By: Panca Setiawan (Coordinator of the Semarang Regional Independent Social Media Activists Forum)
Seeing the facts in the field, it’s time for life to continue like normal. Like it or not, we must be willing and look at the current problems with clear and open mindedness.
Look, the implementation of the prevention protocol and reduction of the spread or emissions of Covid-19 was not running optimally. One of them is because at the roots of the people are still eyelashes.
Actually, if we observe, there is nothing new from the implementation of the New Normal health protocol because actually the practice is normal for us to do everyday in maintaining health before this pandemic such as the culture of washing hands, checking body temperature regularly, using masks when sick or on the move places with a lot of pollution, and so on. Perhaps because so far the public has not realized the importance of this or because of the booming of Covid-19, causing the protocol to become a hot topic of discussion lately.
From a health point of view, there is no need to argue that this virus must be dealt with anyway. To date there has been no clear statement that the Covid-19 vaccine has been found. So that’s what underlies the presence of the New Normal protocol that requires us to accept the presence of this virus and try to coexist with it. This was interpreted by President Jokowi as “making peace with Covid-19”.
Of course it’s possible because human nature has the ability to adapt to the environment, including diseases that threaten it. Again, this does not mean we give up with Covid-19. But try to accept the new situation by sticking to safety.
New normal life is a patriot attitude to face challenges for the survival of the Indonesian nation, the discipline of the community in the implementation of new normal will accelerate the handling of Covid-19 transmission risk.
New Normal can be said to be the only option that can be taken so that the wheels of the economy and socio-cultural conditions are active again. Of course this requires awareness from the public to always follow the health protocol when outside the home.
Society also cannot linger confined to uncertainty. If you can together and together in an effort to research and find the Covid-19 vaccine and build a more developed country economy, why not. Precisely if we do not move forward, it is a sign that we give up on the situation.
However, we need to learn from experience from previous times. Do not let the community’s disobedience to the new normal rules cause miserable losses. Keep in mind that we don’t just bring ourselves to each other’s safety at this time. But also has a stake in saving the lives of others.
New normal life reminds us and teaches us to recall old customs, which were done and said by the ancestors. Working together to protect one another is the key to success in facing the future.
We learn to be humble and represent again how true servants of God face His power. This nation has been able to deal with the difficult times of colonialism which suffered for hundreds of years. With a spirit of patriotism and nationalism and tireless cooperation has led to independence.
We all have to believe we will be able to face difficult times like now. The integrity of the nation is in each of our hands. So it needs to always be guided and applied the meaning contained in the basis of our country, Pancasila.