By: Syarifudin)*
Corona cases rose dramatically due to the entry of Omicron to Indonesia. The public is asked not to panic in the face of rising cases by always obeying Prokes and avoiding crowds.
President Jokowi advised all Indonesian people not to panic in the face of rising Corona cases. Keep your immunity, health protocols, and reduce activities outside (unnecessary). In a sense, we don’t need to be afraid of contracting the Covid-19 virus even though Omicron is raging, because if we obey health protocols (and have been vaccinated) we will be safe.
Health protocols must be tightened again, especially at the point of reducing mobility. Sadly, for the past few weeks, people have been busy traveling, from out of town to even abroad. Sure enough, they finally caught Corona on their way home and brought Omicron to Indonesia.
Whereas Omicron must be wary of because it spreads 70 times faster than delta or other Corona variants. If 1 person infects 70 people while many get Omicron, it is clear that mass transmission has occurred and it is natural for an explosion in the number of Covid patients in Indonesia.
There is no need to be excessive or paranoid in dealing with Omicron but also to remain vigilant. Health protocols must be maintained again and don’t forget to wear masks, even WHO recommends double masks, aka disposable masks inside and cloth masks outside. The goal is to strengthen the filtration.
Apart from wearing masks, people are also asked to keep their distance. If the office is already full of work from office, it must be noted again the location of the employee chairs and desks, not too close to stick to each cubicle. In addition, pay attention to the circulation of the room and always clean the air conditioner and fan, because the Covid-19 virus can spread in stuffy and dirty air.
Social distancing is also mandatory in schools and finally the local government agreed to change the rules, from 100% face-to-face learning (PTM) to only 50%. The PTM policy was revised for fear that children would get Corona, especially elementary school students who sometimes forgot to wear masks in the correct position.
The public must also keep their distance when in public spaces, and the managers must also be disciplined. When the regulation states that the maximum capacity in a shopping center or cafe is only 50%, don’t violate it. The reason is that if they are violated, they will be severely reprimanded by the security forces and they will have to pay a fine and give up the place to be sealed.
All the rules in the health protocols are made for the safety of the people, not against their freedom. Realize that this is still a pandemic period so everyone is required to wear a mask and obey other points in the health protocol.
The public does not need to be afraid to be excessive in the face of a surge in Corona cases in Indonesia, because of the entry of Omicron. There is no lockdown or rules that are too strict. It’s just that we are obliged to remain vigilant and increase discipline in carrying out health protocols, maintaining a healthy body, and undergoing vaccinations.
)* The author is a citizen living in Pekanbaru
