That Was Close I m Not Going Back to That Cemetery Again

Dki jakarta, Republic of indonesia – Adang has been a gravedigger in Indonesia's capital for six years – but he has never had to work this hard.

Before the coronavirus pandemic struck more six months agone, he would bury three to four bodies a day at Jakarta'southward Pondok Ranggon cemetery. Now, it is more than than 25.

"Nosotros have buried and so many people," he said. "We are tired."

Indonesia is the worst-striking country in Southeast Asia in terms of confirmed COVID-19 deaths, having registered more than 8,000 fatalities and then far.

Equally the numbers keep rising, Pondok Ranggon cemetery is fast filling up and authorities expect it to reach full capacity past next month if the current trends go on.

In June, government in Jakarta began to ease restrictions imposed in April, assuasive many businesses, restaurants and offices to reopen. But 3 months after – equally doctors warned the healthcare system was on the brink of collapse – Dki jakarta'due south governor said it was time to reintroduce the fractional shutdown.

"This is an emergency, more urgent than at the start of the pandemic," Anies Baswedan said on Midweek, adding that the city's 10 million people must once once again work, study and pray from abode.

The restrictions put into effect from Mon are similar to what was imposed earlier in the yr: public transport is express, restaurants can only serve takeaway, and many offices are shut or have chapters limits.

Baswedan said isolation rooms and intensive care units at the COVID-19 referral hospitals are about 80-percent occupied – and beds will run out in weeks if the metropolis continues on the aforementioned trajectory.

"This is nigh saving the people of Dki jakarta. If we let this go along – the hospitals will not be able to comprise the situation and the issue will be a high death rate," he said.

Doctors fear the worst

Doctors in Jakarta have welcomed the motion, but many feel the restrictions should not have been relaxed in the start identify.

"We feel the situation is becoming scary. The number of cases is increasing day-by-day and there'southward no trend to show a decline," said Dr Erlina Burhan, from Pesabatan Infirmary.

And, just like the gravediggers, medical workers in the capital say they are overworked and wearied.

"It'south like a marathon from March – there's no intermission," said Burhan."A lot of wellness personnel are already saying that they are tired – tired of doing this."

To date, Indonesia has registered 221,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.

Burhan said if infections continue to rise, doctors in her hospital will be forced to "play God" and decide who gets handling and who gets turned away.

"I'm afraid of the situation where we cannot help anybody who needs help. We are afraid of being overwhelmed."

At least 200 medical personnel have died from COVID-19 in Indonesia, a state where the healthcare system was already understaffed and underresourced prior to the pandemic.

      Dr Shandy Shanaya [Al Jazeera]

At Pertamina Hospital, another designated COVID-nineteen treatment facility, Dr Shandy Shanaya said he goes into piece of work fearing for his life.

"We cannot just see it as just some other number. When a medical professional dies, recollect of all the people who lose access to healthcare," said the 26-twelvemonth-old.

"We tried to open up as well fast. Nosotros opened up the urban center before the trend was downward," he added.

Low-income residents struggle

Merely in a country as diverse and populous as Indonesia, dwelling house to some 270 meg people, at that place is no easy solution in the efforts to preclude fresh outbreaks and restore livelihoods.

In Jakarta, another round of restrictions may help combat the spread of the virus but will also make the lives of its poor residents even more challenging.

The return of lockdown will get out many depression-paid breezy workers one time over again out of work and without any income to support themselves or their families.

"If the store is close … at that place are no customers, and I don't get paid," said Zulkifli, a barber at a small salon who does non have a fixed wage.

"This is the merely thing I know how to do, I can't work in other areas," he added.

The salon Zulkifli works at is simply 1 of the many businesses beyond Jakarta forced to close their doors once again.

Authorities take pledged assistance to help those in need, merely Zulkifli said he missed out on any support during the last round of restrictions.

"I know nosotros need to address the pandemic. But I besides need money for my children. We demand food, nosotros need to pay for our expenses … and my income is gone," he said.

Back at Pondok Ranggon cemetery, Adang and his colleagues keep excavation graves every bit more caskets wrapped in sanitised plastic arrive.

"I have my concerns and fears doing this chore," said Adang. "I but have to trust God – I try non to burden my heed. We just have to get along with it."

Dki jakarta's gravediggers share a mutual experience of the pandemic with the city's health workers, who also say they are overworked and exhausted [Fakhrur Rozi/Al Jazeera]

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Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/14/restrictions-return-in-jakarta-as-hospitals-cemeteries-fill-up

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