TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Amin Soebandrio, assessed that shortening the long holidays cannot prevent the COVID-19 transmission because days off can happen at any time.

According to him, the public must believe in the existence of the coronavirus and be disciplined in implementing the predetermined health protocol. “The most fundamental cure is that all people are aware [of the virus],” said Amin in a virtual discussion today, November 24, 2020.

Amin stated that around 20-30 percent of Indonesian citizens did not believe that the coronavirus disease does exist so that it would be difficult to call on the public to prevent the virus from spreading.

“When we talk about society, do not assume we are only talking about the lower-middle class. The upper-middle-class must also be involved,” he said.

The virus preventions, he went on, include holding testing, tracing, and treatment or 3T. The public must also abide by the health protocol of wearing a face mask, washing hands, and maintaining distance with each other.

The Jakarta provincial government earlier announced that the surge in positive cases was caused by high public mobility. The number of cases in the capital city was starting to soar after the recent long holiday on October 28-November 1, 2020.

Read: Ganjar Pranowo Advises Removal of Christmas, New Year Collective Leave

LANI DIANA WIJAYA