Minister of Home Affairs Asks Regions to Anticipate Potential Transmission and Communities to Follow the Covid-19 Health Protocol on Long Holidays

Detiktoday.com – Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Muhammad Tito Karnavian asked all regional heads and their respective Forkopimdians to anticipate the potential for Covid-19 transmission on the long holiday and for the public to adhere to health protocols. As is well known, next week there will be quite a long holiday. Therefore, the defense for preventing Covid-19 must be strengthened in each region.

The Minister of Home Affairs revealed this in a press conference after attending a limited meeting, “Anticipating the Spread of Covid-19 During Long Holidays” led by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace, in Jakarta, Monday (19/10). The press conference was attended by the Coordinating Minister for PMK, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of Health, the Head of the BNPB who is also the Head of the National Covid-19 Handling Acceleration Task Force.

According to the Minister of Home Affairs, at the meeting, what was specifically discussed was the long holiday that will occur next week. As is known, next week there will be a long holiday to commemorate the big day of Mawlid Muhammad SAW.

“There are 3 days of leave, both commemorative leave and collective leave. If we look at the existing provisions, they are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on October 28, 29 and 30. So this means that there can be pinched days, starting Monday. Tuesday can be a pinched day. Then Friday because it is a holiday can also continue to Saturday and Sunday. Now this indicates that there will likely be a long holiday, “he said.

The Minister of Home Affairs added, usually before the Covid-19 pandemic, every time there was a long holiday, many people traveled. You can go back to your hometown, get together with your family, or go to a vacation spot for recreation and so on. This means that there will be high mobility of people moving from one place to another. And during a pandemic, this kind of community movement can cause transmission. It could be a transmission medium. “Therefore, this is what we need to watch out for together so that this holiday does not become a transmission medium. There are several things we need to do together,” he said.

The first thing that needs to be done, continued the Minister of Home Affairs, for areas with the status of the red zone, he is advised if they can not go home or not take a vacation. Better to spend time in your respective places. Can do activities of tidying up the house or residence. Enjoying holidays with your family in their respective residences. That’s to be expected. Secondly, if you are going to leave the city, make sure that each of you has been tested, such as the PCR test.

“So that I believe that in a negative situation, we do not become a contributor to our brothers, our parents and others in the area. And I think the traffic regulation will be regulated by the Police, Transportation and others,” said the Minister of Home Affairs.

And the third most important thing, said the Minister of Home Affairs, should each region properly maintain its own regional defense mechanisms, which have been running like during the last Eid holiday. For example, healthy villages and healthy kelurahan, where residents who come from outside are convinced that they have carried out the test. So that when interacting with residents in that area they do not become contagious.

“Make efforts like that because this is a family that can be urged to go home, anyone in each region, every village, every village, every urban village. Resilient villages, tough villages, tough villages that exist are really activated by involving stakeholders in the area. Now this is the role of the governor, regent / mayor, sub-district head, village head, and village head is very important. Later we will plan a meeting with regional heads and Forkopimda. God willing, Wednesday or Thursday at the latest meeting) how the regions are doing, “he said.

In principle, avoid the crowd. Health protocols must be applied in a disciplined manner such as wearing masks, keeping your distance and washing your hands. And vulnerabilities may occur in tourist spots. Therefore, these tourist spots must be maintained and monitored so that massive crowds do not occur.

“So for that the tourist spot must be managed in such a way that an announcement is made to the residents so that the place does not exceed the capacity, for example 50% or 30%, done in waves etc. This is an important role for Forkopimda. Forkopimda machines must move because they are only machines. Then, lastly, if there are activities related to this holiday, usually there are traditional activities, cultural activities and others, if they are carried out properly without any crowd. Again, it is not disrespectful to that tradition but This situation is different, there is the Covid pandemic. Do not let us become victims, our brothers become victims, “said the Minister of Home Affairs.

Therefore, said the Minister of Home Affairs, traditional activities that were carried out before Covid took place were usually busy and others, must be limited. He also asked regional heads and Forkopimda officials to build good relations with those who wish to hold traditional activities.

“In order to be better, it is better for the time being when this pandemic is not implemented because it will become a crowd and it can cause vulnerability not only to local fathers and women, but also to other areas,” he said.