The arrival of the corona virus was indeed surprising. The world situation is changing rapidly. Not only in our country, but also other countries in the world. People are working from home, infected patients are increasing every day, events are being cancelled, hospitals and medical personnel are starting to be overwhelmed, people are buying up masks, hand sanitizers and immunity-boosting drugs. But did you know, it's not just the threat of transmission of the corona virus that we need to pay attention to, but how we respond to this pandemic. Don't panic. Yes, that's the key first.

Coronavirus Triggers Panic Buying

After President Joko Widodo announced the first two cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia last March 2, the first wave of panic buyers immediately hit supermarkets. On social media, there are photo posts of people flocking to buy basic necessities and supplies, from food, masks, to medicine. Another wave of large purchases was seen again as the number of cases in Indonesia grew rapidly. (See the news here)

In an instant, several needs seemed to disappear from the market. Panic buying (panic buying) also caused several basic necessities to experience drastic increases. In fact, according to the National Strategic Food Price Information Center (PIHPSN), the average price for one kilogram of granulated sugar in all provinces in Indonesia reached IDR 17,050, much higher than the highest retail price (HET), namely IDR 12,500 per kilogram.

A wave of panic buying that creates instability in the quantity and price of supplies of goods on the market, can actually contribute to increasing inflation and damage the country's consumption growth in the long term. "The danger of panic buying could create inflation, especially for staple foods," a senior economist at the Institute for Economic and Financial Development (INDEF), Aviliani, told The Jakarta Post.

We need to know that the Indonesian economy is largely dependent on household consumption. Household consumption accounted for 56.62 percent of the country's total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019 according to the fourth quarter report on Indonesia's economic growth by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also cited Indonesia's "strong domestic consumption" as the backbone of the country's economic growth in 2020 from its 2019 Development Outlook Update report.

As an ecosystem that supports wholesale shopping facilities for micro entrepreneurs, Qasir also implements several policies that limit buyers from making purchases above a reasonable amount. This is implemented so that distribution is even.

Apart from the problems of inflation and economic instability, buying more goods than we really need also harms the sense of social justice. Yes, it is unfair for those who do not have sufficient purchasing power when those who can only buy small amounts will find it increasingly difficult with the disappearance of important necessities. As a result, the gap will become wider.

That's why the Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo) even released a statement urging "the Indonesian public not to panic buy because of phobias". (See the news here)

The Dangers of Panic for Immunity

Panic buying actually occurs because there are perceptions that are formed in society without clear information, for example seeing too many posts or images of empty shelves circulating on social media, which ultimately leads to fear that they will not be able to buy the items they need.

Panic buying is also born of anxiety. Anxiety about the unknown (in this case the risk of COVID-19) makes the fear center in the brain called the amygdala hyperactive. The amygdala acts like an alarm trigger that interacts with the stress system to keep our body and mind on high alert during times of anxiety. Research shows that fear alone (even if it has never been experienced) is enough to trigger the amygdala and activate the stress response. This is what has caused many people recently to have insomnia at night, even though without realizing it they are worried about COVID-19.

The problem is that excessive activity of this stress system can damage our cells and disrupt many bodily functions. It is our immune system (immunity) that ultimately bears the brunt. Although psychological stress is not a direct cause of disease, its damage triggers an immune response that makes us more susceptible to foreign pathogens (including viruses). It can even increase our risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19.

Don't let your intention be to avoid it, instead we could end up getting infected if we can't control our stress and anxiety. So what can we do to prevent panic and increase immune protection?

Remain Calm in Full Alertness

Just like other viruses, preventive measures for the Corona virus remain the same: wash your hands frequently, stay away from crowds, get enough rest, clean water, personal hygiene and avoid traveling to infected places and countries, and try to stay calm and be fully alert. How can you stay calm with the threat of this invisible virus?

Serenity certainly doesn't just come by itself without effort. One form of effort is to take personal precautions (also for families) in accordance with government and medical expert recommendations. By taking preventive measures, this will send a signal to the brain, so that the brain will produce hormones that make us calm. After trying, the rest, of course, leave it to God Almighty. Yes, surrendering to God after making maximum efforts is considered one of the surefire ways to reduce the level of excessive panic.

Immunity Strengtheners and Weakeners

It is also important to know what can strengthen and weaken the body's immunity, as written by Dr. Mario Martinez is a neuropsychologist and author of the book Mind Body Code. (See the article here)

Immune booster:

  • Vitamin C

  • Zinc Supplements

  • Take a break

  • Meditation

  • Sports

  • Foods that contain anti-inflammatories

  • Make time for maintenance

  • Healthy diet

  • Give love to family

  • Intermittent Fasting (Fasting)

Immunity Lowering:

  • Excessive anger

  • Excessive fear

  • Panic

  • Fast food

  • Narcotics

  • Alcohol

  • Smoking

  • Lack of sleep

  • Rush

  • Not getting enough rest

  • Seeing too much bad news

Physical Activity Can Fight Panic

When doing physical activity, the body will release endorphins to reduce pain and provide positive energy which will automatically reduce panic. Physical activity (including exercise) has also been proven to help remove bacteria from the lungs and airways. This can reduce the chance of catching a cold or other respiratory illness. Exercise also causes changes in antibodies and white blood cells, namely immune system cells that function to fight disease.

A brief increase in body temperature during and immediately after exercise can also prevent bacterial growth. This increase in temperature can help the body fight infection better. (This is similar to what happens when we have a fever.)

Exercise slows the release of stress hormones. We have already discussed that stress and anxiety increase the likelihood of disease. Lower stress hormones can protect us from disease.

Do exercise such as cycling with your family several times a week or just walking every day for 20 to 30 minutes. Stretching exercises at home for 20-30 minutes a day can also really help you increase your body's immunity.

Stay healthy, stay calm, stay alert, the key to fighting the spread of COVID-19.