Against Covid-19: #MAHASISWAUPIPUNYAPERAN #VOLUNTEERUPI

Bandung, UPI

Since March 2nd, 2020 the first case of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) was reported in Indonesia, the status of this outbreak has been designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 350,000 cases have occurred worldwide and various policies such as physical distancing and lockdown have been implemented in various countries. In Indonesia, the lockdown policy is only partially implemented. The government itself has so far adopted a policy of learning at home and working from home. Due to the learning at home policy, students of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) conduct online learning through SPI UPI, UPI Spada, Zoom, Google Classroom, and other online learning media. Including lecturers and education personnel who have to work from home and do daily records through the online page http://simpeg.upi.edu.

The existence of the physical distancing policy does not reduce the courage of the volunteers from UPI. The volunteers were netted through the page http://bit.ly/RelawanUPIFIGHTCOVID19 and also through contact 087824296016 (Qoyyima).

However, several requirements must be met before becoming a volunteer including (1) ready to commit fully to take the time to become a volunteer; (2) healthy fit condition and no history of severe illness; (3) ready to work well together and help the volunteer team travel; (4) ready to become a volunteer until the epidemic subsides; (5) ready to hold a mandate; and (6) ready to assist the team in preparing the plan until it is distributed to the community.

To increase the range and amount of donated volunteer, UPI also opened the #UPISIAGACOVID19 donation service through BNI by the name of UPI PEDULI to account 207575758, in addition to receiving donations in the form of money, other donations such as health and sanitation equipment, food, inspection services, and others that support health and protection of COVID-19.

Donations are prioritized for hospital staff, market traders, traveling traders, parking attendants, public transport drivers, online motorcycle taxi drivers, security, mosques, boarding houses, and dormitories. Even this volunteer team also provides a hotline service for students who experience COVID-19 symptoms on mobile numbers: 081320234524 (Dr. Nur Faizah R.), 08112324789 (Dr. Riksma Akhlan), 087822998622 (Dr. Ikbal).

This volunteer service also actively shares information and developments on the COVID-19 case through the Instagram account @volunteerupi #volunteerUPI. Some of the activities that have been carried out by volunteers include: the creation and distribution of hand sanitizers and disinfectants carried out by FPMIPA students, UPI. Some places that have received aid distribution from UPI Volunteers are Bandung City Hospital, Al Islam Bandung Hospital, At-Taqwa Mosque, Sukasari Health Center, Pondok Tahfidz Ulul Azmi, Cahya Kawaluyaan Hospital, Padasuka Health Center, Ledeng Health Center, Hermina Arcamanik Hospital, Polban Health Center, Al-Falah Mosque, Ledeng Terminal, Pangkalan Angkot, and Cibogo Market. (JN)