Curfews in Bogor and Depok Not Effective without Jakarta Following Suit

KOMPAS/IRENE SARWINDANINGRUM

Depok Mayor M. Idris Abdul Shomad

Depok is following Bogor’s footsteps in limiting people’s activities and businesses’ operational hours. The two West Javanese cities directly bordering Jakarta do not wish to see their numbers of Covid-19 cases continuously rising. However, the policies in both cities will not be effective without Jakarta, a Covid-19 epicenter, limiting its office hours. This is because many residents in Greater Jakarta work in Jakarta, a Covid-19 red zone.

Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris said in an official statement on Sunday (30/8/2020) that based on data of confirmed cases’ distribution, more than 73.14 percent of cases in the 24th and 25th weeks were imported ones. These imported cases originated from office clusters and spread among families.

“To control the rise and spread of cases in Depok, the Depok city administration limits all daily activities until 8 p.m. at the latest,” Idris said when confirmed on Monday (31/8).

Also read: Eased Restrictions Increases Risk of Covid-19 Transmission in Pantura

Idris continued that in-person services at shops, restaurants, cafes, minimarkets, supermarkets and malls are also restricted after 6 p.m. Meanwhile, delivery services are only available until 9 p.m.

In Depok’s effort to curb Covid-19 spread, Idris through the city’s Covid-19 task force will optimize the roles of Covid-19 alert neighborhoods to prioritize data collections at residents’ workplaces, monitoring people’s movements in and out of locals’ homes and implementing strict health protocols in Covid-19 alert neighborhoods. Idris went on to say that social restrictions would be enforced on the scale of community units (RW-PSKS).

To optimize monitoring efforts, Idris said that he hoped residents would actively assist and report any instance of disorder and indiscipline in neighborhood units (RT), subdistricts, public spaces and cafes that violate the operational hour policy.

To control the rise and spread of cases in Depok, the Depok city administration limits all daily activities until 8 p.m. at the latest.

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

A convenience store clerk prepares to close an Alfamidi outlet at 6 p.m. on Monday (31/8/2020) in Bojongsari, Depok, West Java. The Depok municipal administration has imposed an 8 p.m. curfew on the city starting Monday to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Other than locals assisting to monitor and file reports, Idris said that his office will oversee the strict enforcement of health protocols by local residents, groups, business owners and offices.

To ensure adherence towards health protocols in offices, Idris said that he had issued a work-from-home (WFH) policy for his office’s civil servants. For now, civil servants are banned from doing business trips out of town. All meetings have also been moved online.

“We have enforced WFH and work shift policies. Furthermore, with the increase of confirmed cases, we will also do swab tests on everyone with close contact history, suspects and other priority targets,” Idris said.

Also read: Real Risk of Second Wave of Covid-19 Infection

Meanwhile, Depok Covid-19 task force spokesperson Dadang Wihana said that social restriction to ensure adherence towards health protocols would be enforced in all elements without exception. Nevertheless, Dadang said that the policies would not affect the activities of people, especially workers or employees, who must go home from their workplaces late at night.

“People’s activities are restricted after 8 p.m. Depok residents coming home from offices in Jakarta, let’s say, at 9 p.m., they can still travel home. The social restriction policy is aimed at locals in Depok as it aims to cut off local spread [of Covid-19]. Task force data shows that 25-30 percent of confirmed cases are local transmissions in residences,” Dadang said.

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

A security guard coordinates departing traffic on Monday (31/8/2020) at a shopping center in Bojongsari, Depok, West Java. The shopping center is closing at 6 p.m. in compliance with the 8 p.m. curfew that was implemented in the city on Monday curfew to curb the spread of Covid-19.

According to him, the restriction policy is currently merely a circular by the Depok mayor. Details of the policy and its implementation is still being arranged through a mayor’s regulation. Currently, the Depok administration is still disseminating information and educating locals.

“Information dissemination and education first, as there are still crowds and activities late at night and into the early morning. Such activities will be prohibited to curb Covid-19 spread in communities. Fines for curfew violators will be enforced on business owners and event organizers that create crowds,” Dadang said.

Based on Covid-19 information and coordination center data on Monday (31/8), the number of confirmed patients reached 2,210 cases. Depok still has the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases among cities and regencies in West Java.

Red zone in Bogor

The Bogor city administration has also implemented social restriction in the city since two days ago, through the micro and community social restriction (PSBMK) policy. The policy is issued after Bogor was declared a red zone for regions with high risk of Covid-19 spread. The regulation will be in effect until 11 September 2020.

During the PSBMK, all businesses, including malls, restaurants and cafes, are requested to limit their operational hours until 6 p.m. The Bogor administration also limits people’s outdoor activities until 9 p.m.

Bogor Covid-19 task force data as of Sunday (30/8) at 3 p.m. showed that the city had 23 new confirmed Covid-19 cases, including four from family clusters.

Also read: Dilemma of Regional Health Protocol Enforcement

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

A member of a joint operation unit enforces the use of masks on Jl. Muhtar Raya in Sawangan, Depok, West Java, Tuesday (25/8/2020).

With these new cases, Bogor has 597 confirmed cases, spread in 50 out of Bogor’s 68 subdistricts (73.52 percent). Of Bogor’s 797 community units (RW), 106 (13.29 percent) are declared red zones.

Tanah Sereal district has the highest number of confirmed cases at 49. Next is West Bogor district with 82 confirmed cases, South Bogor district with 27, East Bogor district with 19, North Bogor district with 40 and Central Bogor district with 16.

Meanwhile, 30 new cases were recorded on Monday (31/8), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 627, including 235 still in treatment and 361 having recovered.

Also read: Health Protocols Should Not Be Ignored

“My concerns are coming true. Cases still increase and Bogor is now a red zone. Family clusters are increasing, imported cases remain high. We are on high alert. The more neglectful we are, the more dangerous it becomes. Our neglect and lack of discipline will endanger our families. These new cases are the new record for Bogor,” Bogor mayor Bima Arya said.

During the PSBMK, Bima said that all residents should adhere to the curfew and the elderly and children should not go outside due to Bogor’s red-zone status.

Bima continued that, to curb the disease’s spread, he would directly inspect parts of the city to ensure proper implementation of health protocols. “On Monday, I held an impromptu visit to cafes, businesses and red-zone subdistricts and hamlets, including RW 005 in Empang subdistrict, South Bogor; RW 004 in Kebon Pedes subdistrict, Tanah Sareal; and Rw 001 in Tegallega subdistrict, Central Bogor. We will continue to monitor the situation,” Bima said.

My concerns are coming true. Cases still increase and Bogor is now a red zone.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto (left) makes an official visit to Lolongok village on Sunday (30/8/2020) in Empang, Bogor, West Java. The area has again been declared a “red zone” of high-risk Covid-19 transmission.

Bogor is now a Covid-19 red zone and Bima has issued a strict policy to curb Covid-19 spread. Bima continued that, other than direct monitoring and deploying joint officers, his administration will take firm actions including fines for those violating health protocols.

The policy is found in Mayor’s Regulation No. 107/2020 on Administrative Punishments for Violators of Health Protocols. The rule has been in effect starting on Saturday (29/8).

Also read: Restrictions Critical to Covid-19 Fight

“Mayor’s Regulation No. 107 is in effect to enforce swift punishment as the regulatory basis the other day was still tiered and [using it to] take actions would require a long time. With the mayor’s regulation, we can punish locals and businesses violating health protocols,” Bima said.

Bogor Covid-19 task force head Dedie A Rachim said that Bogor administration would punish anyone not wearing mask based on West Java’s Gubernatorial Regulation No. 60/2020.

The regulation stipulates that violators can only be punished after four reprimands, namely verbal warning, written warning, confiscation of ID card and fines. However, Mayor Regulation No 107 stipulates two punishments, namely fines and social punishment. There is no written and verbal warnings.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Barefaced residents cover their mouths and noses while passing a banner informing people that the area is a Covid-19 “red zone” on Sunday (30/8/2020) in Lolongok village of Empang in Bogor, West Java. People continue to flout the health and safety protocol, even as the municipality reinstates its status as a high-risk Covid-19 transmission area.

Mayoral Regulation No. 107/2020 stipulates fines of between Rp 50,000 (US$3.41) and Rp 250,000 to pedestrians in public spaces or facilities. Similar punishments can also be given to drivers or passengers of vehicles, including ride-hailing services, not wearing masks.

Passengers and drivers of private cars or public minivans not wearing masks can be given fines of between Rp 100,000 and Rp 1 million.

Other than punishment, Dedie said that the West Java administration had donated one portable PCR testing equipment for Bogor city, currently a red zone. It is said that it does not need a long time to get result from the testing equipment.

Also read: Time to Tighten Social Restrictions as Health Care at Critical Point

“We get one portable PCR testing equipment from the West Java administration. It is worth almost Rp 1 billion with a capacity of 36 samples a day. We get the result in less than a day,” Dedie said.

He continued that the Bogor city administration had conducted swab tests on 10,350 samples. The city administration targets 11,000 swab tests. However, considering the continuously rising number of cases with no end in sight, the target may change.

“The target is to map out potential cases and their distribution. Currently, of 11,000, we have done swab tests on 10,350 samples. Once we reach the target, we will continue to map the confirmed Covid-19 during the pandemic,” Dedie said.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Motorists pass by a mural that reads “New Normal, New Hope” on Friday (28/8/2020) in Pasirkuda, Bogor, West Java. The municipality has reinstated its status as a high-risk Covid-19 transmission area.

Regarding Bogor’s red-zone status and the continuously increasing number of confirmed cases, Dedie said that, other than adherence to health protocols, cases continue to surge as imported cases enter neighborhoods and create family clusters.

Dedie said the PSBMK was a way to curb Covid-19 spread in Bogor. However, this will be far more effective if efforts to reduce spread is conducted in synergy with all regions in Greater Jakarta. Considering that many residents in Bogor work in Jakarta as Covid-19 epicenter, all regional heads must consider limiting office hours.

“We are focused on tackling family clusters and imported cases. The two are interlinked. Surely, we do not want cases to increase, especially in family clusters, as children and the elderly are especially vulnerable. This is collective work and synergy is necessary, not only for Bogor but also for Greater Jakarta as a whole,” Dedie said.

Meanwhile, epidemiology department head of University of Indonesia’s faculty of public health, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, said that the policies of limiting work hours and number of employees should be taken as the number of cases in Greater Jakarta continues to increase.

“The office clusters is dangerous as they can lead to new clusters in families or neighborhoods, even more so if the government does not monitor this strictly. It is better to cut this thing off in the upstream. Once it reaches the downstream, it will be harder to control,” Tri said.