Introduction
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus that first appeared in Wuhan, China and quickly spread throughout Asia and became a pandemic. Several studies have reported the negative effects of COVID-19 in ASIA-Pacific region, including unmet social relationship needs, economic loss, and mental health problems during self-isolation [1, 2, 3]. Statistical data shows that in April 2020, Southeast Asia had 5,881 positive cases, whereas there were 1,986 positive cases in Indonesia [4]. The COVID-19 has changed the world order in a short time [5]. It was not expected that this pandemic would cause such suffering in humans for a long period [6]. The rapid spread of the COVID-19 caused many deaths in Indonesia [7]. The unpreparedness in facing this pandemic led to social problems in all aspects of human life [6, 7, 8]. It is predicted that this condition will affect the social values and norms of each society [8]. The question is whether the change in social values and norms of society can produce new social norms or it is just a process of renegotiation in the social system to create a balance. It is undeniable that old values and norms need be rearranged and reproduced to produce a new social system [6, 8]. The government in Indonesia appealed to the emergence of these new social norms and asked people to study, work, and pray at home since the beginning of the pandemic [9]. The social habits such as social gathering and shaking hands have been restricted due to this pandemic [10]. Conventional social habits in the pre-pandemic period have been changed to interactions via online social platforms [6, 8, 11]. This condition emphasizes that the importance of technology [11]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, new habits have been formed in the form of maintaining social distance, washing hands with soap, wearing masks, avoiding public transportation, and online shopping activities [6, 8, 9, 10]. The pandemic has forced us to cope with these changes and new life styles [12, 13]. It may possible that people adapt to these changes and become their new life styles in the future [8, 13]. So far, there are different responses to these changes in societies, ranging from apathetic and irrational actions (by trusting in various misinformation as conspiracy beliefs or distrusting the legitimacy of governments) to illegal actions [5, 6].
There is no research that explores the public's perception of the social situation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. In this regard, this study aims to investigate the public perceptions of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation in Indonesia. This research uses a qualitative approach and interviewing various groups. 
Methods
Study design 
This is a phenomenological study using a qualitative approach. Qualitative methods explores unknown areas of research [14, 15, 16]. Phenomenology explores the people’s lived experiences [17]. The subjects obtained the truth of the matter in the fullest sense by objectively describing the phenomena [18]. 
Participants
In this study, participants were 10 people living in Indonesia who were selected using a purposive sampling method. They had consent to participate in the study and received explanation about the study objectives and procedures. Inclusion criteria for them were: living in a place where most of the residents had been infected to the COVID-19, history of infection to the COVID-19, willingness to participate in the study, signing the informed consent form, willingness to express feelings and thoughts and share experiences through an in-depth interview. On the other hand, those who refused to cooperate or were unwilling to continue participation in the study were excluded.
Data collection 
Participants were asked to describe their experiences and perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic situation using a semi-structured interview with several broad questions. For example, “What do you think about the COVID-19?”, “What social changes have you experienced after infected with the COVID-19?”, or “Are there any opportunities that people can take them during the COVID-19 pandemic?”. Probing questions were also used to encourage the participants to give more information about their experiences. For example, “Can you tell me more about that?”. Interviews lasted 15-20 minutes and were recorded and transcribed precisely.
Data analysis 
The interview data were analysed according to Colaizzi’s phenomenological analysis method [19]. It consists of seven steps: (a) Reading all interview records; (b) extracting important statements; (c) formulating the meaning of each statement; (d) Organizing the formulated meanings into clusters of themes; (e) Integrating the themes into an exhaustion description; (f) establishing an exhaustion description as clear as possible; (j) Asking participants about it for verification.
Results
Six themes were identified to show the public perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Indonesia. These themes were: “COVID-19 is very dangerous”, “Threat to social life”, “Threats to the economic sector”, “Threats to the education sector”, “Global conspiracy”, and “Creating new jobs”.
COVID-19 is very dangerous
COVID-19 has created a sense of fear and concern in the Indonesian people. Transmission and spread of the virus still occur in various regions. People’s fears and concerns are getting more and the health protocols have not been fully able to provide a sense of security from the virus. A number of hospitals in Indonesia have stated that they are overwhelmed with the number of COVID-19 patients. The surge in COVID-19 patients has led to reduced oxygen supplies in some regions. 
COVID-19 is spreading so fast
“At first, I only saw people infected with COVID-19 on television, but now even people near to me are infected” (Participant no.5). “I’m getting worried because my friends are getting infected with COVID-19 one by one” (Participant no.3). “Currently the hospitals are full, even oxygen is running low” (Participant no.8)
Too many deaths by COVID-19
“Every day I hear the death news announced through the mosque speakers or in WhatsApp groups” (Participant no.1). “I’m getting more and more worried because my friends are dying of COVID-19 one by one” (Participant no.6).
Threats to social life 
In an effort to deal with the increasingly widespread of COVID-19, the Indonesian government encouraged people to maintain social distancing and limit their visits to crowded places and their direct contact with other people. This has created mental health problems in people. They become very anxious when see someone is coughing or sneezing. This excessive anxiety created emotional problems in them. They often have a wrong behavior towards the one who does not observe health protocols. 
Social distancing
“I avoid being in crowded places; when I see crowds in shopping places, I look for deserted places” (Participant no.2). “We should maintain the distance of at least 2 m from others” (Participant no.7)
Being suspicious of others
“I feel uncomfortable being around other people when I see them sick or coughing” (Participant no.4). “I even forbid my family to go out this month” (Participant no.5). “Whatever I buy, I disinfectant them first” (Participant no.9). “I don’t like to have guests” (Participant no.2). “I suspect that every person in my neighborhood have the virus” (Participant no.1).
Decreased social sensitivity
“I’m used to hearing deaths every day” (Participant no.3). “Sometimes I think death is a common thing” (Participant no.10). “I used to go other people’s houses to mourn; now, I don’t want it anymore” (Participants no.4 and 9). “I used to scold people for not wearing a mask and ask them to keep their distance” (Participant no.10).
Threats to the economic sector
The COVID-19 pandemic not only has had an impact on public health but also has affected the economic conditions. This pandemic has forced local authorities to implement large-scale social restrictions which have limited the economic activities of people which has had an impact on the socio-economic status of people, especially the vulnerable and poor people. This situation has reduced people’s income and livelihood. The decline in economic activity and the restrictions have engaged companies. They have been forced them to lay off employees in order to maintain their financial status which has reduced the job opportunities for people who have lost their livelihood due to this pandemic. 
Increasing poverty
“Now it’s hard for people to sell their goods; they can’t sell, the goods are confiscated by the municipal officers. My income has decreased by 80%” (Participants no. 3, 4, and 8). “Now, we are unemployed; we rely solely on savings to live; our savings are running low and have even been exhausted” (Participants no.1 and 10).
Increasing unemployment
“People here work as laborers; now, they have even been laid off because the company lacks of funds” (Participant no.2). “Currently there is no hope to find a new job; everything has become difficult” (Participant no.6).
Threats to the education sector
Large-scale social restrictions require activities such as online education. Distance learning has been carried out for almost a year and currently, there is no policy that allows the face-to-face education. Many students complain that it is difficult to learn during online education. Limited social contact has made students feel bored, because they cannot play with their friends. At home, they spend a lot of time playing online games or being in social media which have an effect on their behavior. They prefer not to care about the environment and spend time alone playing games. The theme of threats to the education sector in this study is divided into two sub-themes, namely distance learning and children dependent on gadgets.
Problems in distance learning
“It has been more than one year that my children are learning from home” (Participant no.4). “My children are tired of studying from home; they miss their friends and teachers” (Participants no.5 and 7). “We have difficulty in distance education; we are worried that the children will not understand what they are learning and being taught” (Participant no.5). “I think children in the future will become more individualistic and will not know how to get along with other people” (Participant no.9)
Spending more time on online apps
“Now children are playing online games more often” (Participant no.3). “We feel overwhelmed because our children ask for money to play online games almost every month” (Participant no.2). “I’m worried that my child can’t be separated from his phone. I’m worried about the health of his eyes” (Participant n.9).
Global conspiracy
More than a year has passed from the start of pandemic, and the infected cases are still increasing. Then, many conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 have sprung up on social media. Many believe that the COVID-19 was created by trade rivals to damage the economies of developing countries. Due to the pandemic, many countries are vying to get loans to save their economy from multilateral institutions. In addition to reallocating the budget, the government has to seek for large amounts of loans to cover the expenditure needs of national programs. Currently, many countries are dependent on the COVID-19 vaccine produced by superpower countries. This has led to this belief that COVID-19 is a business in the pharmaceutical industry. 
New model of colonization
“This is just a trick work of the International Monetary Fund members that makes other countries get into debt to protect their own countries” (Participant no.1). “Countries are forced to buy vaccines from superpower countries to become dependent on them” (Participant no.8). “I’m worried that, after this pandemic, our natural resources are controlled by foreigners; we are too much in debt” (Participant no.6).
Biological weapon
“We believe this virus was leaked from a lab in Wuhan; one day it will become clear” (Participant no.6). “This virus is used as a weapon to cripple the economies of developing countries such as Indonesia” (Participant no.10).
Creating new jobs
The economic loss due to the COVID-19 is forcing people to survive in the middle of the economic battle. People have to try hard for saving themselves and their families. Due to this pandemic, goods are now being traded online. People assume that selling online is considered more effective and safer. Investment in stocks during a crisis is tempting, because some stocks go down in price and it is the best time to buy them with a hope to resell them when the stock price increases. Another activity that is currently being carried out by many people, young or old, is to become content creators on social media. Without a doubt, social media is now an alternative for entertainment. This is an opportunity for content creators to gain followers/ viewers as income sources. 
Trading online
“After getting fired, I started selling and marketing online” (Participant no.3). “Online trading can be safer because it cannot be seized by municipal officers” (Participant no.7).
Increasing online money-making
“I’m interested in learning stocks; it is getting more popular nowadays” (Participant no.1). “Children say that we can earn money by making videos on YouTube, if the videos be watched by more people” (Participant no.4).
