The Government of Jakarta, together with the people, is now looking at a long road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic (Coronavirus Disease 2019). As of April 23, data from the map of the spread on the corona.jakarta.go.id site showed that 255 out of 267 villages in Jakarta had recorded at least one confirmed corona patient. Such information makes us wonder, are there any of our neighbors exposed or affected by the COVID-19? How are their conditions? And how can we help them?

Concentric Circles of Responsibility

Before giving help or assistance to others, we need to learn a little about the concept of concentric circles of responsibility. This concept helps us understand, not only about responsibility towards ourselves but also others. The smallest circle is our personal sphere i.e ourselves and family. The next circle represents the greater scope, such as neighbors, friends, and finally fellow citizens of a nation.

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In other words, this concept teaches us to assist with the smallest scope first before then moving to a larger scope. For example, when we travel by plane, we would hear a safety message from flight attendants. When there is a loss of cabin pressure, we should wear our oxygen mask first before we could help others.

We could use that example in the current situation. Before helping a friend or neighbor, make sure that your needs are met. Only when that is achieved, we can start thinking of assisting people around you.

Start by Asking

When you know there are neighbors affected by COVID-19, giving help becomes a noble deed. But, of course, you must know in advance what is really needed by them. While applying physical distancing, you can do this by asking directly from a distance of about 1 to 3 meters and using a mask. Or using an application like WhatsApp to send your message. You can also insert a short ‘letter of kindness’ through their fence or under their door. After that, you can offer your help as needed, for example, if your neighbor has difficulty in using technology, you can help them by ordering groceries online to their address.

Make a Donation

Day by day, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic started to become a financial burden for some. The Manpower and Transmigration Department of Jakarta reported on 4 April 2020 that there were 139,288 workers laid off during the coronavirus outbreak. Not to mention the fate of shop owners who lose income because of the lack of visiting customers. If you know that there are neighbors who have difficulty meeting their daily needs, then you can make a donation like the residents of four RWs in Kelapa Gading Barat Village, Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. Thanks to this response, they succeeded in collecting 819 packages of basic needs for residents who need them.

Taking Care Each Other

Not all patients infected with COVID-19 are treated in a hospital. For certain conditions, positive patients can undergo self-isolation in their own homes. So Smartcitizen, when you know neighbors that have been confirmed positive, it requires discipline from the local people so the transmission of the virus does not spread. For example by not creating an unnecessary crowd in the street or alley near the patient's home. This kind of protective action was done by residents of Sawah Besar Subdistrict, Central Jakarta when they learned that there were two children who underwent self-isolation at home, while both their parents received treatment at the hospital. With the absence of their parents, local residents also became guardians and ensured the basic needs of the two children.

In the midst of difficult times like this, empathy between people is needed to build resilience. We all hope that Jakarta can recover quickly from the COVID-19 pandemic. Take care of yourself and then help each other, starting from the closest people around you. Together we can fight the coronavirus.