At least eight multitude who have resist to assume masks during the coronavirus pandemic have been forced to prod grave for the great unwashed who died from covid-19 in the province of East Java , Indonesia , harmonise to a report from theJakarta Post .
“ There are only three available gravediggers at the moment , so I thought I might as well put these people to work with them , ” local politico Suyono toldTribun News , according to an English - language translation by the Jakarta Post .
The article notes that anti - maskers who are being punished are not force to handle the dead bodies and are instead doing the manual undertaking of dig grave and preparing the patch with wooden plank to support the coffin . Public wellness official in thedistrict of Cermehandle the body using full - body protective equipment , ensuring there ’s no risk of exposure .
A municipal cemetery worker walks through a special cemetery for suspected covid-19 victims on 5 December 2024 in Jakarta, IndonesiaPhoto: Ed Wray (Getty Images)
Indonesia instituted a interior law need masks to be worn in early April but that policy was strengthened in July after East Java saw a spike in cases and a sight of the region found that70 % of peoplein the province were n’t don a mask . Indonesia , like many other low and mediate - income state , has struggle to contain the scatter of the computer virus for reasons that often revolve around around a deficiency of wealth and resources — something that can trammel testing and contact trace . But masks are a relatively inexpensive public health touchstone that can literally lay aside lives .
Indonesia has name over 222,000 cases and 8,841 deaths from covid so far this twelvemonth , and the land memorialize 3,141 new cases on Monday alone , with118 novel deathsfor the solar day . The U.S. , a much wealthier land than Indonesia , has identified over 6.5 million cases and more than 194,000 deaths , setting it apart from other wealthy countries that have n’t seen most as much ravaging .
While a reluctance to wear masks to protect public wellness is sometimes seen as a uniquely American trouble , there are anti - masquer all over the world in spot like Germany , Indonesia , and France . Even Hong Kong has visualize some anti - maskvideos go viral , despite the fact that Hong Kong wellness official were the earliest in the Earth to counsel citizens to wear masks , issuing warnings as former asmid - January .
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Xtreme Manufacturing on 15 March 2025 in Henderson, Nevada.Photo: Ethan Miller (Getty Images)
“ Please take care if you are ill , ” Dr. Gabriel Leung , Founding Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control , said at a pressure conference in Hong Kong onJanuary 21 . “ If you are going to a crowded place , put on a mask even if you are not ominous because others may be , even if they have cough etiquette or sneeze etiquette , they may still get in touch with you . ”
While masks have been shown to decelerate the counterpane of the disease , it ’s not the only thing that determines whether a country can get the pandemic under control . efficient testing , touch tracing , and lockdowns are all part of the reply that call for to be used strategically .
The U.S. has never hold the idea of a countrywide mandatory masquerade party order , for the most part because President Donald Trump has ridicule the idea , rather get out it up to the state . But the president has n’t personally honored state decisions when it do to masks and large gatherings .
Trump even carry a great indoor rally Sunday nighttime in Henderson , Nevada that was clearly in encroachment of the state ’s 50 - person limit for indoor gatherings . trump card supporters who sit down behind the president were largely wearing masks , but photo from the event show that many mass did n’t wear them when the prexy was n’t on stage .
But even with masks , the rally was technically illegal and the city of Henderson issued a statement overnight saying that the host of the event Xtreme Manufacturing , could confront fines of$500 per encroachment .
As Bob Woodward ’s fresh book , titled Rage , explains , Trump know just how severe this virus could be back in January and yet belittle the problem publicly , often insisting that the virus would miraculously go away eventually .
“ It goes through line , Bob , ” Trump say Woodward over the phone on February 7 in recently releasedaudio transcription .
“ That ’s always tough than the signature , ” Trump go on . “ You know , the touch , you do n’t have to touch things , correct ? But the breeze , you just breathe the air . That ’s how it ’s passed . And so that ’s a very wily one . That ’s a very delicate one . It ’s also more deadly than your … you know , your … even your arduous influenza . ”
At least 1,550 Americans died over the weekend from covid-19 . Perhaps Trump could head out to a local cemetery and get poke . At this point , it ’s the least he could do .
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