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View all search resultsPeople encouraged to double mask for greater protection
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Responsible citizens: Semarang citizens cycle at the city’s old town area wearing masks on June 6. According to Professor Wiku Adisasmito, 27 percent of villages and subdistricts nationwide show low adherence to mask rules. (Hermawan Handaka/Tribun Jateng)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has long encouraged people to wear a mask as part of the 3M campaign, which is pivotal to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The government’s spokeswoman for COVID-19, Dr. Reisa Broto Asmoro, said the President’s wear-your-mask campaign was part of the universal movement.
“In the United States and European countries, they call this “universal masking”. Meaning, it is mandatory for everyone to wear a mask,” Reisa said, as quoted by a media statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
Reisa then referred to a study conducted by Dr. Derek Chu and colleagues that was published on June 1, which found that wearing a face mask decreases the risk of contracting the virus through respiratory droplets. Fabric masks can provide up to 45 percent protection, and when doubled up with a surgical mask can provide up to 70 percent protection, and thus double masking is effective in combating the virus.
The government is currently implementing the multi-layered social activity restrictions, in response to the spread of the Delta variant, which has a high transmission rate. Along with the restrictions, the government has also encouraged people to start double masking. Double masking means wearing a surgical mask with a fabric mask over the top to maximize protection.
Reisa said another study conducted by Dr. Emily Sickbert Bennet had also proven that double masking increases the filtration level up to 80 percent. This finding is in line with the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that double masking has been proven effective in providing protection from the virus.
“The CDC has found that double masking properly decreases the exposure level by more than 95 percent,” Reisa added.
She also added that the CDC said that before reaching herd immunity, the best way to defend ourselves from the coronavirus was by double masking.
However, she added that if herd immunity required 70 percent of the population to be vaccinated, then universal masking would require the participation of everyone in the population. No exception would be made.
“According to Professor Wiku Adisasmito, 27.03 percent of villages or subdistricts in Indonesia have a low adherence to mask rules,” Reisa said.
She then encouraged those who refused to wear a mask to also honor others’ right to stay healthy by wearing a mask.
“Please be a responsible citizen.”
Commenting on this, Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said that up to this date, the government had been distributing dozens of millions of masks, along with vitamins, medicines and hand sanitizer to the people.
“The distributions are channeled through command posts in villages and subdistrict offices. Dozens of millions of masks have been distributed to thousands of command posts in Java and Bali. It is expected that the people can find them everywhere and so can get maximum protection from the masks,” Johnny said.
