It was the nation’s first community transmission of the deadly virus that has infected at least 1.3 million Indonesians and killed 36,166 of them. These numbers, epidemiologists say, are far from accurate, but they do in some way reflect the reality of the pandemic.    

There is no denying that the health crisis has hit the country hard. We mourn for all the lives lost during this terrible time. We truly empathize with those who have lost their loved ones to this virus and its ramifications on our health system, which led to more deaths.

Those victims are more than just statistics—their passing serves as a humbling reminder of the magnitude of the challenge we face as a community. 

Looking back at what we did right and wrong in the past 12 months, we believe there is hope that we can get out of this crisis sooner or later. There is a light at the end of this dark and long tunnel, flickering at a distance.  

Truth be told, Indonesia has fared poorly compared to many other countries in addressing the pandemic. A recent study by Lowy Institute ranks the country in 85^th place out of the 98 nations it has rated for their COVID-19 response. This is a damning conclusion that we should take seriously. But there is no use in dwelling on it. 

The government has made some serious blunders—playing down the coronavirus threat in the early stages of the pandemic and then failing to rally regional administrations to create a more unified and systematic response to the virus. But it then made corrections, with President Jokowi calling on people to work, study and pray from home, and eventually supporting regional decisions for partial lockdowns.

Popular

Calls for reform grow ahead of Prabowo’s state address

Indonesia at 81: Whose sovereignty are we celebrating?

Indonesia’s rare earth push faces low-content, costly extraction hurdles