Stricter PSBB needed to Halt Spread of Covid-19

Kompas/Yuniadhi Agung

Passengers waiting for the commuter train at Tanah Abang Station in Central Jakarta during work hours on Friday (11/9/2020). The Covid-19 transmission rate in Jakarta remains high despite efforts by residents to protect themselves. Therefore, the Jakarta Provincial government will again implement large-scale social restrictions starting Monday, 14 September 2020, to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Jakarta provincial government will reimpose the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to halt the spike in new Covid-19 cases. Coordination is now underway to ensure the measure will be effective and to study its economic impact.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The Covid-19 transmission in Jakarta during the past 10 days has increased by 40 percent compared to the same period in August. The reimposition of the PSBB that had first been introduced in April and May is expected to curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease.

Also read: Covid-19 Becoming Uncontrollable

Coordination between the central government and administrations of neighboring regions, namely Bekasi, Bogor, Depok and Tangerang, on the reimposition of the social restrictions is currently underway.

"There were a total of 3,850 new cases in Jakarta in the period of 1-10 September. It is the highest number recorded since Covid-19 emerged in Jakarta six months ago,” Anies said Friday.

According to him, the spike in Covid-19 cases was due to a lack of discipline among residents in implementing health protocol, such as wearing masks properly, keeping a safe distance from others, and regularly washing one’s hands with soap.

People underestimate the impact of Covid-19, so they often don\'t wear masks when going out.

New transmission clusters have now emerged in residential areas, markets, offices, restaurants and cafes. People underestimate the impact of Covid-19, so they often don\'t wear masks when going out.

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According to the latest data, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Jakarta reached a total of 52,321 on 11 Sept., while the number of the patients treated in hospitals and those under self-isolation totaled 11,824 people. Of the total confirmed cases, 39,115 patients have recovered and 1,382 have died. The number of deaths during the first 10 days of September account for 17 percent of all deaths recorded during the period of March to August. This means, there is a drastic increase in deaths caused by the disease, and that figure does not even include the deaths of suspected but unconfirmed Covid-19 patients.

Kompas/AGUS SUSANTO

Duren Sawit Hospital in East Jakarta, seen here on Thursday (10/9/2020), is one of the Covid-19 referral hospitals in Jakarta. Jakarta’s Covid-19 referral hospitals are estimated to run out of space capacity by the fourth week of September 2020, and it is feared that medical treatment will suffer.

The large-scale social restrictions had been imposed in Jakarta on April 10. Since June, the PSBB had gradually been relaxed amid signs of a reduction in the number of new cases, but the number of new cases has grown again lately due to the lack of discipline among the residents. This has prompted the Jakarta administration to reenforce the full PSBB.

"Regarding the economy, we have coordinated with the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister. Saturday (today), there will be a meeting to discuss, among other things, the rules for office work,” said Anies.

Interregional coordination

On Thursday (10/9), Jakarta also held a coordination meeting with West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, Banten Governor Wahidin Halim and mayors/regents of regions neighboring Jakarta. So far, leaders from neighboring regions have supported Jakarta’s initiative. However, there are no agreements yet as to whether or not the neighboring areas will follow Jakarta’s step.

Also read: Health Protocol to Boost the Economy

"If the social restrictions in Jakarta are not supported by Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi, the measure will not be effective, because transmission can go back and forth between regions. The mobility of the people in Jakarta is also greatly influenced by the surrounding areas,” said Dicky Budiman, an Indonesian epidemiologist at Griffith University.

Based on data from the public health department of the University of Indonesia (FKM UI), the share of people obeying the Covid-19 prevention protocols in the May-April period was 60 percent. However, the number has dropped to 45 percent since June.

As more than 50 percent of the people began to carry out activities outside the home, the number of new cases rose sharply.

FKM UI biostatistics lecturer Iwan Ariawan said in Jakarta on Friday that the decline in discipline in complying with health protocols had caused an increase in new cases in the same period. As more than 50 percent of the people began to carry out activities outside the home, the number of new cases rose sharply.

Iwan estimated that the reimposition of the PSBB would reduce the number of new cases if more than 55 percent of residents stay at home. If the social restrictions will be eased again, a new spike can be prevented if at least 85 percent of the people comply with health protocol.

"Only that way could we reduce the increase in new cases, such as during the initial implementation of the PSBB," he said.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Duren Sawit Hospital in East Jakarta, seen here on Thursday (10/9/2020), is one of the Covid-19 referral hospitals in Jakarta. Jakarta’s Covid-19 referral hospitals are estimated to run out of space capacity by the fourth week of September 2020, and it is feared that medical treatment will suffer.

Jakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 33 of 2020 concerning the implementation of the PSBB, which was issued in April 2020, calls for closure of business activities except those related to health, food and beverage, energy, communications and information technology, finance and logistics. In addition, a number of business sectors, such as hospitality, construction, strategic industries, basic services, public utilities and industries categorized as vital projects are also allowed to continue their activities.

Although it is important to suppress the spread of Covid-19, the economic impact of the PSBB is of concern to many parties. Measures to reduce its economic impact should be prepared immediately.

"We encourage the Jakarta administration through Pasar Jaya (which overseas markets in Jakarta) to ask all kiosk owners to install sneeze guards and monitor the use of masks among sellers and buyers,” said the spokesman for the association of Indonesian traders (Ikappi), Reynaldi Sarijowan.

Application-based motorcycle taxi drivers expected a decline in the number of passengers. “With the reimposition of the PSBB, online motorcycle taxis must be prepared for the impact on passenger numbers. It means we must be prepared to lose 70-80 percent of our income again,” said the chairman of the association of motorcycle taxi drivers (Guard), Igun Wicaksono.

The same concern was expressed by the secretary-general of the organization of land transportation owners (Organda), Ateng Aryono: "If the PSSB is reimposed, we must be prepared for a decline in business by 90-100 percent," he said.

Roadmap

According to the secretary-general of the Indonesian Textile Association, Rizal T Rakhman, now is the time for the central and regional governments to issue a road map for handling Covid-19 and to fully implement it.

The road map, he continued, must contain a comprehensive strategy in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic, including strengthening the economic stimulus scheme for industry during the PSBB and a strategy to protect the domestic market from an influx of imported goods. Thus, the industry can calculate its impact on business and prepare certain scenarios to cope with it.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A police officer holds a banner appealing to residents to abide by health protocol at the Block A area of Tanah Abang Market in Central Jakarta on Friday (11/9/2020). Traders hope that the large-scale social restrictions policy will not entail a total closure of the trading hub.

The chairman of the association of the Indonesian retailers, Roy N Mandey, said he hoped the implementation of the “new” PSBB would not be the same as the previous one. The Jakarta administration should study which businesses have become new clusters of Covid-19 transmission and which have applied health protocol properly. (DNE/AIK/LKT/JUD/CAS/FAI/DAN/DIV/FRD/SPW/IGA)