Covid Handling in Aceh; Cultural Communication Perspective

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic phenomenon has caused global panic to all aspects of people's lives. The Government of Aceh implements various policies, including social distancing, quarantine, and holding cells to break the chain of virus spreading. An interesting thing to study from the perspective of cultural communication is the traditional, cultural, and religious traditions in Aceh so that Aceh has its uniqueness in facing the threat of Covid -19. Acehnese people have unique rituals from generation to generation to fight the plague that is happening. After a patient died of Covid-19 on 23 March 2020, the Acehnese held a remembrance and prayer rejecting the plague by gathering in places of worship or open fields until a torch parade surrounded the boundaries of each village guided by leaders and leaders religion, by applying the protocol established by the government. This case shows a balance between effort and prayer. At first glance, there is a contradiction between the social distancing recommendations and the ritual of rejecting the plague. It also has the support of various parties from several local authority holders. According to the report of the Aceh Covid Cluster and Covid Indonesia Task Force, 2 June 2020, 14 city districts in Aceh entered the green zone.