TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta’s commuter line or KRL operator Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) was preparing health protocols to prepare for the new normal era. The firm’s spokesperson Sylviane Purba said there will be several policies to complement the existing protocols that have been imposed for the past three months.

“One of them is that our frontline officers will wear face shields,” said Anne Purba, her familiar name, via a short message on Wednesday, May 27.

She reiterated that the protective gear will be procured gradually for all officers who have direct contact with passengers starting the next few days. “This will be carried out gradually. Perhaps in this month’s end, [the protocols] can be already implemented in all stations and lines,” Anne added.

Besides, the new policy will bar passengers from talking on the train either directly or through phones considering talking has the potential to transmit the virus via droplets. “Other rules are still being drafted.”

Other measures such as checking passengers’ body temperature and signs of the social or physical distancing order will be maintained. Passengers are also obliged to wear face masks, and the management will install more sinks for handwashing outside toilets in 80 stations across Jakarta Greater Area or Jabodetabek.

“We also limit the entry to the KRL’s platforms and cars,”

President Jokowi reasserted that Indonesian people must be ready to enter the new normal era. “We want to stay productive while remaining safe from Covid-19 at the same time. This is what we want,” said Jokowi during a visit to Summarecon Mal Bekasi, West Java, on Tuesday, May 26.

IMAM HAMDI