COVID-19 MOLECULAR-BASED TESTING CAPACITY IN FIVE CUSTOMARY AREAS OF PAPUA

Background: Covid-19 (Corona Virus Disease-19) emerged at the end of December 2019, and the current gold standard for Covid-19 testing is molecular-based virus detection with Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Rapid Molecular Test (RMT). In the early of this pandemic, Indonesia, especially Papua, still had difficulty in examining Covid-19. Aims: This study aimed to identify the Covid-19 molecular-based testing capacity of laboratories from various regencies representing five customary areas of Papua in the early pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study with purposive sampling method collected primary data and secondary data from the Papua Provincial and Regency Covid-19 Response Acceleration Task Force and the representative hospitals in five customary areas of Papua (Saireri, Ha anim, Mee Pago, Lapago, Mamta) in May-June 2020. Results: The Covid-19 molecular-based testing capacity in Papua has yet to be maximum in the early pandemic. Conclusion: The Covid-19 molecular-based testing capacity has yet to reach its maximum capacity in the beginning of the pandemic. Regency, which applies the GeneXpert test, is recommended to supply RT-PCR. RT-PCR can be procured in several cities/regencies within one customary area, and samples of the specimens can be delivered more quickly in the same area. © 2022, Airlangga University. All rights reserved.

The Model of Community Stigma During the Covid-19 Pandemic Period in East Java Indonesia

Background: East Java Area is the epicentre of COVID-19 transmission with the largest number of cases and the highest death rate in Indonesia. This pandemic has created a stigma that can lessen the quality of life. This study was con-ducted to find a model of predictor factors that affect the stigma of society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This study involved 322 respondents in East Java, Indonesia and used multivariate analysis with the PLS (Partial Least Square) method to determine the relationship between several variables. The studied variables were demographics (age, gender, educational level, and occupation), attitudes, knowledge, behaviour, stigma and acceptance. Result: Stigma since the CO-VID-19 pandemic outbreak was influenced by demographic, knowledge and behaviour factors, while the attitude variable in this study did not affect the occurrence of stigma. Knowledge aspect had a positive relationship with stigma. The higher the knowledge of the respondents in this study, the higher the tendency to produce stigma. Likewise for demographic variables. Meanwhile, behaviour aspect indicated a negative relationship. Conclusion: The factors that influence stigma, starting from the most powerful are behaviour, knowledge and demographics. This model is a recommendation for the government to improve the quality of life of the people and reduce the spread of COVID-19. © 2022 KBCSM, Zagreb.