Slowly and with great caution, the government and the people of Jakarta try to restore some aspects of normal life. Sellers returned to the market, employees returned to offices, citizens returned to visit shopping centers, and attended houses of worship, albeit with a limited capacity.
Since the start of the PSBB transition period on June 4, 2020, the Government of Jakarta has always emphasized that opening several sectors must be done with strict health protocols. The government has also spread the message of the 3M movement (washing hands, wearing a mask, social distancing) to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle during a pandemic.
So in other words, anticipatory steps have been taken by the provincial government. However, if we look at the data on the corona.jakarta.go.id website, we could see that the number of Covid-19 positive cases in the capital still shows a significant increase.
Why Are the Number of Positive Patients Still Increasing in Jakarta?
Smartcitizens, until now, Jakarta Health Department is still trying to identify new points of Covid-19 cases in Jakarta. These efforts have never diminished during the transition period. The health department is even more aggressive in finding residents indicated by Covid-19 through various methods. One of them is an active case finding. As the name implies, this method makes the Government of Jakarta actively look for people with OTG status or people without symptoms.
The health department believes that if this step is not taken, the rate of spread can increase more sharply. The reason is that OTGs can roam free without realizing that they are transmitting Covid-19 to others. Active case finding is also not implemented randomly, but measured by the priority of crowded places like local markets.
With the number of tests increased, so does the number of new positive cases. As explained by the government on July 8, 2020, when 344 positive cases were added to the official tally. From this number, 257 new cases were identified through the active case finding and contact tracing method.
As a gateway to the country, Jakarta is also prone to the high new number of cases. As many as 51 Indonesian citizens landed from abroad and domiciled in various provinces. However, given that Jakarta is their first transit point, those 51 Indonesian citizens must first undergo isolation in the capital. While the other 36 new patients are accumulations that have not been reported from one of the laboratories in Jakarta.
How Can We Curb the Spread?
The increasing number of new positive cases in Jakarta is also a reminder for us so that we never let our guard down during a pandemic. Therefore, Smartcizen must always comply with the established health protocol. You must continue to apply and remind others about the 3M movement, which is:
Wear a mask
Several sectors, including offices, were reopened during the transition period. For those of you who will be traveling or doing activities outside the home, don't forget to always wear a mask. Also know the correct procedures for using, which covers the nose and mouth.
Wash hands
Don't hesitate to set aside time to wash your hands. Especially after touching or holding objects that are often touched by others, such as door handles, office phones, and elevator buttons.
Maintain distance
During this transition period, you will reunite with other people, such as colleagues at the office. After a long time working from home, there is an urging feeling to have a face to face interaction with your friends. But remember, Smartcitizen, you must always maintain your distance. Make sure there is a minimum distance of one meter each time you interact with other people.
If you can apply 3M properly and routinely, the risk of Covid-19 transmission will be minimized.
You can also help oversee health protocols by reporting any violations that you encounter during the transition period, for example, workplaces and restaurants that exceed the 50% percent capacity limit. You can submit those types of complaints through the JakLapor feature in the JAKI application.
Speaking of JAKI, now we can also discuss the JakCLM features. This feature is very useful when you feel symptoms similar to Covid-19. All you need to do is simply fill in your identity information, then answer all clinical questions completely and honestly. At the end of the examination, you will get recommendations that suit your health condition. If you fall into the category of 'not safe for travel', follow the advice given, including the instruction to stay at home and not travel outside.
Smartcitizens, our struggle against Covid-19 is not over yet. We still have a long way to go. So, during this pandemic, never get tired of maintaining discipline and building mutual awareness. Always adhere to the health protocol, for the sake of realizing Jakarta that has fully recovered from a pandemic!
112