By: Ismail)*
The government has shifted the birthday holiday of the Great Prophet Muhammad SAW from October 19 to October 20, 2021. This step was carried out to suppress community mobility and prevent a spike in Covid-19 cases in Indonesia.
In October, there is a red date on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, in commemoration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. However, the holiday was shifted one day to the 20th. People were surprised, why was it moved?
Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin explained the shift in the Maulud holiday. The goal is to anticipate the surge in Covid cases in Indonesia. According to the Vice President, the main shift is because people generally take advantage of a tight day (Monday) when Tuesday is a holiday. In the sense that when the holiday is shifted to Wednesday, they can’t possibly take a day off on Monday and Tuesday.
The Vice President continued, although Corona cases are low, we must anticipate a surge in patients. Therefore, the birthday holiday is still being shifted, so that people cancel their intention to travel. In a sense, even though the number of Corona patients is getting smaller, don’t be careless and take vacations carelessly. The reason is because it can backfire and as a result Covid cases rise again.
Currently, the number of Corona patients (in early October 2021) is relatively low, which is only 700 people per day. Unlike 3 months ago when it exploded to 50,000 patients per day. However, we must not be complacent with this situation, because if we do not comply with health protocols, we can increase the number of Covid patients again.
We have to look in the mirror at the end of 2020, when the Nataru holidays (Christmas and New Years) people were busy traveling everywhere, even though it was still a pandemic. Finally, there was an increase in Corona cases in Indonesia after the holidays. When there is an increase in cases, it is confusing because the pandemic doesn’t know when it will end, because people don’t want to be orderly.
When there is a spike in Corona cases, what is also feared is the high patient death rate, lest there be mass deaths. Besides the hospitals being full and the health workers working extra hard, the increase in cases also affects mothers. The reason is because the school was canceled because the situation was still vulnerable.
We should learn from last year’s case and not let it happen again. Therefore, the shift in the Maulud holiday is considered very appropriate, because it causes people to cancel their vacation or going home. If it’s only a day off, then at best they go for a walk in the city.
When there is a day off, even if it is a day, it is okay to walk in the city, but must pay attention to health protocols. Especially if you bring children, you have to be even stricter in the discipline of the process. Don’t take them to places that are clearly forbidden for children, for example inside the mall, because they are more susceptible to contracting Corona. Masks must still be worn, even in the car.
Especially now that Corona has mutated into a variant of Mu. The mutated virus is claimed to be more dangerous, so everyone must obey the procedures and must not take off masks carelessly. Keep washing your hands, changing clothes, keeping the environment clean, keeping your distance, and also avoiding crowds.
The shift of the Maulud Nabi holiday, from Tuesday to Wednesday, by the government, was carried out so that no one took advantage of harpitnas (national tight day). So if the holiday is Wednesday, then Monday and Tuesday they still go to work. Shifts are natural to do during a pandemic, so that people don’t become stubborn and travel at will, then there is an increase in Corona cases.
)* The author is a contributor to the Nusa Bangsa Institute
