Indonesia Places Coffins In The Streets To Warn People About COVID-19

A coffin placed in the streets is likely to be a shocking scene for everyone. And this is exactly the reaction that the Indonesian authorities want their citizens to have.

Reuters reported that Indonesian authorities decided to place an empty coffin with the words “COVID-19 victim” on it in the middle of a crowded intersection in Jakarta.

Nearby is a mannequin wearing personal protective gear including a face shield, a surgical mask, and a pair of gloves. Under the coffin is a board displaying the district’s latest number of COVID-19 infections as well as the death toll.

Even when the number of new cases continues to climb, the citizens still ignore safety protocols that the authorities set up to stop the spread of the virus.

Chief of the Mampang Prapatan subdistrict in Jakarta, Djaharudding said that by setting up the coffin, he hoped that people would stay alert of the current situation and change their behavior.

In Southeast Asia, Indonesia has the highest COVID-19 fatality rate. As of August 20, the country has had more than 144,000 infections and over 6,300 deaths.

And the country recorded 139 fatalities, its highest daily death toll, on July 22.

Not just Indonesia, the Philippines has also used the scare tactic to remind its citizens to follow strict quarantine measures.

Back in March, the Santo Tomas authorities in the north of Manila, placed a coffin with a “Stay at Home or Stay Inside” sign in the middle of the road.

In April, an Indonesian village deployed a team of ghosts to walk around the streets to discourage people from going out during the pandemic.

>>> Ghosts Are Roaming The Street To Make People Stay Inside During The CO.VID-19 Pandemic But They Seem To Like It