TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Before effective vaccines for the new coronavirus disease or Covid-19 are discovered, a lung specialist doctor in Jakarta Persahabatan Hospital Erlina Burhan believed that discipline is a key to live a healthy life and coexist with the virus.

That is why she called on the public to maintain discipline in complying with the health protocols during their daily activities for the next future period. Otherwise, the second wave of the virus outbreak will be possible to come to Indonesia after June 2020.

Moreover, the number of positive cases is still rising and no record of dropping yet.

Erlina reiterated that a country can enact a new normal policy under several conditions. First, there are pieces of evidence that the virus spread has been under control. Secondly, a country has an adequate capacity of healthcare workers to detect and treat patients.

The third condition is that the government has already been able to mitigate the risk of virus transmission to high-risk people and has had the preventive measures. The fourth is that imported cases can be contained, while the last, people are well-educated and highly disciplined.

“We are now in the transition period, not in a new normal phase yet as there are things that must be concerned beforehand. We need to maintain the habits developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, discipline in practicing physical distancing, wearing face masks, washing hands regularly, practicing a clean and healthy lifedata-style, and improving the immune system,” Erlina outlined during an online discussion on Wednesday, June 3.

To improve the body’s immune system, people are advised to have enough nutrients, good sleep, and good mood or avoid stress, as well as consume vitamins if necessary.

“No Covid-19 vaccine and specific medicines to treat [the disease] are ready yet. So it’s important to take vitamins and supplements with antioxidants such as vitamin B, C, E, and zinc that are also found in fruits and vegetables,” the pulmonologist said.

MILA NOVITA