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Some good COVID-19-related news you might have missed
Crowdfunding platform Kitabisa has seen a surge in fundraising campaigns for COVID-19 mitigation since early March, said Kitabisa spokesperson Fara Devara.
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Good news. (Shutterstock/File)
Amid the climbing number of COVID-19 cases and rising death toll in Indonesia, it is easy to miss the more encouraging developments in the country's fight against the pandemic.
The Jakarta Post has compiled some good news to provide a dose of optimism amid the bleak outlook:
Ordinary Indonesians have donated over US$1 million for the fight against COVID-19
Crowdfunding platform Kitabisa has seen a surge in fundraising campaigns for COVID-19 mitigation since early March, said Kitabisa spokesperson Fara Devara.
As of Monday, the site has 513 related campaigns initiated by public figures, NGOs and members of the general public, with total donations amounting to Rp 24 billion ($1.4 million).
“Every fundraising campaign has a different target. The #SalingJaga community movement, for example, has managed to raise over Rp 1.2 billion of its Rp 2 billion target,” Fara told the Post on Monday.
Help for medical workers is on the way
Amid the shortage of personal protective equipment, Indonesian fashion designers took the initiative to create protective suits for medical workers, including renowned kebaya (traditional Indonesian blouse) designer Anne Avantie and fashion designer Didiet Maulana.
Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration has provided special accommodations for doctors and nurses to support them in the fight against COVID-19.
A total of 220 rooms with 414 beds have been prepared for medical workers in the Grand Cempaka Business Hotel managed by city-owned enterprise PT Jakarta Tourisindo (Jaktour).
Students and start-ups produce testing kits, disinfection chamber
Students of Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, have designed a disinfection chamber to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the area, which authorities have declared to be vulnerable to an outbreak.
The device, called Sikat Corona (corona scrubber) or SiCo, is a 2-meter-high, 1-m-wide chamber covered by transparent material and equipped with a nozzle to spray disinfectant.
Meanwhile, start-up Nusantics is preparing to make 100,000 COVID-19 test kits. East Venture, the most active early-stage venture capital firm in Indonesia, provided an undisclosed amount of seed money to the start-up on March 20 to support production.
Indonesian performers to entertain quarantined residents
Indonesian celebrities and musicians are scheduled to perform and share their knowledge online on YouTube on March 30-31.
To be aired on the Budaya Saya channel, the event is part of the #bahagiadirumah (happy at home) campaign initiated by the Culture Directorate General of the Education and Culture Ministry. The event can also be watched later.
The #bahagiadirumah campaign itself aims to be a platform for Indonesian performers and musicians to stay productive amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government has enacted new policies to help laid-off workers, low-income families and small businesses as the economy slows
To protect the economy from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has decided to speed up the disbursement of training funds for workers through the preemployment card program, as well as increase the allowance provided to low-income families.
The government also plans to provide financial incentives for medical workers, micro and small business, as well as workers in informal sectors.
