Students in Banjarmasin asked to wear masks to be aware of ARI

Archive - Students wearing maskers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Banjarmasin government asks students to return to wearing masks as acute respiratory infections (ARI or locally known as ISPA) cases arising due to smog from forest and land fires. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Pemkot Banjarmasin.)

Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The City Government of Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, issued an appeal letter to all school asking all students to return to wearing face mask as a precautionary measure againts acute respiratory infections (ISPA) due to smog.

Head of Banjarmasin Education Office Nuryadi here on Tuesday said that letter had been extended to Principal Working Group (K3S) from the level of early childhood education (PAUD), kindergarten (TK), elementary (SD) and junior high school (SMP) under the auspices of his office.

"(It is) because of yesterday's air situation that there was already a yellow warnings. This means alert," he pointed out.

Nuryadi admitted that the unhealthy condition of air lately because the air was mixed with haze arisen from a large number of forest and land fires from the neighboring areas of the city and South Kalimantan in general.

"Especially there have been alot of residents suffred from ARI (ISPA)," he said.

Nuryadi urged all schools to pay attention to the condition of their students. If they are unwell, take them immediately to health facilities.

"We urge all schools to prepare everything for handling their health," he said.

Previously, acting Head Banjarmasin Health Office M Ramadhan informed that the tally of ISPA patients in the city was increasing every month due to smog caused by forest and land fires.

In June, the office recorded 3,679 ISPA patients, 1,064 of them were babies and toddlers.

Then in July, it rose to 4,351 people, including 1,208 infants and toddlers.

The office condirmed that people suffered from ARI or ISPA were mostly children and elders.