Over 8,000 Yogyakarta Children, Teenagers Exposed to Covid-19

TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - The Indonesian special region Yogyakarta revealed two serious issues it faces amid the rising Covid-19 case, namely transmission among children and the oxygen supply in the past two weeks.

"Until today, there are 3,227 children in Yogyakarta contracting the Coronavirus," said the city health agency head Pembajun Setyaningastutie on Friday, June 25.

Those children are between 0 to 10 years old. They are included in the confirmed positive Covid case in Yogyakarta until this weekend of 56,246 cases, with 7,887 active cases.

"What’s worrying is that these children are often brought along by their parents to places that are unsafe and not abiding by the health protocols," she said.

For example, when parents aim to get the Covid-19 vaccine, they bring along their children to the mass vaccination venue where there are a lot of people and even some of them not wearing masks. According to Pembajun, the safest place for children in this situation is only at home.

“We appeal the parents to be more selective when taking their children outdoor and to abide by the health protocols,” she said.

Yogyakarta health agency also recorded 5,554 teenagers of 11-20 years old were exposed to Covid-19 since the pandemic hit the city. "While the 21-30 years old adults exposed to coronavirus in Yogyakarta are 9,500 people," said Pembajun.

Read: Govt Studies Possibilities of Sinovac, Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccines for Children

Pribadi Wicaksono (Contributor)