"One of those (COVID mitigation measures) is supporting through supplying self-isolation spaces," BNPB's acting deputy of prevention, Harmensyah, said in a text received in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Self-isolation is a viable alternative for those coming in contact with coronavirus patients and for those showing mild symptoms, he added.
He said he hoped pentahelix collaboration would help boost COVID-19 handling.
Self-isolation spaces are meant to assist hospitals and COVID-19 emergency hospitals by accommodating COVID-19 patients with no symptoms or with mild symptoms, Harmensyah explained.
Companies and communities can provide self-isolation spaces for company employees, families of employees, and people from the surrounding community who have contracted COVID-19, he said.
Harmensyah laid down several criteria concerning the provision of self-isolation spaces, such as location, accessibility, coordination with nearby medical facilities, infrastructure, logistics, medicines, human resources, including medics, security, and hospitality.
"It is also important to note about the infectious waste management coming from the patients in self-isolation spaces. It is to prevent the virus spreading from the waste," he said.
Companies that do not have self-isolation spaces may use homes and unused gathering spaces to set up such spaces, he added.
During a coordination meeting attended by representatives from 65 corporations and organizations, BNPB's acting director of readiness, Pangarso Suryotomo, spoke about strategically planning the provision of self-isolation spaces and building synergy with corporations and communities in handling the COVID-19 surge, particularly in relation to the setup and standardization of self-isolation spaces.
Standard operating procedures have been laid down, detailing the division of roles and the necessary support, he informed. They have been created by the volunteers coordination division of the Indonesian COVID-19 Response Task Force, BNPB, Ministry of Social Affairs, and Ministry of Health, he added.
"COVID-19 Response Acceleration Task Force is ready to help (with) volunteers, either medics or not, and also help with monitoring (the situation)," Suryotomo said.
Meanwhile, companies and non-governmental organizations have contributed to the handling of COVID-19, BNPB said.
Companies such as PT Bank Danamon, PT Bank Mandiri, PT Bank BNI, Artha Graha Peduli, PT Bank Syariah Indonesia, MNC Peduli, PT Alfaria Trijaya, Baznas, Squad PB, and RAPI have provided assistance in the form of medicines, self-isolation facilities, and medical equipment, it added.
During the coordination meeting, BNPB officials stressed the importance of collaboration and pentahelix's role in handling the pandemic.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
