Privilege or special treatment for those who have been vaccinated is not necessarily a new policy in the country as so far, a vaccination certificate is also a requirement for those who wish to travel.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Level 4 public activity restrictions (PPKM) have been extended in a number of regions. The restrictions, however, may not apply to people who have been vaccinated.
The extension of level 4 public activity restrictions (PPKM) was announced on Monday (2/8/2021) by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. The Jakarta administration, which was previously included among the regions subject to PPKM level 4, is ready to accept the central government’s policy by, among other things, preparing a policy to open public activities with a prerequisite that they must first be vaccinated. (Kompas 2/8/2021)
Jakarta, according to Home Ministerial Instruction No. 27/2021 issued on 2 August 2021, remains subject to level 4 restrictions until 9 August. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan emphasized that the requirement to be vaccinated was chosen because, according to data from the Jakarta administration, the risk of fatality and severe symptoms was lower in those who had been vaccinated. Vaccination is a requirement in Jakarta for those who want to reopen their businesses.
Although businesses are allowed to reopen according to their respective restrictions level, there is an additional requirement for Jakarta, namely that the manager of the business must be vaccinated. In fact, visitors may also have to show proof that they have been vaccinated. Residents who have not been vaccinated or cannot be vaccinated due to health reasons, or have just recovered from Covid-19, can enjoy this privilege by simply bringing a written statement from their doctor.
With the intensified vaccination drive, the Jakarta administration is optimistic that in the next two weeks, 10 million people in Jakarta will already be vaccinated. Data from the Health Ministry as of 2 August show that of the vaccination target of 8.395 million in the capital, more than 7.69 million (91.6 percent) have received their first jab, while 2.769 million (32.98 percent) have been fully vaccinated. At the national level, only 87.847 million people (22.97 percent) have received their first jab, while 21.071 million people (10.12 percent) have received their complete second jab.
Privilege or special treatment for those who have been vaccinated is not necessarily a new policy in the country as so far, a vaccination certificate is also a requirement for those who wish to travel. Some areas also provide privileges for residents who have been vaccinated. In Tegal, Central Java, for example, a vaccination certificate is required for people who want to leave their house. Vaccination certificates can also be used as a substitute for worker registration certificates (STRP) for residents who want to travel out of town by train.
The steps taken by the Jakarta and other regional administrations that provide privileges for residents who have been vaccinated deserve appreciation, as an effort to curb the surge of Covid-19. Moreover, a number of countries, such as Italy, Kuwait, Germany, Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates, also provide flexibility to people who have been vaccinated.