Preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus requires a massive role for every citizen. This is because the Ministry of Health announced that positive cases of COVID-19 as of April 1, 2020 have reached 1,528 cases. That number is a call to all of us. A call to duty and responsibility to slow the spread of this virus.
To inhibit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, our obligation as city residents comes in the form of self-control. We are responsible for our mobility behavior. The evidence is clearly announced every day by the government. The number of infected and dead citizens continues to rise and has yet to be contained.
Refraining from traveling for non-urgent purposes is the only option. Not many of us realize that after being infected with the COVID-19 virus, we can still look and feel healthy for 5-6 days before symptoms appear. In fact, during that time we can transmit the virus to others. Doesn't belonging to a city mean caring about its sustainability?
Now is no longer the time to wait for others to act.
What happens when citizens ignore their responsibility to reduce their mobility during a COVID-19 outbreak? Italy is a great example of forcing everyone to take responsibility. The entire country is on lock down. Citizens are not allowed to leave the house at all except to go to the supermarket or drugstore. If necessary, they must leave the house alone. That's what can happen.
Now is no longer the time to wait for others to act. Especially, for people who live in big cities like Jakarta for example. A place that makes us all individualistic. We are used to taking care of ourselves and the people we are closely related to. The rest of us just take care of ourselves. Just like taking out the trash. Once the trash is out of our house, it's no longer our business.
Citizens' responsibility to their city goes hand in hand with discipline. Disasters arise because of indiscipline. The headache for residents has started since the beginning of this year. The beginning of 2020 started with heavy rains and repeated floods. If only city residents were disciplined not to litter, we would be free from flooding. The demand for discipline also applies in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the form of mobility restrictions.
Citizen responsibilities and obligations are not only related to regulations. Usually, we are very good at coming up with a list of rights. It's very quick to finish making that list. However, when talking about obligations as a Jakarta KTP owner, for example, it will usually only appear about the obligations and rights to participate in elections.
Perhaps when it is mentioned as an obligation, it seems like a necessity. But how to turn this sense of obligation into a sense of ownership of the city and its environment? This is because citizens are part of the whole city ecosystem. We, the citizens, are the ones who make the city breathe. Our task is to change the perception of obligation into concern and awareness that the city's problems are shared problems.
Limiting ourselves and being responsible with our mobility means caring for others.
The current situation is a test for all of us. A test of responsibility for all our actions and their effects on our surroundings. A test of our care for the city. A test of our reasoning about Jakarta's situation and vulnerability.
I believe that every citizen has a role to play in limiting the spread of COVID-19. As a citizen born and raised in Jakarta, I have an obligation to help save this city from greater danger. Let's limit our mobility. Jakarta was formed because of its citizens, and vice versa. Jakarta's breath is in the hands of us citizens.
Let's all support Jakarta and the government to get through this difficult time. At the same time, the government should never tire of reminding its citizens about mobility restrictions. Because, only with the positive participation of all parties in this situation can we proudly declare that we are Jakarta residents.