VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has laid emphasis on the significance of routinely assessing the implementation of a new normal that necessitates the application of stringent health protocols.

"We need to conduct routine evaluation even in a region that showed a decline in the number of new cases. Do not be caught off-guard due to the dynamic situation on the field," Jokowi remarked during his visit to the office of the Task Force of Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The success in curbing COVID-19 transmission is determined by the discipline maintained and followed in implementing health protocols, he pointed out.

The head of state noted that strict social restrictions will be re-imposed in the event of a region registering a rise in the number of new cases.

"We will directly close or re-impose strict restrictions," Jokowi emphasized.

The head of state urged the public to remain upbeat about the pandemic being handled effectively and people eventually returning to their routine activities.

To this end, all parties are called to remain alert and conduct their respective tasks.

Jokowi has also appealed to central and local governments to bolster coordination and consolidation that also involved all societal elements.

"We should work hand-in-hand to handle this major issue," the head of state remarked.

Jokowi had earlier urged Indonesians and businesses entities, in particular, to prepare to coexist with COVID-19 that would necessitate a new normal of social distancing and observance of health protocols.

The president affirmed that for the country fighting the pandemic since early March this year, finding ways to coexist with COVID-19 would not entail giving up the fight against the deadly virus.

In its place, it would involve conducting normal activities in a peaceful, safe, productive, and comfortable manner by adhering to the new health protocols to safeguard against the spread of coronavirus since currently, vaccines had yet to be developed against the infection. (ANTARA)