TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The North Sumatra expert team member, Dr. Delyuzar said that the number of people exposed to COVID-19 in Indonesia continues to experience a significant rise and argues that it is also driven by the low awareness to follow health protocols, which only increases the risk of broadening the spread of the virus.

“[This continues to happen despite] regional state-officials and [COVID-19] task forces have disseminated the health protocols such as the use of face masks, maintaining hygiene, and avoiding crowded places,” said Delyuzar.

Despite attempts by the central and regional governments to impose sanctions against health protocol violators, the doctor argues that people are perceiving the establishment of a ‘new normal’ as an actual normal situation.

“It’s difficult to change people’s behavior which makes the new normal adaptation process not perform as good as it should,” said the Head of Medan City’s Muhammadiyah COVID-19 Command Center.

As of now, the government has imposed a number of sanctions taking form as fines and social punishments

“Suppressing the risk of spreading COVID-19 is not only the responsibility of the government and its task forces, but it is also our collective responsibility. Don’t put your guard down and underestimate the spread of COVID-19,” said the doctor.

Read also: COVID-19 Task Force: Long Holidays Helped Spread the Virus

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