Mitigating Analysis Enhanced to the Villages

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

The green zone marker means that there are no Covid-19 cases in one RT installed in residential areas in the North Tanjung Duren area, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta, Thursday (25/2/2021).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Even though it has not been optimal, the enactment of the micro-scale community activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro) in Java and Bali has been deemed effective enough in reducing the number of Covid-19 infections at the upstream, or rural, level. Analysis of the Covid-19 mitigation measures continues to be improved in order to optimize the policy and create new models for applying to other areas outside the two islands.

Covid-19 Task Force health mitigation divisional head Alexander “Alex” Ginting said the transmission curve was in a sloping shape during the PPKM Mikro implementation. However, the number of Covid-19 patients still remained high.

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"The 3Ts (testing, tracing, and treatment) really need to be implemented in the villages and the quarantine implemented optimally," Alex said in Jakarta on Sunday (28/2/2021).

In implementing the PPKM Mikro, a noncommissioned village supervisory officer (babinsa), a village public order and security officer (bhabinkamtibmas), and volunteers are stationed at each village command post to optimize contact tracing efforts.

The 3Ts (testing, tracing, and treatment) really need to be implemented in the villages and the quarantine implemented optimally.

Alex acknowledged that the current Covid-19 mitigation measures appeared to have been eased, such as extending the operational hours of shopping malls until 8 p.m. However, strict restrictions remained in place at the micro level, especially in red, yellow and orange zones coordinated by the teams at village posts.

KOMPAS/ADITYA DIVERANTA

Motorcyclists cross a housing portal in Wijaya Kusuma Village, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta, Friday (19/2/2021). Some people relax their guard because of boredom in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic over the past year.

Supervisory teams

Yesterday, the Covid-19 Task Force deployed seven PPKM Mikro village assistance and supervisory teams to seven provinces in Java and Bali. The seven teams were sent to Bojongnangka in Tangerang regency, Banten, Krukut in West Jakarta district, Jakarta, Wangunharja in Bekasi regency, West Java, Karanggeneng in Boyolali, Central Java, Wirokerten in Bantul, Yogyakarta, Sidorukun in Gresik , East Java, and Padang Sambian Klod in Denpasar, Bali.

Deploying the seven teams aimed to reinforce village command posts and puskesmas (community health centers) in implementing the 3M (mask-wearing, handwashing and physical distancing) and the 3T health protocols, as well as quarantine zones.

In addition, the supervisory teams would analyze the Covid-19 situation in rural areas by applying local wisdoms. This was expected to produce a Covid-19 mitigation model that would fit each different region. In this way, the PPKM Mikro could be a model for provinces other than those in Java and Bali.

Public health problems could not be handled alone and required involving various parties.

"The supervisory teams will observe the management and implementation of the roles for each village head, babinsa, puskesmas, and tracing team. The government is responsible for the success of the 3T and the communities must look after 3M. Between these two things, vaccination will also be carried out in not only the cities, but also villages,” said Alex.

PPKM Mikro supervisory team coordinator Koesmedi Priharto said that the supervisory teams’ activities included assessing the extent to which each community had implemented the Covid-19 mitigation program. In addition, the teams would also map Covid-19 figures and community groups that had been exposed to the disease, as well as evaluate the village administrations’ Covid-19 mitigation efforts.

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Koesmedi emphasized that stronger empowerment of local communities was needed to mitigate Covid-19 in rural areas, particularly during the implementation of the PPKM Mikro policy. This was because public health problems could not be handled alone and required involving various parties.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Information billboards related to the obligation to wear masks are installed at one of the entrances to residential areas in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Friday (19/2/2021).

Vaccination for tourism sector

The vaccination program is proceeding for various recipient groups, including tourism and transportation officials through Sunday’s launch of the Grab Vaccine Center in Bali. Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno expressed hope during the program’s virtual launch that the vaccination program could be a step towards recovery step in the tourism and creative economy sectors.

Grab Indonesia president Ridzki Kramadibrata said that inoculating tourism and transportation workers must be done as quickly as possible to reduce the spread of Covid-19. The vaccines also had been administered through procedures that were safe, efficient, fast, and controlled.

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Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the second phase of the vaccination program would target at 26.1 million elderly recipients and 17.5 million public service and essential workers whose jobs required direct interactions with many people. The second vaccination phase, which was scheduled for completion by the end of June, thus needed support from various parties.

"Grab is the Health Ministry\'s first partner in carrying out the public vaccine drive. I hope Indonesia’s vaccination efforts can be built on partnerships like this. The more partners that participate, the greater the possibility of achieving herd immunity in order to protect the [greater public]," said Budi.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.