Discussion
The Indonesian people perceived that the current COVID-19 pandemic situation is extremely dangerous; it is a threat to their country’s social, economic and educational sectors. Some believed that COVID-19 is a global conspiracy, while some perceived that the COVID-19 has caused a great potential in creating new jobs. 
The first theme extracted in this study was “COVID-19 is very dangerous”. This is because COVID-19 has become a pandemic and Indonesia stated it as a national disaster [20]. The best way to deal with this highly contagious virus is to reduce its spread [21]. In Indonesia, about 8 out of 10 people consider the disease was very dangerous [22]. Indonesia has a 5M Health Protocol to control the spread of COVID-19 developed by the Minister of Health (Law Number: HK.01.07/MENKES/382/2020) which propose washing hands frequently, wearing masks, social distancing, staying away from the crowd, and reducing mobility [23]. The next preventive measure is vaccination (Regulation of the Minister of Health, 10/2021) [20]. The new delta variant of COVID-19 in mid-2021 has caused a significant increase in positive cases, causing panic in the community [24]. This panic or anxiety has a negative impact on the immune system and causes it easier to get infected. Based on perceptions of people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, there is a survey reported that more than half of people perceived that they had worries and fears about the COVID-19. Their major worries were about the loss of a loved one and getting sick (73% were frequently worried). Respondents also stated that they were frequently worried about the health system being overloaded (72%). This shows a substantial emotional and mental stress that individuals are facing in addition to other challenges (e.g. economical) and highlights the importance of a response that acknowledges and addresses the psycho-social needs [22]. The results of a study showed that social media is the main source of information about the COVID-19 for people which provides various kinds of news including hoax news that mislead the public. If the public do not be careful about the accuracy of news, it can lead to bias and cause anxiety [21].
The second extracted theme was that COVID-19 threatens the social life. This is due to imposing restrictions on public activities [1]. Two principles of the 5M Health Protocol are reduced mobility and social distancing. The main goal of this protocol is to minimize the disease transmission. The disadvantage of this protocol is the limitation of social interactions, making online applications as a method for people to maintain communications. The protocol can be a threat to social life, if it is not addressed properly. The principles of reducing mobility and social distancing do not limit people to leave the house for very important conditions, greet others by waving hands, exercise regularly at home, and maintain endurance [10].
The third extracted theme was that COVID-19 can threaten the economic sector. The Congressional Research Service stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the global economic development in 2020, caused it to be declined by 7.6% [25]. A significant decline in some countries indicates the threat of a recession. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the macroeconomic sector includes increased unemployment, losses in the aviation sector, decreased number of tourists resulting in a decrease in tourism foreign exchange, weakening investment and trade, inflation, decreased tax revenue, and declined oil, gas, or non-oil exports [26]. 
The fourth extracted theme was that COVID-19 threatens the education sector. There is evidence that quarantined students spend less time on learning rather compared to when they are at school. These students may feel pressured and stressed, and have impaired ability to concentrate on their schoolwork. The lockdown of schools and the lack of face-to-face contact may cause students to be less externally motivated to engage in learning activities. This may have considerable negative effects on both cognitive and non-cognitive abilities not only in the short-term, but also in the long-term. Several studies have reported that the good predictors of future outcomes in children are their cognitive and socio-emotional skills. In terms of employment and salary, students who have poorly developed these skills are likely to obtain lower educational attainment and poorer occupational prospects. Therefore, there is a risk that the deficiency of appropriate policy procedures in the short-term during the COVID-19 pandemic may continue or even become worse over time, leading to more economic disparity in the future [27]. Other negative effects are the inhibition of international students, the uncertainty about opening schools, and the poor outcome of vocational education [28].
The fifth extracted theme was global conspiracy. There are many conspiracy theories about the pandemic, but there is still no scientific evidence to support these theories. However, a study in Indonesia showed that a high percentage (65%) of respondents believe that COVID-19 was spread by a particular group. The majority of them perceived that the spread was because of several people who do not observe health polices; i.e., not wearing masks, going out unreasonably, and travelling to/coming from contaminated areas. There is also minor groups who believe the high number of infected cases is because of the government’s lack of timely anticipation and the inefficiency of lockdown and restriction regulations [22].
The last theme extracted in this study was the emergence of new jobs as a result of adaptation to the pandemic including e-commerce and other online activities. In 2020, the prevalence of e-commerce was 2-5 times more than its rate before the COVID-19 pandemic. Online consultation on Practo application in India had a tenfold increase from April to November 2020. This shift to online business has increased the jobs related to service delivery, transportation, and warehouse. In China, e-commerce, service delivery, and social media jobs increased by more than 5.1 million during the first half of 2020 [29].
Conclusion 
The Indonesian people perceive that the COVID-19 is very dangerous, and threats social life, economy, and education, but has created new jobs. These information about the public perceptions during the pandemic can help the government to determine appropriate strategies. 

Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by Health Research Ethics Committee Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang, Indonesia (No: 467/EA/KEPK-UNIMUS-2021) 

Funding
This study was funded by the Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang, Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia.

Authors' contributions
All authors contributed equally in preparing all parts of the research.

Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang for their financial support.