Ever since the news about the existence of deadly virus Cobid-19 is spread in Indonesia, SEAMEO BIOTROP has started its precautious arrangements in making sure that the staff's health is kept in the highest level.

Each arrangement is tailored following regulations from the government. When the first social distancing policy was aired, the Centre took the initiative to arrange its staff's arrivals and departures using the Centre's vehicles and drivers. Only three staff were allowed to present in each unit/department. The managers decided which staff should be in each day. In this period, the staff were obligated to wear mask in the Centre's vicinity, including inside the vehicles. This arrangement was in effect for two weeks.

Then the situation becomes crtitical to urge everybody to stay home completely. The first Work from Home (WFH) policy is started in the third week of March and is renewed every two weeks. The most current policy is in effect up to the end of May 2020.

During the WFH period, the Centre does its best to fulfill basic food needs of each staff. Care packages consisted of rice, canned food, soy souce, instant noodles, sugar, lemon (fresh fruit), beef floss, cooking oil, cookies and hand sanitizer, made by SEAMEO BIOTROP's Services Laboratory following WHO's guidelines, were personally delivered to each staff. SEAMEO BIOTROP also delivered hand-made masks to each staff. The Centre's cleaning service personnels were mobilized to disinfect each office room using disinfectant made by SEAMEO BIOTROP's Services Laboratory following WHO's guidelines.

Various efforts to enforce the "wear-a-mask" regulation in the Centre's vicinity are done by voicing the regulation through managers-staff channels, x-banners, posters as well as social media postings.

It is sadly admitted though, that there are still gaps of awareness and understanding about the fierce and deadly effects of this virus among the Centre's staff, despite broad mass media expose and tireless efforts from the government and its apparatus to clearly explain the importance of social and physical distancing as well as wearing mask at all times.

The management of SEAMEO BIOTROP keeps doing its tireless best to build awareness and understanding to its staff about the deadly effect of the virus as well as all steps to prevent ourselves from having the virus inside us and to cut off the spread of the virus. (sis)