Evaluation of Indonesia Covid-19 Testing and Tracing Policy in a Biopolitical Approach

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a national focus, but also a global problem for all countries. The losses incurred not only make every government to carry out all programs both preventive and curative in nature to suppress the spread of this virus in each country. In Indonesia, the policies implemented to suppress the spread of the virus are also carried out optimally. Policies related to social restrictions, health human resources, special services for Covid-19 infections to tracing and testing policies are also the focus of the Indonesian government. Policies related to tracing and testing had become a polemic in Indonesia. The reason is, in terms of testing, it is not only aimed at finding out whether the individual is infected, but also as a travel requirement, both domestic and foreign. Often the tracing and testing policy changes, it is suspected that the studies carried out by the government are not strong and there are economic elements in the background. Biopolitics in Foucault's theoretical concept is understood as the intersection of the subject of human studies as biological beings and also the state as a political institution. Foucault's thinking in the concept of biopolitics is not only limited to the political aspects of health but also health-related policies made by the state and the aspiration to improve the standard of living of citizens. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly meet the requirements in biopolitical studies because of their impact which not only affects the development life of the country, but also reduces the standard of living and the population of citizens. This study discusses how the Covid-19 Tracing and Testing policy becomes a problem because it changes frequently. Using a biopolitical approach, this qualitative research describes the evaluation of the Covid-19 Tracing and Testing policy.