Comment: Why people in Indonesia act as if the pandemic is over

Jakartans cycle and jog along Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Car Free Day (CFD) on June 21. The crowded revival of the weekly event prompted the city administration to once again suspend CFD over public health concerns. —The Jakarta Post/ANN

WITH the highest number of infections and largest death toll in Southeast Asia, the Indonesian government should be careful in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the "new normal" began several weeks ago, people have otherwise eased restrictions and neglected the health protocols.

Recently, when I went out for the first time after three months of self-seclusion, I wondered how people could behave like this amid a pandemic.