All parties should be aware that the pandemic is not yet over and adherence to health protocols correlates to the number of cases
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The number of green zones with mask compliance rate above 90 percent had increased in the past seven days, COVID-19 Handling Task Force's Public's Behavior Change Department Head, Sonny B. Harmadi, stated.

Meanwhile, the number of red zones with the mask compliance rate below 60 percent had decreased despite the fact that it was high two to four weeks earlier.

"This condition should be maintained as a collective effort to prevent a spike in the number of cases," Harmadi noted through a written statement received here on Friday.

"All parties should be aware that the pandemic is not yet over and adherence to health protocols correlates to the number of cases," he stated.

Within the past two weeks, Public's Behavior Change Department of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force had bolstered behavior change ambassadors in 12 provinces that tended to experience a reduction in compliance, he noted.

Until December next month, all behavior change ambassadors are requested to continue to edify the public.

"This effort is expected to become a real action to maintain compliance to health protocols among the people and prevent the emergence of the third wave," Harmadi affirmed.

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Currently, 129,656 behavior change ambassador were recorded to be spread across 34 provinces and 436 districts or cities in Indonesia.

Behavior change ambassadors came from different backgrounds, such as university students, religious figures, teachers, national scouts, youth organizations, and police.

Meanwhile, Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny G. Plate expects compliance to health protocols, primarily wearing a mask, to be improved, especially with the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.

"Restraining oneself to not go in order to curb mobility and continue to maintain health protocols will prevent Indonesia from experiencing the COVID-19 third wave," he emphasized.

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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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