Not Yet Effective, PPKM Darurat Needs to be Extended

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Police examine truck drivers who entered the Central Java-DI Yogyakarta border in Tempel District, Sleman, DIY, on  Wednesday (14/7/2021).

The continued spike in COVID-19 cases shows that the ongoing emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat) have yet to be effective. This calls for an extension with a systematic tightening of its surveillance.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — PPKM Darurat has been in place for almost two weeks but has not been effective in suppressing the rate of COVID-19 transmission. The number of confirmed positive cases continues to rise.

The COVID-19 task force reported on Wednesday (14/7/2021) that the number of positive cases had increased by 54,517 cases from the day before with 991 deaths — the highest figures since the first case was discovered in Indonesia last year in March.

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Indonesian Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI) chairman Ede Surya Darmawan said the implementation of emergency restrictions had to continue because the virus surge was still uncontainable.

“To this day, hospitals remain full. The emergency units are full, as are the ICUs [intensive care units]. The number of deaths has even reached the highest in the world. That means we have not been able to suppress new cases. PPKM Darurat has yet to give results, so it must be extended more strictly,” he said when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday.

An evaluation of the measures was urgent and needed to be done to find the underlying problem of their ineffectiveness, he added. The regional COVID-19 task forces are also urged to optimize their role, down to the village and neighborhood level.

"So, don\'t let these regulations only become talking points at the central level and not be implemented properly in the regions," Ede said.

Checkpoints

The Jakarta Police have expanded their surveillance by more than 25 checkpoints to contain further people’s mobility in the city and its surroundings. In total, 100 checkpoints are in place to restrict people’s movements, especially on major roads.

He explained that, during PPKM, vehicle mobility fluctuated and even showed an increase.

Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said the decision to expand surveillance was made after a joint evaluation meeting with the military and the city administration. He explained that, during PPKM, vehicle mobility fluctuated and even showed an increase.

"Please understand that what we are doing with the TNI and the provincial government is for the benefit of the community, namely to reduce the daily number of COVID-19 cases,” he said.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

The blocking point on some sections of Jalan Kramat Sentiong, Senen, Central Jakarta, was passed by motorized vehicles when there was no guard, on Sunday (4/7/2021) afternoon.

“This virus has a host in humans. If the host is still mobile, so is the virus. Research says that in order for the spread of the virus to drop, public mobility will have to drop by 50 percent. However, in Jakarta, the drop has not reached 50 percent yet," he said.

Ineffective implementation of PPKM Darurat was also observed in several regions.

“In Greater Bandung [West Java], more than 50 percent of the residents work for daily wages, such as casual laborers, traders and factory workers — different from civil servants and other monthly paid employees. If they don\'t go out, they don\'t get money and they don\'t eat,” said Sony Sulaksono, a transportation observer from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

Mobility in Bandung has decreased by 17 percent since the implementation of PPKM Darurat, as reported by Asep Kuswara, head of transportation control and order at the Bandung Transportation Agency.

In Surabaya, East Java, the decrease in public movement over the past two weeks has reached just 30 percent of the minimum target of 50 percent.

"For this reason, we have further increased restrictions on activities," said East Java Police spokesperson Comm. Gatot Repli Handoko.

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In Cirebon regency, West Java, the administration and regional legislative council (DPRD) passed a regional regulation on public order that supervises health protocols. Violators of health protocols are liable to fines of Rp 250,000 (US$17.24) to Rp 50 million.

Meanwhile, as part of deal the COVID-19 vaccination program, the Health Ministry has agreed to a cooperation with PT Pfizer Indonesia and BioNTech SE over the procurement of 50 million doses of a Pfizer vaccine named BNT 162b2 throughout 2021.

"The increase in the supply of 50 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine is expected to accelerate vaccinations," said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

TANGKAPAN LAYAR

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

Meanwhile, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Firli Bahuri warned of potential fraud (fraud) in the implementation of the private gotong-royong (mutual cooperation) vaccination program.

"I suggest strategic steps to address potential fraud if paid vaccinations are carried out in the community. I certainly don\'t have the capacity to make decisions. I want there to be no corruption,” Firli said. (TAN/ERK/RTG/BRO/ETA/TAM/IKI/BWO/NAD/REK/WKM)

(This article was translated by Musthofid).