The devastating Delta wave, exacerbated by a lack of mobility restrictions during this year’s Idul Fitri holidays, caused a case surge that brought the country’s health system to the brink of collapse.

It also caused the nation to pass the grim milestone of 100,000 COVID-19 deaths in August.

As the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus threatens another case surge, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called for optimism and unity going into the new year.

“The way forward is not always easy. Sometimes, trials and tribulations must be experienced by our society,” said Jokowi in a prerecorded speech to commemorate Christmas and New Year on Tuesday. “But with a strong spirit and unity, we will succeed in facing all challenges.”

Indonesia briefly became the global epicenter of the pandemic in July, with hospitals, particularly on Java, scrambling to treat COVID-19 patients amid shortages of oxygen and other medical supplies.

The situation led to the deaths of more than 3,000 patients unable to get hospital beds, according to data compiled by independent data initiative LaporCOVID-19.

Toll on health workers

Yetti said she remembered her daughter Liza, a 34-year-old nurse who treated COVID-19 patients in a makeshift emergency hospital and isolation facility in Kemayoran, North Jakarta, as a strong-willed and dedicated daughter.

“She said wanted to volunteer and save lives. When she wanted to do something, nothing could stop her,” said Yetti, who worked a midwife and had repeatedly asked her daughter to do something less risky.

On June 3, Liza contracted the virus after months treating COVID-19 patients at the athlete village-turned-hospital. She passed away twenty days later and is survived by her two children.

“I learned through her that God has a plan for everything,” Yetti said.

As of Thursday, more than 2,000 health workers had died as a result of the pandemic, according to data compiled by LaporCOVID-19.

Longing for normalcy

The surge in COVID-19 cases also led to the establishment of emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat), the country’s strictest curbs to date, which took a heavy toll on the economy and stalled the much-anticipated economic recovery.

For 37-year-old Dany Akbar, who works as a freelance event organizer, the economic impact from the second wave was devastating, as almost all events were cancelled. The situation forced him to sell his assets to feed his wife and two kids.

Dany, who lives in Pamulang, South Tangerang, said the situation had improved since and that he had been able to organize virtual events to bring in income.

“I hope we do not repeat the situation [of 2021]. Hopefully, everything will return to normal, because we are weary,” said Dany.

With tourism among the industries hit hardest by the pandemic, Nyoman Triastama, who works as a freelance tour guide in Bali, said he was concerned that the Omicron variant would bring another set of stringent curbs to the tourism-dependent island.

The government claimed in October to have reopened Bali to international tourists from selected countries, but the move has failed to attract many visitors because of long quarantine periods, a lack of international flights and enduring virus fears.

Nyoman called on domestic tourists to visit Bali whenever they got the chance.

“With the current situation, I hope that other Indonesians, particularly those who have more disposable income, come to Bali, rather than traveling abroad,” said Nyoman.

Meanwhile, Caron Toshiko Monika, the 31-year-old owner of a Jakarta-based independent photobook publisher and gallery, said she had come to accept the uncertainties that the pandemic had brought and was feeling more optimistic this year.

“I feel more confident than I did last year because the vaccine itself, as a form of self-defense against the virus, has reduced the fear,” she said, adding that she hoped COVID-19 cases would not spike again. (mrc)