Prevention of Covid-19 Transmission at Denpasar Traditional Market.

PREVENTION OF COVID-19 TRANSMISSION

AT DENPASAR TRADITIONAL MARKET

By: Ayu Putu Laksmi Danyathi

   Email : laksmi_danyathi@unud.ac.id

On January 30^th 2020, the World Health Organization declared the corona virus outbreak as a global public health emergency. Over million cases of infected people due to corona virus and the number has been increasing. Covid-19 is a contagious disease which is caused by corona virus. This virus outbreak first occurred in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Covid-19 is now a pandemic that occurs in many countries around the world, furthermore; millions victims fell due to the ferociousness of this virus. People around the world have been gripped by fear due to the corona virus outbreak. Almost all countries on this world have taken action to close the access to enter the country. That is we called lockdown.  

During these unprecedented times of COVID-19, the Indonesian government has called on to all Indonesian people to work from home, study from home and worship from home. People have been asked to remain at home. Only medical personnel who are at the forefront of handling Covid-19 and logistics distributors are given the freedom to leave the house. Likewise in Bali, Government of Bali province has made various efforts to prevent and break the chain of the spread of Covid-19.

From the sources the writer has read, the number of people who were positive COVID-19 in Indonesia from the beginning of the spread up to June 23, 2020 were 46,845 people, 18,735 patients have been recovered, while 2,500 people passed away due to this virus. In Bali, the number of people who were infected by Covid-19 from the beginning of the virus spread up to June 23, 2020 were 1080 people, 615 recovered patients, and  9 death cases (Bali Post, Tuesday, June 23, 2020, page 2).

Traditional Market is a place where sellers and buyers meet, in addition; here transactions between sellers and buyers are carried out directly. The building usually consists of stalls, booths and open bases which are opened by sellers or market managers. Traditional markets are regional assets that can support many people. (http://repository.ut.ac.id/8031/1/FISIP201601-46.pdf). The characteristics of traditional markets are: traditional markets are owned, built and managed by local governments. Besides that, there is an activity of bargaining between sellers and buyers, diverse and integrated business premises in the same location, and most of the goods and services offered are local production. Traditional markets have several functions, such as: as a place for exchanging goods, as a center of economic development, as a field work, as a center for the circulation of regional money, and as a source of regional retribution. (https://www.kompas.com/skola/read/2020/01/28/060000169/pasar-traditional-understanding- characteristics- and- types ??page=all).

If we see Denpasar city, the existence of traditional markets still exists even though modern markets are mushrooming. A variety of daily needs are sold in this traditional market. For that reason, many people in Denpasar still choose the traditional market to fulfill their daily needs. On the other side, traders also rely on their lives in this traditional market. The traditional markets in Denpasar such as; Kumbasari Market, Badung Market, Kreneng Market, Satria Market, Lokitasari Market, Sanglah Market, Gunung Agung Market, Sindu Market, Pasek Pemecutan Market, Anyar Sari Market, Ketapian Market, Wangaya Market, Pidada Market, Abian Timbul Market, and Kertha Waringin Sari Market (https://bali.tribunnews.com/2018/12/17/tribun-wiki-17-pasar-tr traditional-yang-ada-di-denpasar).  

 To prevent the spread of the corona virus, Government of Denpasar city continues to make various efforts. One of them is by setting the traditional market operating hours through the Denpasar Mayor Letter Number: 434/572 / DKIS / 2020. On the letter, traditional market operating hours is up to 21.00 local time. Like Gunung Agung Fish Market which previously opened at 20.00 local time, closed at 03.00 local time, it was changed becomes open at 01.00 local time, closed at 06.00 local time. The operational restriction was carried out to reduce the occurrence of crowds and direct public contact at the shopping place and cut off the spread of Covid-19. After that, the local government has prepared facilities such as washbasin and body temperature measurement at the entrance of the traditional market (https://www.nusabali.com/berita/70994/mulai-hari-ini-jam-operasional- pasar-dan-toko-dibatasi).  

