TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several health experts and the COVID-19 Mitigation Task Force held a meeting on strategies to deal with the pandemic in Indonesia on Monday, March 16.

President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's special staffer, Andi Taufan Garuda Putra, confirmed on Tuesday, March 17 that the government held a meeting with health experts to discuss measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Among the recommendations is a modified lockdown with clear and firm rules in priority areas such as Jakarta. The following are excerpts from recommendations from documents obtained by Tempo:

"Experts agree that social distancing in the form of lockdowns with modifications or clarified rules can slow the spread and reduce the mortality rate caused by the coronavirus disease. Therefore, a clear system for the social restriction based on the region's condition is necessary. More aggressive social restrictions such as lockdown can be enforced in areas with many cases and become the epicenter, such as Jakarta or West Java."

One of the health experts who attended the meeting, Mesty Ariotedjo, confirmed the recommendation. Meanwhile, the head of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) Aman Bhakti Pulungan answered several written questions from Tempo. Aman explained that the COVID-19 modified lockdown means only the regional border will be closed.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI