Restrictions Critical to Covid-19 Fight

The large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) are vital to determining the success of Covid-19 prevention and control. The government must therefore ensure that the policy is implemented optimally.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The Communications and Information Ministry (Kominfo) in collaboration with healthcare company Halodoc is offering a free Covid-19 examination for journalists in the parking area of the Kominfo office, Jakarta, Wednesday (8/4/2020). As many as 758 journalists took part in the Covid-19 fast test from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Implementing the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in Jakarta requires the support of all parties, including its satellite cities. If the policy is implemented unprofessionally, the outbreak in Jakarta and other regions will be difficult to contain.

The PSBB’s purpose, to significantly reduce the movement of people, must be achieved. The policy is viewed as the only way for Indonesia to effectively suppress the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

The Jakarta provincial administration will impose the PSBB starting Friday (10/4/2020), following the approval from Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto. According to Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, the PSBB is to last 14 days and can be extended.

Operators of ride-hailing motorcycle taxi services claim they have implemented operational safety standards during the Covid-19 epidemic.

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon (8/4), Anies said that the gubernatorial regulation on the PSBB was ready, but could not be issued until This is because the provincial administration and central government are still coordinating with ojek (ride-hailing motorcycle taxi) companies.

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"Operators of ride-hailing motorcycle taxi services claim they have implemented operational safety standards during the Covid-19 epidemic. We are still discussing this matter with the central government. If we agree, ride-hailing motorcycle taxis can still transport passengers," said Anies.

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KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

An aerial photo shows Jl. Otista in East Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4/2020). Jakarta will implement tougher restrictions to enforce social distancing starting Friday (10/4/2020). All types of activities will be reduced, except for activities in eight key sectors, including healthcare services, food and communication. The government has vowed to ensure access to basic necessities.

University of Indonesia Medical School dean Ari Fahrial Syam said in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4) that Jakarta’s hospitals were in critical condition because of their progressively reduced capacity. Although a number of private hospitals are also being readied for treating Covid-19 patients, this would not help if cases of infection continued to increase.

"The hope among us doctors and health professionals is that the PSBB will further restrict the movement of people. At present, physical [distancing] is not optimal, given that the number of cases continues to increase. Especially in Jakarta, cases have increased by 100 per day," said Ari, who is also a general practitioner.

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According to him, the PSBB in Jakarta must truly restrict the movement of people. "If this fails, we will not be able to halt the spread of the virus," said Ari.

Restricted activities

The PSBB bans all activities and events that involved more than five people. Ceremonies and rituals, including weddings and circumcisions, are permitted as long as they are held without a mass gathering. Only civil weddings are permitted, with the couple signing the marriage registry at the religious affairs office or other authorized state agencies.

Also read : Regional Lockdown Needs To Be Considered

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Traffic is running smoothly on Jl. Abdullah Syafei in South Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4/2020). Jakarta will implement tougher restrictions to enforce social distancing starting Friday (10/4/2020).

Eight industry sectors in addition to government offices may continue to operate during the PSBB: health; food and beverage services; energy; communication; delivery and logistics, including ojek couriers and delivery services; daily goods retailers, such as supermarkets, grocery stores, and food stalls; and strategic industries.

Indonesia reported 218 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total to 2,956 cases. It also reported 18 newly recovered cases to total 222 people who have recovered from the disease, while it reported 240 deaths nationwide.

Also read : Protect Medical Workers

National Covid-19 rapid response task force spokesman Achmad Yurianto said that the government was trying to accelerate Covid-19 prevention and control by enforcing physical distancing in allowing local administrations to implement the PSBB.

Jakarta is the first region to implement the policy. In addition, the government continues to run its rapid testing program to identify people who have been infected with the Covid-19 virus. So far, the government has distributed 450,000 test kits across the archipelago. Medical workers who have treated Covid-19 patients have also undergone rapid testing for the Covid-19 virus.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

A security officer stands guard as visitors line up to disinfect their hands before entering the ITC Kuningan mall in South Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4/2020). The Jakarta Provincial Government will implement large-scale social restrictions for 14 days starting on Friday (10/4) to curb the spread of the new coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

The government is also trying to accelerate the identification of confirmed cases through the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which is being conducted through a selective or structured program, and not randomly. The test is performed only on people who have tested positive for Covid-19 using the rapid test kit and present severe clinical symptoms.

"The government has conducted PCR tests on 15,000 samples. There are enough PCR test kits to test 200,000 samples," said Yurianto.

Implementation challenges

As Jakarta heads towards the effective date of PSBB implementation, it appears that imposing social restrictions in densely populated areas will not be easy. In Duri Kepa subdistrict of Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, for example, residents could still be seen at public gatherings, even though the access gate to the settlement has been closed. Purwanto, 56, a local resident, was at a gathering with neighbors when Kompas met with him on Tuesday.

Purwanto said that it would be difficult to implement the PSBB in his neighborhood, for example, because he lives in a rented house measure 2-by-3 meters along with four members of his family. Given the small space, it was more comfortable for him and his family to spend the day outside instead of indoors. When bathing, he uses a public bathing facility, which is also used by many of his neighbors. As a result, it was difficult to avoid physical interaction indoors or outside in the community.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Medical workers take a rest on the sidelines of a drive-through rapid test post at the Rawa Buntu Community Health Center in South Tangerang, Banten, Wednesday (8/4/2020). The rapid test is an attempt by the government to find out the number of people who are likely to be exposed to a new type of coronavirus, Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Epidemiologist Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono of the University of Indonesia\'s Public Health Faculty said that the 14-day PSBB period in Jakarta would not be effective. The PSBB could curb the number of new cases only after it had been implemented for at least two months.

The policy would thus succeed only if the policy was complemented with mass testing and wide-ranging contact tracing. (DNE/AIK/DRI/DIV/SPW)