                 Generally, society must obey the Covid-19 health protocol. The Covid-19 health protocol that must be obeyed by the society, based on information by the Ministry of Health and the Guards for the Acceleration of Covid-19 Handling namely: First, maintaining hygiene of hands. If the hands do not look dirty, clean it with a hand sanitizer or hand washing liquid. However, if your hands are dirty, clean them using running water and soap. How to wash your hands must be in accordance with applicable standards, which includes the back of your hands, palms of your hands, the edges and between the fingers. Second, do not touch the face in the condition of hands that are not clean, as much as possible avoid touching the face, especially the nose, eyes and mouth. Third, wear a mask. Wearing masks everywhere when you are outdoors or interacting with others. Don't forget to dispose of the mask in a closed trash bin and wash your hands afterwards. Fourth, keep your distance. In order to avoid exposure from one person to another, we must always maintain a minimum distance of 1 meter. Keeping distance is also known as physical distancing. We are prohibited from going to the crowd, minimizing physical contact with others, and not holding events that invite many people. Fifth, self-isolation. If someone feels not very good, such as having a fever, cough / runny nose / throat pain / shortness of breath, he or she is asked to consciously and voluntarily carry out self-isolation in the house. Stay indoors and not go to work, school or other public places because you have a risk of Covid-19 infection. Sixth, while you are indoors or outdoors, make sure to maintain physical health by sunbathing in the morning sun for a few minutes, consuming balanced nutritious food and doing light exercise (https://www.kompas.com/tren/read / 2020/05/18/103200465 / see-guide-protocol-health-prevention-covid-19-to-greet-new? Page = all).          

Currently, there are 18 sellers in the Pelataran Kumbasari Market, Denpasar, Bali, which were stated positive Covid-19. The market manager closed the temporary market from Wednesday, 10 June 2020 until Monday, 15 June 2020. The swab test was also carried out at least to 150 traders in the Pelataran Kumbasari Market (https://www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/18-pedagang-positif- covid-19-pasar-kumbasari-denpasar-temporarily closed.html). Denpasar Mayor IB Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra visited Kertha Waringin Market, Anggabaya Traditional Village, Penatih, East Denpasar on Monday, June 22, 2020. He was interested in the initiative of the Kertha Waringin Market manager to install a plastic dividing curtain in each booth, so there is a barrier between sellers and buyers. This can provide a sense of security and comfort for all parties. Currently, a discourse is being developed in the application of adaptation of new habits, especially at traditional markets in order to support the economy sector for the society. Public awareness is a necessity at the current time, because there has not been found a vaccine for Covid-19 yet. Rai Mantra explained, the existence of the traditional markets to support the economy of local people. Nevertheless, operations must also be safe from the cluster deployment of Covid-19. So, the absolute requirement is adapting new habits, namely health protocols that are more strict and disciplined. The Head of Unit of Kertha Waringin Sari Market Made Sukrasena said that basically Kertha Waringin Sari Market has implemented strict health protocols by starting from vehicle sterilization, checking body temperature, mandatory masks zone, face shields, hand sanitizers and maintaining physical distancing. In addition, the action of sterilization  in certain areas were also carried out. (Bali Post, Tuesday, June 23, 2020, page 2).       

For people who carry out trading activities in traditional markets, especially in the city of Denpasar, must apply the health protocol as described above. This is to prevent Covid-19 transmission in the traditional market. The Government of Denpasar city has made various efforts to prevent and overcome Covid-19 transmission in traditional markets, starting from the letter which was issued by Denpasar government on the restrictions on operational activities of traditional markets, monitoring the implementation of health protocols by the people who interact at traditional markets. Supervision is carried out frequently by the market managers in Denpasar city. To succeed the efforts that have been made by the Government of Denpasar city, let's obey the health protocol to break the chain of the spread of Covid-19. Always remember, keep yourself clean, wash your hands frequently, keep your distance and wear a mask. Stay safe and healthy.