By: Raffles Silaban)*
Handling Covid-19 and National Economic Recovery are on the right track. This can be seen from the increase in people’s purchasing power and the decrease in the number of Covid-19 patients.
The pandemic made two fields almost collapse simultaneously, namely health and the economy. Especially in the middle of 2021, when there was a second wave of Corona attacks, the number of Covid-19 patients jumped to 50,000 people per day. In the economic sector, people’s purchasing power has also decreased because many have had their salaries cut for the sake of company efficiency.
The government is trying hard to overcome the pandemic and its effects, especially in the economic field. The reason is, don’t let us fall into a terrible recession status. All power and effort was made to make things better again.
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartanto stated that the economic recovery and handling of Covid-19 carried out by the government was on track. This can be seen from several leading economic indicators that have improved since the beginning of the pandemic.
In the economic sector, Indonesia’s consumer confidence index rose to 108%. This index reflects consumer confidence regarding current economic conditions. In a sense, when the index rises, many believe that the country’s economy will also increase.
Evidence of the country’s rising economy is the increase in people’s purchasing power. When in 2020 we stumble and the country’s finances fluctuate, then 2021 will start to rise again and 2022 is the right time to nourish the country’s economy. People’s purchasing power has increased and the proof is the bustling markets and malls, as well as online shops. They even fight when there is a new product launching.
When there is an increase in people’s purchasing power, it indicates that their wallets are still thick. This means that there are still many who are not too affected by the pandemic, or already have new jobs after changing professions. People no longer put the brakes on spending like 2 years ago.
The recovery in the economy occurred as a result of the stimulus provided by the government. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many have been given social assistance in the form of cash. The government ordered that the money be spent, not saved. The reason is because if a lot of people spend, it will move the wheels of the economy, help traders (the majority of MSMEs), and restore state finances.
In addition to the economic recovery, the government is also handling Corona as well as possible. Since the beginning of the pandemic, all Covid patients have been free of charge when treated in the hospital (provided they have an active BPJS card). The community is very grateful for this help because if you pay for it yourself it can reach tens of millions.
The government is also still providing free vaccines (and even in some places mass vaccinations are lured with attractive door prizes). The free vaccine is also very grateful because in many other countries you have to pay up to hundreds of thousands of rupiah. The government understands that many people were affected at the beginning of the pandemic, therefore the Corona vaccine is still free.
The handling of Corona is also carried out outside the hospital by keeping strict health protocols viral. Everyone must obey the rules and wear masks without exception. In addition, it is mandatory to wash hands and maintain distance, also avoid crowds. If anyone is reckless (for example holding a celebration that invites thousands of people) of course the Covid task force will be disbanded.
With proper handling of Covid-19, the number of patients is expected to continue to decline. The government is also trying to restore the people’s economy and provide stimulus so that purchasing power can return to normal. These various government policies certainly need the full support of the community in order to get maximum results.
)* The author is a student of IISIP Jakarta
