TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The COVID-19 task force set to gather twenty influencers to discuss the mitigation of the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 in Indonesia on Friday, March 20.

“As ordered by Pak Doni (Head of National Disaster Mitigation Agency), the virus handling will be done thoroughly so we ask all parties to get involved in this task force,” said the BNPB deputy of disaster prevention, Lilik Kurniawan, to Tempo on Thursday night, March 19.

Lilik explained that through the influencers, the information in light of prevention and mitigation of the new coronavirus could reach everyone to the family level and individuals. The influencers, he added, would be tasked to campaign for personal hygiene and healthy lifedata-style as well as a social distancing program by staying at home during this outbreak emergency period.

“We are still lacking because even though we have called for studying at home, many people consider it as a vacation period and so many tourist destinations are crowded. So this is our big challenge. We try to break the chain of the coronavirus transmission but that’s what happened,” Lilik added.

The twenty influencers included Rachel Venya, Kevin Liliana, Taqy Malik, Tissa Biani, Maudy Koesnaedi, Akbar Rais, Reza Pahlevi, Indra Bekti, Aura Kasih, Putri Patricia, Sarah Gibson, Indra Kalista, Indra Sugiarto, Sintya Marisca, Edho Zell, Angela Gilsha, Boim Lenno, Mike Ethan, Tirta, and Syanin.

An entertainer Indra Bekti confirmed he would attend the event. “Yes that’s right, we will discuss the handling of COVID-19 later,” said Bekti through a Whatsapp message to Tempo.

CAESAR AKBAR