UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga Alumni Association Commissariat of the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) together with the Association of Indonesian Public Health Scholars and Professionals (Persakmi) of East Java conducted an online survey related to the implementation of Large Scale Social Distancing (PSBB) in East Java. The first phase survey was conducted on 4-8 May 2020 during the first phase of the PSBB and continued with the second phase survey conducted on 19-23 May 2020 during the second PSBB period extended to May 25, 2020 by the East Java provincial government.
The survey evaluated the use of face masks and implementation of physical distancing in 10 activities actively carried out by the community in implementing PSBB in East Java. These activities are activities carried out in schools, campuses, places of worship, offices or factories, supermarkets or minimarkets, hangout spots, public transportation, ojek bases, outdoor sports, and socio-cultural activities.
The results of the first and second stages of the survey showed that the active activities in the community are increasing in numbers. Significant improvements occurred in five types of activities, teaching and learning activities in schools, campuses and places of course, then activities in the market, activities in supermarkets or minimarkets, activities in hangout spots and activities of public transportation. The survey also reported that the use of masks and implementation of physical distancing in those 10 active activities carried out by the community are still quite low.
So, based on these findings, IKA UNAIR FKM and Persakmi East Java gave three recommendations. The first recommendation is the effort to enforce discipline on the COVID-19 preventive health protocol. Enforcement of discipline required to form a new behavior as in the expected “new normal”. So that PSBB policy does not always have to be extended in the future.
The second recommendation is to initiate the formation of a public health “police” as an effort to discipline the public to behave properly in public spaces by wearing masks, applying physical distancing and diligently washing their hands. And the last recommendation is to optimize community participation at the lowest level (RT / RW / hamlet) and key figures in the community in COVID-19 education and prevention activities.
IKA UNAIR FKM and Persakmi revealed that the three recommendations were given to the Governor of East Java Province and the Regents or Mayors of East Java province. “Recommendations are addressed to the Governor of the Province of East Java and Regents or Mayors throughout the province of East Java,” they said. (*)
Author: Dita Aulia Rahma
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
