Data from the COVID-19 mitigation task force shows that at the beginning of the restrictions on July 3, there were 27,913 positive cases per day. However, by July 20, there were still 38,325 new positive cases per day.
By
Kompas Team
·3 minutes read
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Joint officers directed motorists to turn back during the implementation of the emergency Community Activity Blocking (PPKM) at the entrance to the West Bekasi Toll Road, Bekasi, West Java, on Friday (16/7/2021).
The decision to extend the emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat) for the next five days has triggered new questions. Could such a short period reduce the high transmission rate?
Emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat) were originally slated to end on July 20. But after almost three weeks, the transmission rate was still very high.
Data from the COVID-19 mitigation task force shows that at the beginning of the restrictions on July 3, there were 27,913 positive cases per day. However, by July 20, there were still 38,325 new positive cases per day. This means that the emergency PPKM Darurat efforts have not shown significant results.
Regarding the positivity rate, the situation is even more worrying. The positivity rate is the ratio of cases of COVID-19 to the number of people tested. The positivity rate in the country is above 30 percent, which means that out of every 100 people tested, more than 30 are positive for COVID-19.
This figure must be taken seriously because it is much higher than in neighboring countries. Malaysia’s is 8.5 percent, and the Philippines’ is 11 percent. In Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos the figures are only around 2 to 3 percent. Amid the highest contagion in India, the positivity rate has never been more than 20 percent. With strict activity restrictions, the positivity rate in the country has now fallen to 2.3 percent.
KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN
A warning is required to wear a mask installed in the Naikoten Inpres Market complex, Kupang City, NTT, on Wednesday (21/7/2021).
So the question is: Is it possible that the addition of five days of restrictions can reduce the country’s transmission rate?
By looking at the previous PPKM Darurat experience, it is difficult not to say this extension is mission impossible. Eighteen days of restrictions did not cause cases to go down, let alone five days.
However, like it or not, the decision has been made. We can argue for a long time about why this policy was chosen, but of course it will not solve the problem. We only have one choice. Survive.
Let us have compassion for the overwhelmed health workers and hospitals, as well as the ambulance drivers and gravediggers who are not getting enough rest.
So the best choice – even though it is bitter – is to go through this extension of restrictions together. The most basic thing to do is reduce activity. Do not be selfish, do not leave the house if you do not need to. Let us have compassion for the overwhelmed health workers and hospitals, as well as the ambulance drivers and gravediggers who are not getting enough rest.
On the other hand, the government must carry out its duties properly: enforce the rules and apply sanctions to those who violate them. In addition to overcoming the limitations of health services and accelerating vaccination, the government is obliged to carry out as many tests as possible. Only in this way will those who are infected be traced and the chain of transmission be broken.
Judging by the positivity rate, conducting more tests would probably increase cases tremendously. What can we do about it? It will go up for a while and stop after that. This is the only way to go if we are determined to make the most of these five extra days.
/https%3A%2F%2Fkompas.id%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F07%2Fd42d719e-0b25-41cc-9184-1b96dc95b682_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
