Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Health Ministry launched a campaign on "Wear a Mask" to thwart the spread of COVID-19, which would be transmitted through droplets coming from an infected person's mouth.

"Today face masks from the Ministry of Health and the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs are distributed to the people at Gelora Bung Karno stadium," the Health Ministry's Secretary General Oscar Primadi said in a press statement here on Sunday.

The Health Ministry's provincial health offices, Integrated Service Units and Health Polytechnics throughout Indonesia have also organized public awareness campaign on the importance of wearing face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry has distributed some one million face masks to the public since Aug 25, 2020 .

The Indonesian Government has been carrying the national campaign on 'Wear Masks' since Aug 10 until Sept 6, 2020. It will be followed by a campaign on hand washing with soap from Sept 7 until Oct 6, and a campaign on maintain physical distancing from Oct 7 until Nov 6, 2020.

"To prevent the transmission of COVID-19 , people must adopt healthy living habits, by always wearing masks, washing hands with soap and maintaining physical distancing," he remarked.

Wearing a mask is important to prevent the COVID-19 transmission, especially in crowded places, such as in markets, stations, public transportation, and other public places.

The Wear Mask Campaign at Gelora Bung Karno on Sunday was participated in by a number of public figures including basketball athlete Faisal Julius Ahmad, jet ski athlete Agsa Aswar, jet ski trainer Fully Aswar, and the Communication Team for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force dr Reisa Broto Asmoro.

Apart from the Ministry of Health, the campaign was also attended by officials from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery.

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Translator: Dewanto Samodro, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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