Antara, Jakarta – A researcher from the Research Center for Population of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Rusli Cahyadi, assessed that the government's idea that allows people under 45 years to go back to work has the potential to increase the spread of the coronavirus or Covid-19.

He admitted that data, which is still dynamic, showed that young people are more resistant to the virus. However, based on the statistic, many old people in Indonesia are living with younger ones.

"Elderly in Indonesia generally live in the same house with their children or even three generations [practice co-living]. By this condition, there is a high potential for asymptomatic young people to transmit the virus to elder people," Rusli remarked on Tuesday, May 12.

Previously, Covid-19 Task Force chairman Doni Monardo said the government relaxed the Large-Scale Social Restriction or PSBB orders such as allowing people under 45 years to return to work. However, its implementation would be limited.

According to Rusli, people under 45 years have the potential to be Covid-19 carriers without presenting symptoms, citing infection cases in Italy.

"Physical contacts between young people who love hanging out in cafes (cafe culture) as virus carriers with their grandparents cause a high number of death tolls in Italy," he added.

In Indonesia, elderly people usually lived in the same house with their children, shared a room, bathroom, kitchen, and even bedroom. "This is a great potential for virus transmission and an increase in victims."

"It seems like the government has a bigger and more important issue than solving the spread of the coronavirus," Rusli said.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1341679/covid-19-cases-likely-raises-as-govt-relaxes-psbb-orders-lipi