Preventing New Year\'s Celebration Crowds

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Covid-19 patients who have recovered prepare to go home after undergoing independent isolation for 10 days at Graha Wisata Ragunan, South Jakarta, on Sunday (27/12/2020).

The ratio of positive cases of COVID-19 has continued to increase far beyond WHO recommendations. People must be prevented from forming crowds in order to reduce the risk of transmission. More stringent restrictions are needed.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government has urged the public again to reduce activities ahead of New Year. Restrictions on activities will reduce the potential for an increase in COVID-19 cases.

The increase in cases was reflected in the ratio of positive cases, which reached 22.1 percent on Sunday (27/12/2020), while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the positive ratio should be below 5 percent. The current ratio follows an additional 6,528 cases from the testing of 29,425 people. The number of active cases, both patients undergoing treatment and in self-isolation, has now reached 108,452 people.

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"Currently, it is increasingly difficult to take patients [to the hospital] because the COVID-19 isolation rooms and ICUs [intensive care units] at hospitals are full. Apart from that, drug supplies are also limited and health workers are increasingly exposed [to the virus] and dying," said University of Indonesia Medical School dean Ari Fahrial Syam.

Ari suggested that the government impose tighter and more widespread social restrictions, especially in the lead-up to the New Year holiday, which is feared to exacerbate transmission. "The regional heads must solidly ban New Year\'s Eve events and impose curfews as a real effort to suppress transmission," he said.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria warned that the pandemic situation in Jakarta was not yet under control.

Based on Kompas’ observations, this appeal has been made in a number of regions. Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria warned that the pandemic situation in Jakarta was not yet under control. "We will increase supervision through patrols. Please, spend time with your family," he said.

City park closure

The administration of South Tangerang, Banten, has closed locations that would have likely been visited by residents celebrating New Year\'s Eve. South Tangerang Deputy Mayor Benyamin Davnie said that one of the locations that would have been crowded on New Year\'s Eve was the city park.

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The Bogor regency administration in West Java said it would deploy public order personnel on Dec. 24 to prevent tourists from outside the area from entering Bogor regency. They would be blocking arrivals at Simpang Gadog intersection, Cisarua Market, Gunung Mas, Rindu Alam, Mount Salak Endah, Mekar Sari Fruit Garden and at the Sukamakmur COVID-19 Command Post.

At two checkpoints in particular, namely Gadog intersection and Rindu Alam, those who did not bring their test results would be tested on the spot.

At those checkpoints, visitors would be required to show documents indicating they were free from COVID-19 through the antigen rapid test method or the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. At two checkpoints in particular, namely Gadog intersection and Rindu Alam, those who did not bring their test results would be tested on the spot.

KOMPAS/DAHLIA IRAWATI

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa inaugurated Ijen Boulevard Field Hospital, on Wednesday (16/12/2020), in Malang City, East Java.

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa issued a circular establishing guidelines for Christmas and New Year celebrations. In the province, people are prohibited from organizing celebrations. "The ban on parties was communicated long ago and strict sanctions await offenders," said the former social affairs minister.

The Surabaya administration will require all events to end at 8 p.m. "Activities are limited for the sake of mutual safety," said Surabaya Mayor Wishnu Sakti Buana.

Tanjung Perak Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Gani Setyaningrum has proposed a plan for the temporary closure of Suramadu Bridge to prevent the formation of crowds and New Year\'s celebrations.

The Sidoarjo regency administration will require all events to end at 10 p.m. The Sidoarjo policy applies from Tuesday (29/12/2020) to Saturday (2/1/2021). "The curfew was implemented during large-scale social restrictions [PSBB] and was quite helpful in suppressing the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak," said Sidoarjo City

Police head Sr. Comr. Sumarji, who is also deputy chairman of the Sidoarjo COVID-19 task force.

Back to Jakarta

Most tourists and home-bound travelers during the 2020 Christmas holidays have returned. According to the records of toll road operator PT Jasa Marga on Sunday (27/12), nearly 179,000 vehicles entered the capital city, a 35 percent increase from the normal traffic on toll roads. The day before, nearly 126,000 vehicles entered Jakarta. This data combines the toll gates of Cikampek Utama, Kalihurip Utama, Cikupa and Ciawi.

Jasamarga Tollroad Operator (JMTO) area manager for the Semarang-Solo section Warih Dumadi said that during the 2020 Christmas holidays, peak traffic occurred on Wednesday (23/12). "There were 32,534 vehicles entering the Banyumanik toll road [heading toward Solo], an increase from 19,830 vehicles on a normal day," he said.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

A poster warning of Covid-19 awareness is seen near the rest area of the Ungaran toll road, Semarang Regency, Central Java, on Thursday (24/12/2020).

Jakarta Regional Personnel Office head Chaidir said on Monday (28/12) that all employees were required to work. The obligations are in accordance with State Administration and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Circular No. 72/2020. The circular seeks to limit out of town vacations and governs the requirements for granting leave to civil servants during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

"Government employees who are still on leave or are late for work can be punished in accordance with Government Regulation No. 53/2010 on civil servant discipline. There are penalties, from lenient to heavy sanctions, from reevaluation of performance to dismissal," said Chaidir. (AIK/DIV/ETA/IGA/MEL/NIK/ RTG/WER/DIT)

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko