Anticipating COVID-19 in the Regions

KOMPAS/YOLA SASTRA

Police officers ask for the completeness of travel requirements documents, including negative results of Covid-19, to every driver who wants to go to West Sumatra at the MUDIK (exodus/homecoming) isolation post on the border of the province of West Sumatra-Riau in Nagari Tanjuang Balik, Pangkalan Koto Baru District, Limapuluh Kota, West Sumatra, Sunday 16/5/2021).

The restriction of mudik (exodus) has been considered a success. Now, authorities are also strictly intercepting returnees. However, what was not anticipated was the mobility of residents within their respective regions.

A Google report on Indonesian community mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a significant increase during the holiday season, especially at food outlets, parks and recreational sites. Meanwhile, mobility in public transportation centers and workplaces was below the measurement basis.

On May 12, one day before Idul Fitri, there was an increase in mobility in supermarkets, grocery stores, traditional markets, specialty food stores, drug stores and pharmacies of 55 percent above the measurement basis. In fact, in the second week of April, the figure was in the range of 0 to 5 percent above average. The basis for measurement was taken on normal days and made use of the median value for 5 weeks between Jan. 3 and Feb. 6, 2020.

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Mobility also increased in national parks, public beaches, piers, pet parks, open fields and public parks, with a jump of 15 percent. Mobility in residential areas was up 12 percent. Mobility in restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, amusement parks, museums, libraries and cinemas rose 6 percent. In contrast, mobility in the workplace was down 62 percent, while in public transportation centers it was down 31 percent.

KOMPAS/MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA

Screenshot of viral video of a crowd of visitors at Batu Karas Beach, Pangandaran Regency, Saturday (15/5/2021).

This phenomenon in the regions was worrying. Mobility in a number of provinces went far beyond the national rates. Mobility in grocery stores and pharmacies in North Maluku, for example, was up 155 percent; in West Sumatra it was up 111 percent, in West Sulawesi 107 percent, Gorontalo 105 percent, North Kalimantan 95 percent, Bengkulu 93 percent, Central Sulawesi 84 percent, Southeast Sulawesi 84 percent, Aceh 83 percent, Central Java 80 percent, West Papua 80 percent, Jambi 76 percent, West Java 68 percent, Lampung 67 percent, South Sulawesi 65 percent, East Java 61 percent, Central Kalimantan 59 percent and West Nusa Tenggara 58 percent.

Residents\' visits to tourist destinations indeed increased and even spiked on the second day of Idul Fitri. In Gunung Kidul regency and Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, for example, tens of thousands of tourists flocked to a number of beaches (Kompas.id). Viral videos on social media also showed crowds of tourists disregarding health protocols on Batukaras Beach in Pangandaran regency, West Java. The beach was closed starting on Sunday (16/5/2021).

Also read:

> Indonesia’s Situation Can Get as Bad as India’s

> Preventing Virus Spread from Those Insisting on ‘Mudik’

COVID-19 distribution data published by the COVID-19 task force showed that in a number of areas, including West Sumatra, Aceh, Gorontalo and Central Java, there had been an increase in daily confirmed cases or daily deaths since April 21. This data was in line with the mobility trend recorded by Google.

The regions need to immediately anticipate a spike in COVID-19 because of high mobility and neglect of health protocols. This is not to mention the impact of the emergence of new variants. In addition to hospitals, regional primary health services must be prepared, such as community health centers and clinics. Do not be late.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.