New Normal Should Not Compromise Public Well-being

“Misinformation about the coronavirus is still rife among the public. As a result, many people still underestimat Covid-19,” he said in a discussion aired on the Rumah Kebangsaan YouTube channel.

“This is inevitable because of diverse population demographics. These include different age groups as well as educational levels.”

Also read: https://go.kompas.com/read/2020/06/08/165606674/jakarta-prepares-to-step-into-the-new-normal 

“There are still people who believe that the coronavirus is God’s will that will eventually go away without preventive measures. Political divisions in the wake of the 2019 presidential election as well as ignorance also play a role,” Fadjroel added, “as are the rapid circulation of hoaxes.”

He believed hoaxes get in the way of efforts to get the public to fully comply with health protocols to stem the spread of coronavirus infections. “We estimated that there have been 845 hoaxes over the past month, specifically 6 May until today [12 June 2020] that have been related to the coronavirus.”

Hearts and minds

There will be change in the government's approach despite the challenges it faces in raising awareness about the coronavirus, said Fadjroel.

“We have deployed 340,000 military and police personnel at 1,800 points in four provinces. They carried out their task with a hearts-and-minds approach to the public,” he added.

Also read: https://go.kompas.com/read/2020/06/12/011745674/indonesias-coronavirus-death-toll-hits-2000-mark 

The number of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia currently stands at 36,406 after the government reported 1,111 people tested positive over the past 24 hours. To date, 2,048 died from Covid-19, while 13,213 have recovered.