Public Perseveres Amid Coronavirus Onslaught

Outside of massive, government-coordinated COVID-19 mitigation plans across regions, people are committing to various independent initiatives to fight the outbreak. Many are joining the fight and doing everything they can to stop the vicious coronavirus from taking more lives.

KOMPAS/ANDY RIZA HIDAYAT

A worker disinfects a resident’s house on Wednesday (25/3/2020) in Curug village, Bojongsari district, Depok. Local residents initiated the independent disinfection program in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Indonesia is at war. People are dying at the hands of an invisible enemy. In the current condition, all forces will have to be deployed and we can no longer wait for others to move first. All means of resistance must be put to use in the face of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus that causes COVID-19 is truly an unseen enemy.

Amid widespread fear, small resistance movements are alive in people’s homes. Many are now aware of the importance of healthy living. People in Depok, West Java, where the new coronavirus was first found in the country, are among those who have joined the fight.

They fight back against the virus with money from their own pockets. They routinely spray disinfectant in local homes, provide soap for washing hands at homes and at neighborhood watch posts and limit outdoor activities. Local women are participating by raising funds for healthcare professionals.

We use our own money and make our own disinfectant. We get a guideline from the subdistrict office.

People do this because they realize that this is not an ordinary time. They realize that they are at war against a pandemic.

These past two days, 47-year-old Hariri, the head of neighborhood unit (RT) 004 in community unit (RW) 012, Curug subdistrict, Bojongsari district, Depok, has been observing cleaning service workers spraying disinfectants twice a day in his neighborhood.

“We use our own money and make our own disinfectant. We get a guideline from the subdistrict office,” Hariri said. He continued that he utilized local resources, such as a local resident who sold healthcare equipment. The disinfectant spray was borrowed from the resident.

DOKUMENTASI WARGA UNTUK KOMPAS.

Hariri, 47, the head of the RT 004/RW 012 community-neighborhood unit in Curug village, Bojongsari district, Depok city, West Java, stands next to a public hand-washing facility installed at a residential security post.

Across neighborhoods in Depok, residents have also disinfect their homes. Some even build their own disinfectant chambers. Disinfection outside residential areas are mostly funded by the Depok administration.

Furthermore, locals also initiated to establish their own COVID-19 mitigation task force comprising neighborhood representatives. They continuously update residents on the last COVID-19 information, including at district, city and national levels. This helps locals gain awareness on the latest developments on COVID-19.

In Hariri’s neighborhood, a tent has been established at the entrance area. It is where visitors are sprayed with disinfectant before going in. Anyone entering the neighborhood are required to wash their hands. Package deliverers are also required to wash their hands before going in. The procedures are made official in an RW circular issued on Tuesday, 24 March. The circular is in effect until further notice.

Also in Depok, in Kalimulya subdistrict, Cilodong district, locals have tightened entrance for outsiders. All visitors are required to wash their hands at the local security post. Some residents provide liquid soap in front of their homes. “We cannot recklessly accept visitors from outside. They have to wash their hands before going in our neighborhoods,” said resident Rendra, 43.

KOMPAS / ADITYA DIVERANTA

A Kemanggisan resident disinfects houses in a community disinfection initiative in Palmerah, West Jakarta, to help curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Less than 2 kilometers from where Rendra lives, stricter rules are in effect. Locals have agreed on nine stipulations in effect since 21 March 2020. The rules include banning residents from international travels, banning all visitors (including relatives) except for special cases and banning residents from holding events with huge attendees. In practice, this looks very much like small-scale lockdown.

“This is not exactly a lockdown. It’s more about necessary limitations. Residents can still go in and out if they have clear purposes,” local Budi Panca, 60, said.

Small-scale resistance can also be found in Jakarta, the epicenter of the COVID-19 spread in Indonesia. Some locals, like 78-year-old Suwardjo of RT 003, RT 013, Kemanggisan subdistrict, Palmerah district, West Jakarta, have held independent disinfection.

He initiated a disinfection for six families in his neighborhood alley. Suwardjo asked for help from his colleague at the Indonesian Pest Control Companies Association (Aspphami). Suwardjo and his neighbors donated Rp 2 million (US$125.07) each to disinfect six homes.

This is not exactly a lockdown. It’s more about necessary limitations.

The disinfection focuses on surfaces often touched, including front gates, floors, sofas and bathrooms. The initiative is self-funded as locals fear the increasingly-massive COVID-19 spread.

“Before, we were waiting for a disinfection from the subdistrict office. However, as it’s not clear when that can be done, we just disinfect our homes first. This is especially because my neighborhood has many elderlies, who are more prone [to COVID-19],” Suwardjo explained.

Suwardjo plans to offer the disinfection service to other residents in his neighborhood but he is still waiting for their agreement. In the meantime, a local mosque will be disinfected next week. “The RT [head] and the mosque caretakers asked for a disinfection next week. I am trying to have the disinfection for my neighbors as well,” he said.

People are not waiting for others to make the first move in fighting the vicious virus. Anyone can join the fight and do whatever they can. Initiated by locals from their own neighborhoods, this can be the force that we need to win the war against the new coronavirus.