Indonesia's transition to new normal marked by people partying, avoiding tests and hijacking Covid-19 bodies

Local residents taking a free rapid test for the coronavirus at a testing centre in Jakarta. - The Straits Times/Asian News Network

JAKARTA June 28 (The Straits Times/ANN): Indonesia is facing an uphill challenge during a transition period towards a new normal in many cities as people joined crowds, disobeyed health protocols, and resisted mass testing for the coronavirus.

The national Covid-19 task force highlighted on Saturday incidents ranging from people hijacking the body of a Covid-19 patient being transported by hospital staff to a gravesite, wet market traders shunning mass testing, to a nightclub urging customers to delete social media posts on a party the night before.