By: Heru Rianto (Communication Literacy Activist and Blogger Solo City)
The number of active cases of the Corona virus in Indonesia as of Friday (27/11/2020) reached 54,427 cases or 12.7 percent of those confirmed. Despite the decreasing trend in the percentage of active cases, it is important for the public to remain disciplined in health protocols because currently Indonesia is still in a state of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The uncertainty caused by the current Covid-19 pandemic is causing negative global economic growth. All countries, including Indonesia, feel directly the excesses of this uncertainty. Various sectors of the economy are experiencing difficulties, both in operation and in terms of sales.
Because of this, many countries are starting to try recovery efforts with a new lifestyle approach that is regulated by the application of strict health protocols. Indonesia is also implementing a new lifestyle called Adaptation to New Habits (AKB).
Unfortunately, in the midst of this preparation, the public is faced with facts and data about a significant spike in the number of Covid-19 patients throughout October and November 2020. The increase in the number of patients occurred because some people did not care about the importance of implementing health protocols in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The implementation of 3M, namely wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining distance including avoiding crowds should be carried out with discipline, because these activities are vital in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. 3M is proven to be effective in suppressing the transmission of the Corona virus, one of which is to prevent transmission through droplets released by a person from the mouth or nose when sneezing, coughing, or while speaking.
The health protocol in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic should be understood as a joint effort to create new certainty. Because, by implementing health protocols throughout the era of a new lifestyle, absolute compliance becomes the basis for the realization of new certainties. People should not give up on the situation, instead they continue to struggle to face it with an unyielding attitude. Non-compliance with health protocols will only result in a prolonged duration of uncertainty.
Vaccination and Health Protocol Discipline, Solutions to Success in Preventing the Spread of Covid-19.
The presence of a vaccine can be a solution to avoid Covid-19 virus infection and of course stop transmission. Actually, people are familiar with vaccines. Since childhood, everyone has received a vaccine through an immunization program. It’s just that there are people who are trying to spread that the Covid-19 vaccine is not safe or even halal. The public must dismiss this untrue issue so that the pandemic will end soon through vaccination.
The Indonesian government plans to start injecting the Covid-19 vaccine gradually starting January 2021. President Jokowi has repeatedly reminded the importance of public communication and there should be no hoax or wild issues about this vaccine. President Jokowi does not want any misunderstandings similar to the issue of the Job Creation Law.
Therefore, together we fight against hoaxes and negative content around the policy of national health and vaccination protocols through positive content educational literacy by guarding a conducive situation in the line of public media around government policies to build community resilience and health towards a resilient Indonesia.