Indonesia Should Follow WHO on Mask-wearing: Expert

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health security and resilience expert from Australia’s Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, asked Indonesia to keep following World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest recommendations and regulations regarding mask-wearing.

“Please remember, Indonesia is one of the countries with high excess mortality in the world during a pandemic. This means that there are too many unrecorded infections,” said Dicky on Tuesday, January 3, 2022.

Dicky said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus encouraged people in areas with a wide transmission rate to wear medical masks, especially those working in clinical areas such as health facilities.

Wearing a mask in places where physical distancing is not possible is also recommended, for example in crowded open spaces, public transportation, and shops. 

Dicky seconded WHO’s statement that masks are not a substitute for physical distancing, hand hygiene, and other public health measures, but rather part of a comprehensive human approach to tackle COVID-19 transmission.

Thus, he appealed to all people to continue wearing masks, even though there is no more government interference because not all public spaces in the country can meet the requirements to be declared safe from virus transmission. Moreover, there are still vulnerable groups.

“Wearing a mask is the only most effective public health measure to tackle COVID-19,” said the epidemiologist.

Dicky also hoped that the government will continue to monitor the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate booster vaccinations.

ANTARA

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