Gov’t Launches Masks-Wearing Campaign

The campaign for the wearing of face mask in the Bung Karno Gelora Area, Senayan, DKI Jakarta Province, Sunday (30/8). (Photo by: PR of PR of Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs).

In a bid to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government on Sunday (30/8) at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta launched a campaign to urge people to wear a face mask.

The campaign aims to raise public awareness and discipline to wear a face mask by distributing face masks for free and through mask-wearing dissemination as directed by the President.

“The campaign to wear a face mask has been massively carried out to encourage public compliance in wearing a face mask,” Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said.

According to Airlangga, who also serves as the Chairperson of Working Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery, wearing a face mask is the simplest and most effective way to curb virus transmission.

“Virus transmission can be reduced by a COVID-19 carrier wearing a face mask, while a non-carrier can be protected from contracting the virus. The slogan of ‘your face mask protects me and mine protects you’ very fits the current condition,” Airlangga said.

Airlangga also said the most important measure to prevent COVID-19 transmission is public compliance in wearing a face mask, adding that the campaign is expected to boost public compliance and awareness.

He also said national economic growth amid the pandemic can begin with public discipline in wearing a face mask.

“Better public compliance in wearing a face mask is in line with our efforts to provide a sense of security for the people. This is the main key to revive our national economy,” he added.

Therefore, Airlangga urged the public to always strictly follow COVID-19 health protocols, including by wearing a face mask as the initial key to prevent virus transmission.

“Let us wear a face mask. Do not be lazy, Let us maintain self-discipline in wearing a face mask!,” he said.

Airlangga also reminded the public to be disciplined in wearing a face mask, adding that discipline can start from self-discipline, the family, the neighborhood, as well as society at large.

On that occasion, the Minister also said that the habit of wearing a face mask should be developed to prevent COVID-19 transmission as the main key to national economic recovery amid the pandemic.

“As public health improves, economy grows,” he said.

For the record, the National Face Masks Campaign Movement was launched by Working Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery led by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, assisted by Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

A total of 22,500 face masks from Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and 20,000 face masks from Ministry of Health were distributed to the general public who were doing sports at the GBK complex and those who participated at the event.

In addition to promote wearing a face mask, the Government has announced it will also promote campaigns to practice physical distancing and to wash hands frequently. (PR of Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs/EN)

Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas