PSBB Serves as Middle Ground

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG

People visit a relatively empty food court on Sunday (13/9/2020) at Lippo Mall Kemang in South Jakarta. Starting on 14 Sept. 2020, the Jakarta provincial administration is reinstating the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) with a variety of new measures in its bid to curb the surge in Covid-19 cases in the capital. Shopping centers may still operate at a maximum 50 percent of visitor capacity, but their dining outlets are banned from offering dine-in services and may offer only delivery and takeaway services.

The large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) reinstated today in Jakarta serve as a middle ground solution for the government to both curb COVID-19 transmission while keeping the economic wheels spinning at the same time.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Jakarta officially resumed the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) on Monday (14/9/2020), after the city administration had decided to stop the transitional phase. The PSBB this time will serve as a middle-ground solution between safeguarding the economy and curbing COVID-19 transmission.

Therefore, the PSBB now prioritize preventive measures and public discipline. The business community is ready to comply with the prevailing regulations.

Throughout the implementation of the PSBB in the next 14 days, only 11 essential business sectors are allowed to operate, and they are to do so only at 50 percent of their capacity. These sectors are health, groceries, food and drink, energy, communication and information technology, finance, logistics, hospitality, construction, strategic industries as well as basic services, public utilities and other industries that have been set as national vital objects or facilitate everyday needs.

Foreign country representative offices as well as international organizations and consular offices too may operate at 50 percent of capacity. Meanwhile, government offices and private corporations could operate only at 25 percent of capacity according to a regulation issued by the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry.

Also read: Children with Special Needs More Vulnerable during Covid-19 Pandemic

One of the PSBB’s objectives is to curtail COVID-19 infections in workplaces. “Office heads must formulate a work-from-home mechanism for employees. If working at offices is deemed necessary, staff numbers must be limited to 25 percent of office capacity. Workplaces where COVID-19 cases are detected must be closed for at least three days,” Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said in a statement during an online meeting with the regional leaders’ forum on Sunday (13/9).

In September, there was a significant increase in COVID-19 infections. In the past 12 days alone, there were 3,864 new COVID-19 cases in Jakarta. These new cases constitute 49 percent of all COVID-19 cases detected in the capital city, which numbered 7,960 between March and late August.

Data on corona.jakarta.go.id show that 13,496 COVID-19 patients in Jakarta, or 24.6 percent of all patients, are between 30 and 39 years of age, while 11,394 patients, or 20.7 percent of all cases, are between 20 and 29 years of age and 9,926 patients, or 18 percent of the total, are between 40 and 49 years old.

According to National COVID-19 Task Force chief Doni Monardo, COVID-19 transmission has increased significantly since July and surged exponentially in the past few days. “Currently,

the bed occupancy rate in Jakarta stands at 78 percent. For intensive care units (ICU), the rate is even higher than 85 percent,” said Doni.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A costumed character greets a visiting child on Sunday (13/9/2020) at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) park inEast Jakarta. A number of tourist attractions in Jakarta will close again on Monday, when the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) is imposed for a second time.

Anies said that the PSBB this time would serve as an extra measure, so that the increase of new cases in Jakarta could be brought under control. If not controlled, the economic, social and cultural impacts would be very high.

Public response

National Economic Recovery and COVID-19 Response Team executive chairperson Erick Thohir said the government would be proactive in regard to the resumption of the PSBB in the capital city. “Public health is more important. Let’s take care of each other, as the social programs carried out by the National Economic Recovery and COVID-19 Response Team are based on public health considerations as well. Yet it would be impossible to focus on public health only while the general public is hungry as they struggle to find work,” said Erick.

The Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police and the National COVID-19 Task Force will actively take part in enforcing discipline and carrying out Operation Yustisi in areas suspected of being new COVID-19 clusters, including workplaces, to enforce strict health protocol.

“As ordered by the National Police chief, we will carry out Operation Yustisi starting tomorrow together with regional administrations, the TNI and the judiciary,” said Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nana Sudjana.

Also read: Children with Special Needs More Vulnerable during Covid-19 Pandemic

Meanwhile, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Rosan Perkasa Roeslani deemed the PSBB this time as the best solution. There are several differences between the current implementation of the PSBB and the past implementation of the full PSBB.

This time, the PSBB prioritize preventive measures and public discipline. The business community is ready to comply with prevailing regulations.

The prohibition of dining and gatherings in restaurants, for instance, will likely affect small and medium-sized restaurants.

Although a number of business sectors are allowed to remain open, their operations will still be impacted, such as hotels and restaurants. The prohibition of dining and gatherings in restaurants, for instance, will likely affect small and medium-sized restaurants. “Thus, the government must pay attention to this sector by expediting aid distribution,” said Rosan.

The retail sector and car sales will also experience a decline. On the other hand, online ojek (motorcycle taxi) are still allowed to operate, pending further regulation from the Jakarta Transportation Agency.

Anies assured the public that social assistance would still be distributed as scheduled until the end of year. Recipients of social aid are vulnerable and underprivileged people amounting to 2,460,203 households, which will receive basic needs periodically.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Personnel from the transportation officer take part in a public campaign on the Covid-19 health protocol on Sunday (13/9/2020) along on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta. The public health campaign took place during the Car Free Day at the weekend, when people enjoyed exercising outdoors in downtown Jakarta before the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) is reinstated on Monday. The reinstated policy takes effect indefinitely on 14 Sept., after the transitional PSBB was extended five times. The Jakarta administration made the decision following the high fatality rate and the full bed occupancy rate at Jakarta’s hospitals.

Throughout the implementation of the PSBB, people are urged to stay at home, except for urgent needs or to do permitted essential business activities.

Bodetabek on guard

Epidemiologist Pandu Riono from the University of Indonesia said the reinstated PSBB was intended as a shock therapy so that people would be more cautious, because during the transitional phase many people had become indifferent and assumed the pandemic was over.

During the implementation of the PSBB in Jakarta, regions neighboring the capital city, namely Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Bodetabek), must also closely monitor the implementation of health protocols. Lax monitoring and high mobility between Jakarta and Bodetabek would cause a further spread of COVID-19.

“If Bodetabek does not conduct careful monitoring, the whole thing will be fruitless. Neighboring regions must not take advantage of the PSBB implementation in Jakarta for their own economic interests without paying attention to the risks,” said Pandu.

On a different occasion, Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi said he had ordered heads of community units (RW) to closely monitor non-Bekasi residents who entered the region during the PSBB implementation in Jakarta.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A soldier stands guard as people ride bicycles near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle during Car Free Day on Sunday (13/9/2020) in Central Jakarta. The Jakarta provincial administration has reinstated the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) effective 14 Sept. 2020 amid the surge in Covid-19 cases and the full bed occupancy rate at hospitals in Jakarta.

Bogor Mayor Bimar Arya said he would soon anticipate the mobility of Jakarta residents in his region. “We are coordinating with the West Java governor and other government agencies to strengthen health protocol enforcement in restaurants, cafés and at tourist sites in Bogor,” said Bima.

Also read: Covid-19 Becoming Uncontrollable

Meanwhile, Tangerang Mayor Arief Wismansyah said the Tangerang administration was still waiting for further instruction from the Banten governor in responding to Jakarta’s PSBB implementation.