I believe the government has prepared quite a substantial budget to handle COVID-19 and respond to its impact, and with regard to traditional markets, there are budgets being prepared to ensure they do not become clusters of COVID-19 spreadJakarta (ANTARA) - The Presidential Staff Office is preparing a budget to implement measures to prevent traditional markets from becoming COVID-19 clusters in the new normal era.
"I believe the government has prepared quite a substantial budget to handle COVID-19 and respond to its impact, and with regard to traditional markets, there are budgets being prepared to ensure they do not become clusters of COVID-19 spread," said Main Expert Staff of the Presidential Staff Office, Donny Gahral Adian, during a virtual discussion in Jakarta on Saturday.
According to him, the budget can be allocated for laying drainage, opening new land to implement distancing between sellers, providing a place to visitors to wash hands, among other measures.
"Such issues have certainly become concerns because the most important thing is that now public places must implement health protocols with existing infrastructure," he noted.
He also said President Joko Widodo wants more focus to be accorded to the execution of health protocols and more attention to be given to preparations, so that traditional markets do not become transmission clusters.
"These (traditional markets) are the most crowded places for the middle to lower class, so of course, the government will focus attention on traditional markets, of which we have quite a lot," he pointed out.
He said he believed that the focus has been given and stressed that the most important thing for now is that all stakeholders work together to ensure protocols are enforced in all sectors, especially in traditional markets.
"Because if this health protocol is not carried out with discipline in traditional markets, and people do not use masks or diligently wash their hands, it (preventive efforts) would be useless. I think there would be a system created so that things like that can be avoided," he said. (INE)
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Translator: Aji Cakti/Aria Cindyara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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