Transformation of Community Behavior to Avoid Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the coronavirus (Covid-19) as a pandemic, and the Government of Indonesia categorizes the Covid-19 Pandemic as a national disaster. The aforementioned statements show that this virus can attack anyone and any country in the world, and has become a non-natural national disaster in Indonesia. Covid-19 pandemic is very dangerous and can threaten various aspects of people's lives, such as education, health, social, cultural, economic, psychological, and community worship activities. This study aimed to examine the transformation of changes in socio-cultural behavior of the community to avoid Covid-19 transmission by complying with the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (LSSR) policy. This research used descriptive qualitative and interpretive methods through observation, participation action research, and in-depth interviews with informants. The results showed that the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (LSSR) policy to break the chain of transmission of the Covid-19 outbreak had resulted in the transformation of changes in socio-cultural behavior towards healthy behavior. The transformation of changes in socio-cultural behavior in accordance with the LSSR policy is carried out quickly, simultaneously, fundamentally, and radically so that it can be said that there has been a revolutionary transformation of behavior. Changes in community behavior occur in the implementation of 11 components of the LSSR policy, namely, working at home, studying at home, worshiping at home, delaying meetings with many people, not visiting sick people, restricting outsiders from entering another area, delaying Eid (Eid) homecoming, limiting transportation modes, wearing masks washing hands with soap, and spraying disinfectants. The implementation of the LSSR policy by the community has had both positive and negative impacts. Positive impacts include the growth of warm communication within the family, the growth of academic culture in the family, the growth of healthy behavior in the community, and the increased use of Information Technology (WA, telephone, FB, IG, Twitter, zoom, etc.). While the negative impacts include: decreasing friendship and peer socialization, decreasing the degree of kinship, decreasing the liveliness of Idul Fithri, increasing household expenditure, and decreasing community economic and social activities.