International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS) Vol. 9, No. 4, December 2020, pp. 406~413 ISSN: 2252-8806, DOI: 10.11591/ijphs.v9i4.20547  406 Journal homepage: http://ijphs.iaescore.com Potential use of personal protection online search during COVID-19 pandemic for predicting and monitoring public response Michael Chandra 1 , Rizma Syakurah 2 1 Medical Faculty, Sriwijaya University, Indonesia 2 Public Health Faculty, Sriwijaya University, Indonesia Article Info ABSTRACT Article history: Received Jun 27, 2020 Revised Aug 28, 2020 Accepted Sep 13, 2020 COVID-19 has become a global public health emergency in almost all over the world, including in Indonesia. Effective risk communication becomes an emergency response to increase awareness and determine appropriate interventions. The study aimed to assess the success of risk communication monitoring using Google Trends during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Quantitative and qualitative research uses time-series data (31 December 2019-2 May 2020). The relative search volume (RSV) of keyword „masker‟ (mask) and „cuci tangan‟ (handwashing) from Google Trends (GT) and the number of COVID-19 daily cases were collected. Analyzed qualitatively. RSV search data and daily case comparisons were performed based on Pearson correlation analysis and time lag correlation with significance <0.05. The keyword „masker‟ has four peaks and „cuci tangan‟ has three peaks with fluctuations due to the increase in mask prices, government policies, news, and official WHO recommendations. Validation using time-lag correlation shows the significant results between RSV keywords related to personal protection and the number of COVID-19 cases. The highest correlation was achieved by the keyword „masker‟ three days before the number of COVID-19 cases. Google Trends can potentially be used as a complement and support for early warning systems in the surveillance system and improve public health responses in Indonesia. Keywords: COVID-19 Handwashing Google Trends Indonesia Mask Risk communication This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license. Corresponding Author: Rizma Adlia Syakurah, Public Health Faculty, Sriwijaya University, Jl. Raya Palembang-Prabumulih KM. 32 Indralaya, Ogan Ilir, Sumatera Selatan, 30662, Indonesia. Email: rizma.syakurah@gmail.com 1. INTRODUCTION World health organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic on 11 March 2020, after previously reported an outbreak of lower respiratory tract disease in Wuhan, China, 31 December 2019 [1]. There were 3,588,773 confirmed cases and 247,503 deaths (case fatality rate 6.9%) out of 214 infected countries (185 of which countries have experienced local transmissions) until 6 May 2020 [2]. Indonesia has become one of the countries with local transmissions with a total of 12,438 confirmed cases and 895 deaths (case fatality rate of 7.2%) [3]. Risk communication is defined as the interchange of information, advice or opinions from experts to people who are currently at risk in the sector of health, economic or social [4]. Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) is an evident manifestation of the application of risk communication that