BACKGROUND: During the pandemic, COVID-19 spread very quickly between people. Thus, the patients’ rights to obtain treatment do not have to decrease the protection of the public. The perspectives of ethics, law, and justice prioritize the rights of the public as stated in the principle “Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto” (Public safety is the highest law as regulated in the law).
METHODS: This research employs the statute approach with comprehensive, all-inclusive, and systematic manners to the ratio legis of the Health Law. It also uses the philosophy approach.
RESULTS: In Indonesia, the regulatory handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is based on the Law on Infectious Disease Outbreak. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the quick spread of this disease causes many fatalities. Thus, individual rights of patients must be ruled out to prioritize public rights.
CONCLUSION: The legal perspective upholds the “Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto” principle, namely, public safety is the highest law was the core of philosophy, law and ethics handling covid 19 pandemic.