ideally, one mask should be worn for only four hours in public spaces.

Traditional markets

The health protocols are not equally enforced at traditional markets. For instance, crowds of sellers and buyers on Monday morning filled the road 3 to 4 meters wide around Kebayoran Lama Market in South Jakarta. It was practically impossible for people to maintain safe physical distance.

A different scene was seen inside the market building, which was devoid of crowds. Sellers and buyers both in and around the building were wearing masks, but many of them did not wear their masks properly to fully cover their nose and mouth.

KOMPAS/ADITYA DIVERANTA

The kiosk joins in Pasar Senen, Central Jakarta, still open even though the manager has begun to apply operational restrictions according to odd-even dates, per Monday (15/6/2020).

At Senen Market in Central Jakarta, the odd-even reopening scheme that was imposed on Monday (15/6) did not have a significant impact on reducing visitor numbers, as several sellers operated shops in adjacent lots that carried an odd and an even number.

Atun, a 29-year-old seller who operates a store in adjacent lots, said that closing one-half of her shop had led to buyers crowding the other half.

Full adherence to the health protocols was not seen at the traditional markets in Greater Tangerang. At Tanah Tinggi Central Market in the city of Tangerang, for instance, not all buyers and sellers wore masks, and crowds were difficult to avoid. This condition was among the points of consideration in the decision to extend the PSBB in Greater Tangerang until 28 June. (DIV/DAN/FAI/FRD/SPW/SKA/ERK/SHR/AGE/VAN/CAS/RTG/IGA/BOW/JOG)