By: Loly Arista) *
The Covid-19 pandemic has not ended, meaning that health protocols must be enforced in a disciplined manner, including one of which is eliminating homecoming activities. The ban on going home is also considered appropriate because mobility during the pandemic has the potential to be very dangerous not only for travelers, but also for families in their hometowns.
The government through the Covid-19 Handling Task Force has issued Circular (SE) Number 13 of 2021 concerning the Elimination of the Idul Fitri 1442 Hijriah Homecoming and Efforts to Control the Spread of the Coronavirus. This homecoming prohibition takes effect from May 6 to May 17, 2021.
The issuance of this Circular is certainly not without reason, this is related to the potential for increased community mobility during the month of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr 2021, both for religious, family and tourism activities that have a risk of increasing the rate of Covid-19 transmission.
Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Handling Task Force, Prof. Wiku Adisasmito explained, if someone continues to insist on going home, of course this will lead to mass mobility which has the potential to increase Covid-19 transmission, an increase in cases is not only positive for Covid-19, but also effects. if comorbid and elderly.
Prof. Wiku added, all parties must learn from the experience that shows a spike in cases due to high mobility during the long vacation period. For example, during the Eid al-Fitr holiday last year, there was a surge of up to 600 cases every day. Likewise, during the long Independence Day holiday last year, there was an increase of up to 1,100 cases per day.
On the same occasion, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation, Adita Irawati, said that he would follow up on the rules issued by the Task Force. The Ministry of Transportation issued Ministerial Regulation (PM) Number 13 of 2021 concerning Transportation control during the Eid al-Fitr 1442 H period in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Transportation control is carried out through prohibitions on the use or operation of transportation facilities for all modes of transportation.
However, Adita said that the transportation operation that carried logistics was still operating as usual. Likewise, a number of exceptions for people who will travel during this time, including the State Civil Apparatus (ASN), BUMN employees, BUMD employees, TNI / Polri and private employees who work or go on official trips equipped with an assignment letter.
Then, visits from sick families, visits from grief of deceased family members, pregnant women with one companion and the need for childbirth with a maximum of 2 companions, and emergency health services.
He explained that May 6-17, 2021, is the effective date for coming to work. So it is possible that ASN / PNS employees or office employees are on an official trip out of town. In addition, for the general public there must be urgent interests such as birth, grief which must be known and approved through a certificate from the local government, namely the village head or village head.
Regarding the possibility of community mobility beyond the date of the homecoming ban, Adita said that currently the capacity of public transportation modes has been and is still limited. This is intended so that the mode of transportation is not fully occupied by passengers and that they can maintain their distance.
In addition, we need to learn from India, where India is being hit by the second wave of Covid-19. The incident was even described as a tsunami.
The explosion of the Covid-19 case in India is allegedly because the people there are increasingly ignorant of implementing health protocols. The last few months have seen massive weddings in India. Many people do not wear masks when they leave their homes.
In addition, many people also gathered to participate in political campaigns without wearing masks and keeping their distance. Some Indian states do carry out regional elections (pilkada) such as in the Tamil Nadu region.
Meanwhile, religious rituals are followed by many Indian people. This ritual is a ritual of washing away sins by bathing in the Ganges river. In this ritual, many people do not wear masks and do not keep their distance.
Experts in India said that the spike in cases was likely due to the existence of a new variant of Corona which was more quickly transmitted.
Of course we don’t want what happened in India to happen in Indonesia, so one of the efforts that must be done en masse is to eliminate going home.
) * The author is a citizen living in Jakarta
