TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has reported that the Indonesian people are now calming down, as they are more informed in facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The condition of the public now, after two months (of facing the pandemic), is now calm and informed,” said the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Director General of Information and Public Communication, Widodo Muktiyo, during an online discussion, in Jakarta, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.

According to Widodo, the public has gone through a series of stages during the two months of facing the pandemic, starting from the public not knowing, followed by disbelief and panic, prior to the public understanding the pandemic.

In addition, Widodo continued, there are people who are stressed from having to adjust to a new lifedata-style during the COVID-19 pandemic. "That's when a situation occurs in the family and becomes something new, forced and has broader implications," he said.

During that period of stress, Widodo emphasized, the body may be prone to COVID-19 transmission, as the immune system is negatively impacted by the stress.

“So, communicating information is not as easy as it might seem, but now, after two months, the public is now calm and informed,” he added.

ANTARA | DIO SUHENDA (INTERN TRANSLATOR)