Exodus Triggers Case Explosion in the Regions

The challenge of curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the regions is becoming increasingly complicated with the exodus of informal workers from urban areas to their hometowns.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

People wait for a bus at an interregional bus terminal in Pondok Pinang, South Jakarta, Thursday (26/32020). Many residents of Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek), primarily low-wage workers Ike construction workers and traders, have decided to return to their hometowns as a result of the loss of their livelihood during the Covid-19 public health emergency.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS -- The absence of strict regulations prohibiting people from returning to their hometowns has created new problems in the regions. The close monitoring of people coming from areas with a high number of cases of COVID-19 is absolutely necessary.

Although the mobility of people between regions has generally declined and there has been an appeal not to participate in mudik (exodus), the movement of people to their hometowns is still happening. In Blora regency, Central Java, for example, until Thursday (26/3/2020), every night around 20 buses were seen carrying people from Jakarta and surrounding areas.