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Medan police station makes detainees soak up sun to ‘avoid COVID-19 infection’

The police believed that allowing the detainees to get sunlight in an outdoor setting would increase their immunity.

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Mon, November 2, 2020

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Medan police station makes detainees soak up sun to ‘avoid COVID-19 infection’ Medan Helvetia Police station in Medan, North Sumatra, sends its detainees outdoors to soak up the sun as part of the station's efforts to prevent COVID-19 transmission. (Antara/Handout)

M

edan Helvetia Police station in Medan, North Sumatra has set a new routine to prevent its detainees from contracting COVID-19, namely sending them outdoors to soak up the sun for a set amount of time. 

The police believed that allowing the detainees to get sunlight in an outdoor setting would increase their immunity.

Medan Helvetia Police chief Comr. Pardamean Hutahaean said they decided to put the detainees in the sun after some of them developed a rash. 

“We have taken a number of approaches to maintain our detainees’ health and immunity. Today, we allowed the detainees, under guards’ close supervision, to absorb some sunlight in the police station’s yard,” he said.

The detainees also had hair cut, he added. “These detainees had not attended to their hair for a while, and it was unhygienic.”

Apart from grooming the detainees, the police station also disinfected cells, while ensuring social distancing and carrying out body temperature checks on prisoners.

Thus far, the police station has recorded no infections among detainees.

“None of our detainees have contracted COVID-19 or are showing any symptoms. We hope we can maintain this despite the pandemic,” said Pardamean. 

During the pandemic, unique stories surrounding COVID-19 handling in North Sumatra have emerged from the province.

COVID-19 task force officials attempting to carry out a health protocol check were driven away from a birdsong contest held by the National Bird Breeders Association (APBN) in Tuntungan district, Medan on Oct. 25. 

At the time, one of the officials used a megaphone to urge participants and visitors to comply with health regulations. 

However, they responded by booing at the officials and chasing them away. 

Acting Medan mayor Arief Sudarto Trinugroho explained that the task force had visited the location after receiving a report from residents regarding the birdsong contest, which was taking place in the APBN field. 

He condemned the contest participants’ and visitors’ behavior and their refusal to follow the COVID-19 task force’s warnings regarding health protocols. The mayor added that such behavior should not be repeated as the officials were only trying to uphold regulations. 

Medan Tuntungan district head Topan Ginting confirmed the incident, adding that no one had been injured.

Previously, Medan Police had named the general manager of Hairos Water Park in Deli Serdang a suspect for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols by opening the recreation site to thousands of people. 

Medan Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Irsan Sinuhaji said the water park held a live DJ performance at a cost of Rp 22,500 (US$1.50) per ticket, or half the original price. The event attracted 2,800 visitors while the capacity of the pool was only 400 people. 

“Due to this violation, we named him a suspect but did not detain him,” Irsan said on Oct. 3. 

He added that the general manager was charged with violating Article 9, Paragraph 1 of Law No. 5/2018 on health quarantine and Health Ministerial Decree No. 107/2020 on health protocols to prevent COVID-19, which carry a maximum sentence of one year in prison. (nkn)

 

Editor’s note: This article is part of a public campaign by the COVID-19 task force to raise people’s awareness about the pandemic.

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