Residents Challenged to Conjure Covid-19 Healers

KOMPAS/ADITYA PUTRA PERDANA

A motorist passes in front of a billboard related to Covid-19 in Wates Village, Undaan District, Kudus Regency, Central Java, Monday (7/6/2021). The billboard message contained a competition made by youths of Karang Taruna Tunas Jaya, Wates Village, which emphasized increasing public awareness of the implementation of health protocols.

The message on a banner over a road in Kudus regency, Central Java, appears to be an invitation to a Covid-19 contest challenging people to find cures for the disease with the promised ante of ten motorbikes. The Babalan-Prawoto connecting road is at Wates village, Undaan district, in the regency currently suffering a spike in the pandemic.

The banner has been installed by the village’s Tunas Jaya Youth Organization to remind residents to be more disciplined in adhering to health protocols in the face of the raging pandemic.

“Indeed we are curious (about covid-19 medication). However, the main message of this contest is to tell the public that Covid-19 doest exist. If in three months the situation does not improve, it means it is still lurking here. We want to raise people\'s awareness about health protocols," the youth head 24-year-old Suliyono said.

He said what he and friends were doing was motivated by their concerns about people’s indifference to Covid-19 threats despite the glaring spike in the cases.

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Those young people are well aware of the ferocity of Covid-19 with them being involved as volunteers in the funerals of Covid-19 victims.

Village head Abdullah Asoffi disclosed that around 30 residents had been exposed to Covid-19 as of Lebaran (post-Ramadan Islamic festivity), making it a red zone. He said he had appealed to the people to build knowledge about Covid-19.

The surging cases in Kudus have brought about apprehension and vigilance among the residents, as shown by Muhammad Latief (40).

"This is worse than last year. Now, if anyone stops by or passes here, I will spray disinfectant. Like it or not, we have to be more vigilant," he said.

KOMPAS/ADITYA PUTRA PERDANA

A number of civil servants and their families who are confirmed positive for Covid-19 and without symptoms (OTG) are waiting for departure to the Haji Donohudan Dormitory, Boyolali Regency, Central Java, around Simpang 7 Kudus, Monday (7/6/2021).

However, some residents do not seem serious in dealing with the lingering threats of Covid-19. Slamet, who lives Jatiwetan village, Jati district, said that the Covid-19 case had been exaggerated. "I’m fed up with it. Stories are around about deaths in hospitals, which are blamed on Covid-19. It\'s been crazy lately, but I\'m used to it. I will wear a mask when going out," he said while hoping that Covid-19 would end soon.

Covid-19 cases in Kudus have jumped in the last two weeks, from 488 on May 23 to 1,637 cases on June 7. Hundreds of health workers and local health officials are among the infected.

Health facilities have become decapitated and health workers have been overworked by the large number patients, some having to be transferred to the health facilities in neighboring regencies for immediate treatment.

Kudus Regent HM Hartopo said the slowing down cases prior to Lebaran coupled with vaccination rollout had let the residents off guard in complacency.

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"That\'s what made people be caught out by a feeling as if Covid-19 had gone. Many ignored health protocols and Jogo Tonggo became loose. Now, we are strengthening it again," Hartopo said. Jogo Tonggo a is community-based Covid-19 mitigation program.

He reiterated his call for compliance with the health protocols and warned that negligence would allow the virus to spread into residential areas more rapidly.

In East Java, local authorities felt irksome to learned that Covid-19 cases had been escalating in Bangkalan regency in Madura Island. In the last two days, the number of positive cases have increased to 65 people with six deaths.

Among the deaths were two of 29 infected health workers. The surging cases have prompted the Bangkalan Covid-19 Task Force to enforce quarantine for patients at the Arosbaya and Tongguh community health centers (Puskesmas), as well as the Syarifah Ambami Rato Ebu Regional General Hospital.

Traffic scrutiny

Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta

Implementation of a rapid antigen test for motorists from Madura Island at the exit of the Suramadu Bridge, Surabaya, East Java, Monday (7/6/2021). Blocking and checking for motorists from Madura Island to Surabaya has been intensified again due to the increasing number of positive cases of Covid-19 in Bangkalan Regency.

The Surabaya City administration has decided to impose a tight check at the Suramadu Bridge that connects Madura with the mainland.

Bridge crossers are required to undergo an antigen swab test as of June 6 up for two weeks. City officials want those engaging in activities in the capital city free from Covid-19 exposure in order to help curb the virus transmission.

Health Office head Febria Rachmanita, reported that the antigen swab tests over June 6-7 had 5,500 motorists. About 100 of them showed reactive symptoms of Covid-19. The following PCR tests found 31 positives.

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Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahhyadi said that scrutiny and mandatory antigen tests were also conducted at the Ujung-Kamal ferry terminal at Tanjung Perak Port. The ferry will take only the passengers who carry the documents showing results of the negative Covid-19 antigen swab and PCR tests.

Airlangga University epidemiologist Windhu Purnomo said the increase in Covid-19 cases in a number of areas in East Java was closely related to the tendency of the people in mobility ignoring the health protocols.

Vaccination and indications of relenting Covid-19 cases should not result in relaxation against virus threats. Government’s tight measures and citizens’ disciplined behavior to follow health protocols are the key to preventing the spread of Covid-19.

This article was translated by Musthofid.