Covid transmission cluster

The positive number of COVID-19 in Indonesia is increasing, especially in offices. As of Monday (7/9), there are at least 166 offices that have become clusters (groups) of COVID-19 transmission in Jakarta. What is the cause of this cluster of coronavirus transmission?

Increased cluster of COVID-19 transmission in offices

Office clusters of COVID-19 transmission in Jakarta are now a concern. The reason is since entering new normal pandemic COVID-19, cases of transmission in offices continue to increase and are worrying.

The COVID-19 Task Force Team said, as of Wednesday (28/7) there were 90 office clusters with a total of 459 cases with the following details.

20 ministries with a total of 139 cases.
10 institutions with a total of 25 cases.
34 clusters in the environmental office of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, totaling 141 cases.
1 police station cluster with 4 cases.
8 BUMN clusters with 35 cases.
14 clusters of private offices with a total of 92 cases of COVID-19 transmission.

"(Since the transition new normal) more or less 416, about 9 times higher and this is what we end up with too alert "We must ensure that wherever we are, we comply with the health protocol," said member of the COVID-19 Task Force expert team Dewi Nur Aisyah in a BNPB Youtube broadcast, Wednesday (29/7).

The DKI Jakarta government recorded that until the end of August 2020 there were 166 office clusters with a total of 1,018 cases. The ministry's office did not escape being part of the COVID-19 transmission cluster, including the Ministry of Health. As of 18 September 2020 there were 232 cases of COVID-19 infection at the Ministry of Health.

The high cluster of transmission in office areas was predicted by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Ari Fahrial Syam. When the government opened the PSBB and implemented it new normal, he predicts that Indonesia will have 100,000 cases of COVID-19 transmission by the end of July 2020.

COVID-19 Outbreak updates Country: IndonesiaData

1,024,298

Confirmed

831,330

Recovered

28,855

DeathDistribution Map

What is the cause of the increase in clusters of COVID-19 transmission?

Enter new normal, the government has actually implemented a protocol for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in offices. However, in practice, the protocol has not been able to prevent transmission.

According to doctor Mikhael Yosia, B.Med.Sci, there are at least three factors that cause office cluster transmission.

First because of the disease factor. Recently the world health organization (WHO) stated that COVID-19 can be transmitted through the air (airborne), this means that transmission between co-workers becomes easier.

"There is already a warning that transmission can occur through airborne, then ventilation systems and systems Central AC What should we do (air conditioning) in the office, do we have to install a filter or must it be sterilized? " said Doctor Mike.

"About airborne this alone is still the factor of not knowing; do not know if it is a risk factor, "he added.

Second because of the compliance factor of the person. The most effective way to prevent contracting COVID-19 is to keep your distance (physical distancing) and avoid crowds. But with going out and doing activities at the office there are many conditions that make it difficult to keep your distance.

“Many ignore it social distancing. The office can apply the protocol, but transmission can occur during lunch, when smoking in a smoking room, which is definitely not wearing a mask and does not maintain a distance, "said Doctor Mike.

Not to mention the risk of contracting COVID-19 while on the way to and from work. Almost all modes of public transportation in Jakarta are difficult to implement psychical distancing.

For example, Transjakarta, seats have been marked with a cross to apply the distance between passengers, but standing passengers have difficulty maintaining the distance. In rush hour, public transportation remains crowded without paying attention to distance.

Third is a matter of policy. According to doctor Mike, the rules that were drafted were not detailed enough to prevent the maximum transmission of COVID-19.

How to prevent it?

In the protocol for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in the office created by the Ministry of Health, there are at least 23 prevention points. In order to prevent transmission from occurring, all these protocol points must be followed carefully.

"It must be understood first that preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in the office cannot be done only by checking the temperature and diligently washing hands. But there are many other aspects, "said Doctor Mike.

According to him, what can be done now is that companies have to learn more about how to adapt to pandemic conditions. For example, continue the system work from home (work from home) for employees who can do their job without having to go to the office.

For employees who have to enter the office, permission to leave work due to illness is made more flexible.

"Employees who feel unwell can leave work without complicated procedures and even pay cuts," explained doctor Mike.

This is because employees who are sick have the potential to transmit the disease to their colleagues easily.

The transmission of COVID-19 has also increased in clusters of houses of worship

The increase in cases of COVID-19 transmission has not only occurred in office clusters but also in places of worship.

As of Wednesday (29/7), data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force recorded that there are at least 9 places of worship that are clusters of COVID-19 transmission in DKI Jakarta. Of these 9 places, a total of 114 confirmed positive cases.

From the data that has been published by the DKI Health Office, the transmission of COVID-19 in the cluster of places of worship in DKI Jakarta has occurred in the following locations.

Pastor's dormitory: 1 cluster with 41 cases.
Tahlilan: 1 cluster with 29 cases.
Church: 3 clusters with 29 cases.
Mosques: 3 clusters with 11 cases.
Islamic boarding schools: 1 cluster with 4 cases.