Health Protocol to Boost the Economy

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

A number of office employees on Jalan Sudirman, Jakarta, left the office during lunch break on Tuesday (28/7/2020). Although there are provisions for implementing health protocols with restrictions on the number of employees and setting working hours, Covid-19 transmission still occurs in many office environments.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Discipline in implementing health protocols is a prerequisite for boosting the regional economy, which has badly been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to ensure the economy’s return to stability, people must stay healthy and need safety guarantees from the transmission of COVID-19.

Bank Indonesia East Java representative office head Difi Ahmad Johansyah said that in general, the economy of East Java was beginning to make a comeback at the beginning of the third quarter of 2020. Trade in the regions, among regions, among islands and exports to foreign countries are again growing. Service transactions are growing again through the implementation of health protocols.

Also read: Health Protocols Should Not Be Ignored

"The main key is discipline in implementing health protocols so that economic activity is safe from any possible COVID-19 transmission," said Difi in Surabaya, East Java, on Tuesday (8/9/2020).

He encouraged government officials in East Java to continue to ensure that citizens were disciplined in obeying health protocols. People would feel safer making transactions if places of commerce applied strict health protocols, he said.

The main key is discipline in implementing health protocols so that economic activity is safe from any possible COVID-19 transmission.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Three motorists, including a relatively older man without a mask, pass by a banner installed by the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Jl. Rawa Mekar Jaya in Serpong, Tangerang, Monday (7/9/2020). The KPU’s banner reminds the public to comply with the Covid-19 health protocol during the 2020 regional elections, which has seen large crowds of hundreds of supporters flout public health and safety measures to cheer on their preferred candidates. Many fear that the simultaneous regional elections will give rise to multiple clusters of Covid-19 infection, even as Indonesia continues to see a daily increase in new cases

Surabaya City Trade Office head Wiwiek Widayati said that under the current conditions, handling health and economic problems were two things that had to go hand in hand. The community had to remain healthy so that the economic cycle was stable again. "The economy must rise and society remain healthy," she said.

Therefore, the Surabaya city government is seeking to implement health protocols in the economic sector. Shopping center managers, employees and consumers are required to comply with health protocols when they buy or sell goods.

Supressing the spread of cases

East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor, when contacted from Balikpapan, said the regional economic slowdown could not be separated from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, he said, his office was working hard to suppress the spread of COVID-19 cases by accelerating the tracking and laboratory testing. Cities and regencies in East Kalimantan are enforcing sanctions for violations of health protocols.

This effort is expected to have an impact on the economy of East Kalimantan. Isran said that if COVID-19 was under control and the community complied with health protocols, the economy would slowly rise as economic activity sped up.

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Kompas/AGUS SUSANTO

Violators of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) affected by the PP police raid recorded his data before serving a sentence sweeping the sidewalks on Jalan Bekasi Barat, around the Locomotive Market, East Jakarta, Monday (22/6/2020). Residents who refuse punishment will be fined Rp. 250,000. Entering the PSBB transition period, there are still many residents who do not wear masks and without keeping a distance in the crowd. Compliance with health protocols is expected to enter the transition period of the PSBB.

Acuviarta Kartabi, an economic observer from Pasundan University in Bandung, West Java, said the government\'s efforts to deal with COVID-19 seemed to be half-hearted. One of the triggers for the easing of activities was the inability of the government to meet its social safety net targets and business stimulus spending. Many business sectors have been affected and have laid off their workers, hoping to recover and encourage economic activities to reopen.

However, the opening of economic activities must not be left completely to the wishes of business actors. Without strict supervision, the industry is at risk of becoming a locus for the spread of the disease. "Human life cannot be replaced by rupiah," said Acuviarta.

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Acuviarta said the COVID-19 cases in the Bekasi and Karawang industrial clusters occurred because of the negligence of industrial managers. He suggested that business actors commit to a relaxation agreement when opening economic activity. Firm sanctions in the form of fines also apply to business actors who ignore their commitment to maintaining the security and safety of the employees.

Industry managers should also allocate funds in advance for testing their employees. This policy is part of the efforts to maintain employees’ health. The potential for losses is even greater if a COVID-19 case is found in the sector, which must then be closed for at least 14 days.

Acuviarta suggested that the government take part by providing industry subsidies for COVID-19 inspection.