COVID-19 Survivors Empowered Launch of COVID-19 Survivor Network Forum

Jakarta, 7 December 2020.Nine months have passed since COVID-19 appeared in Indonesia, but the number of cases has not shown a reduction. Not only health problems, this pandemic also triggers many social impacts. Stigmatization is one of the things that is often felt and experienced by individuals associated with COVID-19.

Based on a study conducted by LaporCOVID-19 together with the Social Psychology Specialization Group of the UI Faculty of Psychology last August, it was noted that stigma was experienced by individuals who were confirmed positive, along with their family or those closest to them, and health workers. It doesn't stop there, stigmatization also continues to haunt COVID-19 survivors even though they have been declared cured. In the study it was also found that one of the supports needed is to connect survivors with each other.

As an effort to handle and provide attention to individuals who experience the stigma of COVID-19, LaporCOVID-19 collaborates with the East Java Provincial Health Service and the Indrapura Field Hospital COVID-19 Alumni Association to provide forum facilities as a place to share stories and support interactions between survivors.

At the launch of the COVID-19 Survivors Network Forum (5/12/20), one of the survivors told how COVID-19 had an impact not only on his physical health and that of his family, but also on his social aspects as part of society. He was ostracized in his neighborhood and work. He was shunned, the door to his house was slammed, and his son was also mocked as "Corona Child". Not only that, he was even fired from his job for various reasons. He also experienced other injustices. After being dismissed with a letter stating retirement, the company only provided severance pay.

It is the obligation of all of us to help each other and humanize each other, especially in times of crisis like this pandemic. What the survivors told us is only a small part of the cases of stigma that may still be experienced by survivors today. The multiple problems faced by COVID-19 survivors should not occur if the community is well educated. Therefore, we ask for the government's seriousness in handling the COVID-19 pandemic to open up data related to COVID-19 and be consistent with science-based policies so that the public can understand the risks of COVID-19 well, and the rate of transmission of COVID-19 can decrease.

The survivor forum can be accessed at https://forum.laporcovid19.org. In this forum, there is information about the stigmatization of COVID-19, questions and answers, and space to share stories and interact. For survivors who want to join, you can register first via https://bit.ly/JejaringPenintasCovid. Apart from that, we also provide Initial Psychological Services (Psychological First Aid) for those who are stigmatized and need psychological support. This service can be accessed via the ?chat feature on the forum home page, every day starting at08.00-18.00 WIB.

Through this forum, survivors are expected to be able to share their feelings and support each other by telling their experiences during the treatment process. Apart from that, survivors who join this forum can also become agents of public education about the importance of ending the stigma against confirmed individuals and COVID-19 survivors.

Contact Person:

Dicky Pelupessy
(WA: +62 818-824-402)

Maria Bramanwidyantari
(WA: +62 819-0807-9882)

Edy Sukotjo
(WA: +62 813-3163-6515)