Clear Criteria is Needed for the Easing

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Bumper-to-bumper traffic fills the road heading to Puncak on Monday in Megamendung, Bogor regency. Many people traveled to the resort area on the second day of Idul Fitri, despite the Covid-19 emergency health policies that restrict recreational activities. Poor public awareness and compliance could lead to a second wave of infections and prolong the outbreak in the country.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Easing large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to increase economic activity must be done carefully. If this is done by ignoring epidemiological indicators, it will trigger a greater disaster that will eventually deepen the socio-economic crisis.

"It must be emphasized, PSBB cannot end before the discovery of a vaccine but can only be relaxed. Don\'t be in a hurry to loosen up too, there must be epidemiological criteria that must be met, including a continuous decline in cases, in addition to having a clear strategy," said epidemiologist at the University of Indonesia\'s School of Public Health, Pandu Riono, Monday (25/5/2020).

Also read : PSBB Easing Merely a Plan

Without a strategy and strict measures, efforts toward new normalcy could trigger the catastrophic explosion of bigger cases. Learning from the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, the second wave even turned out to be more deadly.

The government spokesman for Covid-19 mitigation, Achmad Yurianto, said there were 479 new cases of Covid-19 on 25 May compared to the previous day, bringing the total to 22,750 cases of Covid-19 in the country. There were 49,361 people under monitoring and 12,342 patients under surveillance.

Also read : Don’t Be Lulled by the Easing of PSBB

ISTIMEWA/BNPB

The government spokesman for Covid-19 mitigation, Achmad Yurianto

Issuing guidelines

Meanwhile, the government issued Health Ministerial Decree No. 328/2020 concerning Covid-19 Prevention and Control Guidelines in Office and Industrial Workplaces in Support of Business Sustainability in Outbreak Situation. The decree came into force 20 May 2020.

Director of Occupational Health and Sports of the Health Ministry Kartini Rustandi said, the policy regulates that workers must be ensured to be in good health when going to work. A number of other health protocols also need to be done to prevent the risk of transmission that can occur on the way to work.

"Workers must apply the principle of clean healthy living starting from home, on the way to and from work, while at work, until when they get home. This includes using masks, keeping a distance and washing hands with clean water and soap," she said.

Don\'t wait for the cases to rise again so that it doesn\'t become an \'abnormal\' situation again

Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto in a press release said, this guide was intended for the workplaces of government agencies, private companies, state-owned enterprises, as well as provincial and regency/city health offices. According to him, the workplaces and business world are part of the community that has an important role in breaking the chain of the transmission of Covid-19.

Pandu Riono said the application of this policy should not be done before the number of cases in a region falls during the PSBB period. A decrease in the number of cases must be ensured in the midst of massive and rapid inspections. "Once the data shows an increase in cases again, we must be ready to tighten it again. Don\'t wait for the cases to rise again so that it doesn\'t become an \'abnormal\' situation again," he said.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said, the addition of new cases of Covid-19 in the Jakarta area had begun to decrease. However, further evaluation is still needed to determine the sustainability of the implementation of the PSBB.