Govt Releases Protocol on Coronavirus Mitigation
Translator
Editor
6 March 2020 18:01 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has launched today, March 6, a medical protocol on the mitigation of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 during a press conference at the Presidential Staff Office. The guidance was designed by several ministries to bring a sense of serenity for the community.
As noted in the protocol, the government decided that the maximum body temperature is at 38 degrees Celcius. If a person has fever and flu with a body heat of over 38 degrees Celcius, he or she is advised to go to a nearby health facility.
“When heading to the health facility, the person must wear a mask,” Health Ministry Secretary-General Oscar Primadi asserted.
Oscar explained that COVID-19 could be transmitted through droplets, not airborne. However, wearing a face mask is recommended. Also, the person with the virus-symptoms is not recommended to take mass transportation to reach the health center, he added.
As for the health service providers, Oscar claimed the ministry has distributed circulars related to the guidance of COVID-19 infection. If a person is categorized as a suspected patient, he or she will be sent to a referral hospital.
“If the person cannot be classified as a suspected patient, he or she can be hospitalized or not depending on the doctor’s diagnosis and decision,” he added.
In the referral hospital, the coronavirus suspected patient will be placed in an isolation room, and his or her specimen will be taken and sent to the Health Research and Development Center (Balitbangkes). The result, Oscar went on, will be delivered to Jakarta to confirm the case.
If the COVID-10 suspected patient tests positive, his or her sample will be taken every day. The person can be discharged from the hospital if the test comes back negative for two days in a row, Oscar concluded.
EGI ADYATAMA