Communication of Risk and Expectation

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Public law and order officers escort a man, identified as a person with social welfare and community problems (PMKS), from a large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) patrol area on Monday (11/5/2020) in Cawang, East Jakarta. The patrols enforce the PSBB, including wearing masks in public and in vehicles, and also conduct identity card checks on homeless people. The PSBB patrols have been active during the month-long implementation of the PSBB in Jakarta to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo chose to impose micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro) to control the rate of transmission of the Covid-19 virus.

The President confirmed the statement at the Palace, Wednesday, 23 June 2021. The President said that the terms PPKM Mikro and lockdown have the same essence, so there is no need to contradict each other. Before confirming the political decision to control the Covid-19 pandemic, the President admitted that he had listened to the community\'s input. "And the most appropriate is PPKM Mikro," said President Jokowi.

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Indonesia, especially the island of Java, is actually entering a critical situation in the control of Covid-19. The rate of transmission is high. The number of positive confirmed cases of Covid-19 as of 21 June 2021 has crossed the 2 million mark. It only took 147 days from 1 million confirmed cases on 26 January 2021. Previously, it took 331 days to reach 1 million, since President Jokowi announced the first confirmed case on 2 March 2020. A number of health facilities were overwhelmed by the Covid-19 mitigation. Health workers are getting tired. So is the psychological condition of the community.

In fact, it is possible that people who are debating PSBB, PPKM, and lockdown have different concepts of understanding.

The PPKM Mikro policy emphasized by President Jokowi must be supported by all components of society. The problem is, the terms PSBB (large-scale social restrictions), PPKM, and lockdown (regional quarantine) have already been read politically. Implementing a regional quarantine is sometimes perceived as a defeat politically. In fact, it is possible that people who are debating PSBB, PPKM, and lockdown have different concepts of understanding.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A security officer scans the body temperature of a visitor on Thursday (28/5/2020) at Summarecon Mal Bekasi in Bekasi municipality, West Java. The West Java Governor has stressed that the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) was still in effect, but had allowed shopping centers to open in line with President Joko Widodo\'s instructions to gradually restart the economy while minimizing the risk of Covid-19 infection.

We encourage the government to be transparent in disclosing Covid-19 data and improve public communication, especially the communication of the risk and also the hope. Data transparency can increase public trust in political elites. Involve community leaders or informal religious leaders to help educate the community. PPKM Mikro or whatever the term is meaningless without enforcement of the rules.

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> Contagion Worsens, Strengthen Health Services

> Hospitals Overwhelmed, Deaths Rise

The political elites should be careful and not use the pandemic as a political image for themselves. Leaders are role models. The elites should speak according to their main duties and functions, especially for the medical world. A wrong word or misrepresentation can cause endless controversy. What needs to be disclosed is hope. The government is ready to anticipate everything. Show the preparedness about the new independent-isolation places, show the construction of emergency hospitals. Hope needs to be disclosed.

Kompas/AGUS SUSANTO

Health worker wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in the Covid-19 rapid test at a community health center (Puskesmas) Duren Sawit Sub-district, East Jakarta, Tuesday (28/4/2020). Large-scale social restrictions or PSBB in DKI Jakarta are considered to have a positive impact.

PPKM requires discipline of the rules. Accelerated vaccination is a must. However, think about the limited workforce of vaccinators and vaccines. In the downstream area, health services must still be strengthened and a digital-based information system built that enable people to easily PPKM requires discipline of the rules. Accelerated vaccination is a must. However, think about the limited workforce of vaccinators and vaccines. In the downstream area, health services must still be strengthened and a digital-based information system built that makes it easy for people to access health services.

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).