Two Weeks Social Distancing During Covid 19 Pandemic – It’s been 14 days, actually 16 days since Indonesian government announced schools were closed and workers should stay home and work from home responding of Covid 19 pandemic which has infected some people in Jakarta capital city. From 2 patients with positive Covid 19 in Jakarta then become huge numbers infected now all over Indonesia. Tonight before going to bed, I was shocked that the number has been increased sharply only in two weeks.

Based on government statement released on  Sunday, March 29, 2020, the number of Covid-19 outbreak has reached 1.285 cases. Sad but true, 114 people was passed away and only 64 people was recovered. Last night, I rechecked again and the number has been soaring to 1.528 positive cases, 136 people was passed away and 81 people was recovered.

Now, I am writing this in front of my window room to heal my anxiety and wishing this is just a bad dream or just a scene from Doraemon the movie that bring us into a fantasy messy world in a alien attacking mission. Unfortunately, these bad days have been so much real. When I open my eyes in the morning, this virus is still haunted us.

2020 is a tough year for everyone

This last two weeks while doing social distancing during Covid 19 pandemic, I have been drowning in my mind. I summarize, 2020 is the toughest year for everyone. For me, this year is the hardest but also the most blessed.

Last January I decided to leave my beloved job because of complex situation in that office.  I was so much heartbreaking when I found myself had to leave my office mates, my job desks and everything in the capital city, except of course some suck people in the office.

But today, I feel no more than so much blessed that I could escape from the capital just days before the outbreak of Covid 19 started significantly increased in Jakarta. I am jobless now and still in a process to build my own business, searching new jobs and another life plans, right in the middle of this hard times. My plans have not been in the right track because of this situation. But I am grateful that at least I can be together with family, have enough saving to live and do not have to think how complicated the work environment now and I am sure, all of officers still have to be in a high pressure that company revenue is sharply decreasing during Covid 19 pandemic.

Well, yeah! 2020 is a tough year for everyone. All of people around the world have been not only pursued to keep body being healthy to prevent infection of Covid 19, but  also have to confront the bitter reality that economics collapsing everywhere. My brother who work in mining site (whom now in a lock down site in the middle of Kalimantan forest)  told me that now, most of companies in Indonesia have encountered crisis since pandemic started. The worst possibility is there will be a huge number of layoffs.

I’ve just never been imagined before that this situation could be happened and it is happening right now. And all of these messy days caused by 0,05 mm virus. A tiny living thing that could mess everything all over the world.

Then I tell to myself, how weak human being in the middle of this universe, right? When I am trying to flashback my mind again to my previous job, I started to think, now who cares about loyalty, products quality, retention and everything while a dangerous disease haunted our daily life. No one cares! Life is not about leisure again, it is not only about money or position and illogical ambition on career path. Everything will not be valuable anymore in front of  this pandemic.

However, let’s be optimistic that this tough 2020 will be conquered. New brand days will come as long as we keep doing healthy protocol which recommended by WHO. WASH your hand, baby!

Psychosomatic and anxiety disorder

Entering first week of national social distancing, I was attacked by chest pain, short breath, little coughing, unwell stomach and headache. I was worry because days before government announced the first infected patient, I had just moved from Jakarta to Semarang. A day before my departure, I was visiting my friend’s husband in Fatmawati Hospital due to traffic accident, then going back with MRT and Transjakarta. Still, I was back home with train from Gambir station. Those places that I had visited were the potential for outbreak sources. Reasonable right, if  I was in a very severe anxiety for days then. Where, after I had arrived in Semarang, I was contacting with my parents, sisters, my nephews, neighbors and friends.

I was so afraid that I might been a carrier and spread disease. But thank God, everything is okay till right now. Hopefully everyone is keeping healthy.

Days later, still with chest pain, I read a photographer’ story in Instagram feed battled with symptoms just like mine plus with fever. She told that she was in anxiety disorder.

Having psychosomatic and anxiety disorder in the middle of Covid 19 pandemic is a common condition. None of us know when this pandemic will be over. Some health squads told that it is like a war with invisible enemy.

After I read thousands comments that also feels the same symptoms in the Instagram, then I was little bit calm down and trying to deal with it.

I pray regularly, sometimes pray with family members, following Sunday mass online through You Tube, listening favorite music, back to my skin care routine, doing yoga, playing games and joking with my groups friend through WA, writing about Covid 19 pandemic here to get some therapy, and now I am sewing fabric mask by myself. And they work. I feel better. I have no more significant insomnia now.

My summary, do your hobby and  things that you like to deal with this ANXIETY.

Healthy protocol versus citizen culture

Now, I am staying with my sister and nephews in Semarang. While, my parents in Magelang. We decided to live separated to minimize the outbreak. WHO and Healthy Ministry has announced that to prevent ourselves not to be infected is to wash hands repeatedly, not to touch nose, mouth and eyes, minimize going out and also wearing face mask when we have to go out. And the important thing is doing social distancing during Covid 19 pandemic. Some people obey the regulation with high discipline but in the another hand, there are a lot of people who still ignoring the rules, health protocol and WHO recommendation. Sadly, some of Indonesian also do not know how to do to prevent the infection because they get lack information and knowledge.

Indonesia is a large archipelago country with strong kinship and social culture.  Close interaction one person to another in a community is the most valuable in a social life. Moreover, when we go to villages far from big cities around the country. They live in a strong relationship although they are not family. Handshake, talking to neighbor everyday, visiting neighbor who fall sick together with all of village’s member, going for a meeting or events attended by 30 people are common culture.

It is not easy to implement social distancing during Covid 19 pandemic for those who live in villages. In addition, the lack of self awareness to prevent this pandemic still happened both in the cities or in the villages. Even though, it has been so relieving to know that a lot of people do good things. As I know, people in many cities have found creative things such as like build no-touch washing hand wastafel, sensor disinfectan room and many more. A lot of people also volunteering themselves to sew hazmat gown, mask, and try to find creative way to help medical squads and another.

Economic crisis

This is also the most scariest thing that I have thought excepts the virus itself. The quarantine, social distancing and partial lock down that exist today in some countries and districts in Indonesia have been pursued people to limit their activities. Now, everything is focusing to battle up the Covid 19 and stop the outbreaks. So, who will go for vacation and stay at hotels? Who will ride online ojek to go work or school while most of school and office were closed. Who will hang out in the cafe while government restrict events which gather a lot of people. Everything is going to be difficult now.

A lot of my friends who work in hospitality industry are in unpaid leave status right now because of 0% occupancy rate in most of hotels around Indonesia. Yesterday I read a newspaper that 90% workers in Sea World Ancol also in unpaid leave status.  My sister told me that start from April, her office will cut her salary. My friend also told me that she has no longer accepted transportation fee from her office during the outbreak. This situation is happening for real.

Perhaps my brother was right, there will be a huge number of layoffs this year like what he predicted before. But I really wish it will never happen.

March had already passed. Hopefully this April will bring more good news. Let’s be optimistic. This two weeks social distancing during Covid 19 might teach us a lot of things we never been this way. Do good things and be part to stop this pandemic! At least, stay at home so this nightmare will end up soon.