TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The national COVID-19 mitigation task force chairman, Doni Monardo, said that 57 Indonesian regions had been categorized as COVID-19 high-risk regions. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo then ordered the central government to help them, he added.

“The President emphasized that the national task force and the provincial task force should prioritize 57 regencies/cities at high risk [of the coronavirus disease],” said Doni after a limited meeting with Jokowi at the Presidential Palace, Central Jakarta, Monday, June 29.

Doni recalled that in the session, Jokowi underlined that all of the nation's elements were asked to involve in efforts to curb the virus transmission in the 57 regions, particularly the Indonesian Military (TNI), to mitigate and suppress the risks, as well as regional figures, either religious, community, or cultural figures.

“Including the involvement of anthropologists so that each region has the characteristics and certain potential of what needs to be done in order to curb the trend in new cases,” Doni explained.

Additionally, mitigation efforts will also be carried out increasing the number of doctors, nurses and necessary medical equipment.

Doni asserted the risk level of COVID-19 in a region hinged on the degree of its communal concerns, as opposed to the region’s head. He also underscored the significance of support from all elements of society in the disease’s mitigation efforts.

According to Doni, many regions have managed to implement the method. On June 1, a total of 108 Indonesian regions were classified as COVID-19 red zones, and only within 23 weeks, the figure slipped to 57.

Read: Jokowi Demands Innovations to Fight COVID-19

EGI ADYATAMA