This is based on our meeting with colleagues from the IDI Headquarters and the Indonesian Pediatric Society's (IDAI's) recommendation that schools in Bengkulu reopen in DecemberBengkulu (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has recommended that the Bengkulu provincial administration restart teaching and learning activities at schools in December 2020 based on the rising trend of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province.
"This is based on our meeting with colleagues from the IDI Headquarters and the Indonesian Pediatric Society's (IDAI's) recommendation that schools in Bengkulu reopen in December," Head of the IDI-Bengkulu Chapter Syafriadi informed local journalists here on Friday.
The provincial government was suggested to reopen schools at the end of this year since the curve of novel coronavirus cases was expected to flatten by December, he noted.
Children of the school-going age remain prone to contracting the COVID-19 disease. Some 12 children have, so far, been diagnosed with COVID-19 that they may have contracted from their parents, he pointed out.
Speaking in connection with a decision of the provincial government's COVID Task Force having allowed five districts to reopen schools in the near future after being labeled as "green zone", Syafriadi called for stringent implementation of healthcare protocols.
The five districts of Mukomuko, Lebong, Seluma, Bengkulu Selatan, and Kaur are allowed to resume school activities.
For schools that will reopen before December, both teachers and students must strictly follow the COVID-19 preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus, including wearing face masks and practicing physical distancing measures within and outside classrooms.
Coronavirus infections initially surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019.
Since then, COVID-19 has spread to over 215 countries and territories, including 34 provinces of Indonesia, with a major spike in death toll.
The Indonesian government officially confirmed the country's first cases on March 2 this year, and Jakarta had also become the epicenter of the virus, thereby undeniably triggering a huge disaster in human history that has led to a global economic crisis.
As of July 8, Indonesia's COVID19 recovery rate was recorded at 31,585 out of the 68,079 confirmed cases, while death toll from the virus had reached 3,359.
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Translator: Carminanda, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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