According to the results of a survey by the Indonesian Covid-19 statistics center (BPS), which was submitted by a member of the communication team of the COVID-19 Task Force, Tommy Suryopratomo, in a webminar entitled Keeping People’s Hope in the Midst of Disaster, Friday (2/10), it was found that 17 percent out of 270 million Indonesians, equivalent to nearly 45 million people, do not believe in the existence of COVID-19, Saturday (3/10/2020).
Reporting from Detik.com Tommy said that as many as 45 million Indonesians do not believe in the existence of COVID-19, and consider themselves not to be infected with the corona virus that has crippled the global economy. According to Tommy, the danger is if the 45 million people unconsciously have the potential to become carriers of the virus.
“(As many as) 45 million people, if they are carriers or if they are carriers, you can imagine the mobility that occurs because these 40 million people will cause what kind of transmission rate. No wonder the positivity rate in Indonesia is now above 11 percent,” said Tommy.
Tommy then talked about the challenges of spreading COVID-19 due to community mobility. He said the bird flu and swine flu viruses can be overcome by destroying infected animals.
However, it is different if humans are potential carriers of the virus or carriers because they cannot be destroyed. Therefore, one way to overcome this is to apply the Corona virus prevention health protocol, namely wearing masks, maintaining distance, washing hands, and limiting community mobility.
“When there is a swine flu case, we can see that there is culling of pigs that are carriers of bird flu, the problem is that the carriers are from humans. It is impossible for us to try to destroy humans, what we are doing is limiting their movement,” added Tommy.
In addition, Tommy reminded that the COVID-19 protocol was applied even when he was at home. Because, according to him, the transmission of COVID-19 actually occurs more often from the closest people because they think it is safe so they don’t wear masks or keep their distance.
Previously, the Head of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Doni Monardo, also stated that there were still 17 percent or the equivalent of 44.9 million Indonesians who did not believe in COVID-19. He said the figure was still very high.
This was revealed by Doni in a virtual socialization of the Behavior Change Strategy for COVID-19 Prevention Health Protocols, Friday (2/10). Doni at the same time assessed that the socialization of behavior change was important to convince the public of the existence of COVID-19.
“First, I as the Head of the Task Force would like to give my appreciation to the BKKBN, which today organized a program for behavior change. Why is this program very strategic, because it turns out ladies and gentlemen, there are still 17 percent of our citizens who still do not believe and feel confident that they will not get COVID,” said Doni.
Doni said that this was a challenge in itself, how to provide socialization or explanations to the general public regarding the dangers of this COVID-19 outbreak. This is because the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Indonesia continues to increase. Doni asked the people of Indonesia to remember requests by epidemiologists. According to him, complying with health protocols is not comparable to the struggle of doctors on the front line.
“This 17 percent (figure) is a very high or very large number, 17 percent of our country’s 270 million citizens is equivalent to about 44.9 million people. So 44.9 million people of our country feel it is impossible to be exposed to COVID. This is a challenge for all of us. How should we explain to the public that this COVID is real, this COVID is not fabricated, COVID is not a conspiracy,” Doni continued.
