Community Perceptions of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Health Protocols in West Java

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is still a significant problem in the world, including in Indonesia. Its spread has not been stopped, and its incidence is increasing. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life, not just health. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of people in West Java, Indonesia regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its health protocols. This was descriptive research and data were collected through focus group discussions. The participants were adults from communities in Cianjur City, Sukabumi, Purwakarta, Karawang, Cimahi, West Bandung Regency, and Bandung City in West Java, recruited through purposive sampling. There were four groups, each consisting of 8-12 participants. The focus groups were conducted online using Zoom in May-June 2020. Data analysis was carried out in six steps according to Colaizzi, which included the stages of transcription, reading the transcript repeatedly, finding keywords, creating categories, determining themes, and then describing the findings. Six themes were found, namely the community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in behavior during the pandemic, changes in daily activities, the impact experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, community responses to government programs related to COVID-19, and people’s wishes during the pandemic. Health promotion regarding health protocols must be continuously improved. Keywords: Indonesia, COVID-19 pandemic, public perception, health protocol