The government has again raised the public activity restrictions to level 3 in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Greater Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Bali.
By
Kompas Team
·4 minutes read
Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta
Officers check a bed at the Lapangan Tembak Hospital in Kedung Cowek, Surabaya, East Java, Monday (7/2/2022). The Surabaya City Government has again prepared the Shooting Field Hospital to anticipate the surge in Covid-19 patients. The shooting range hospital has a capacity of 1,000 beds.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The public activity restrictions (PPKM) have again been imposed on major cities on Java amid a surge in cases of the Omicron strain of Covid-19. The policy is to be strictly implemented and observed by the public by following the health protocols as well as the vaccination program.
“We announce that for the agglomeration of Greater Jakarta [Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi], Yogyakarta, Bali and Greater Bandung, the status will be level 3,” said Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan after a limited meeting to discuss the enforcement of the public activity restrictions (PPKM) on Monday (7/2/2022).
The virtual meeting was presided over by President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.
According to Luhut, the PPKM level in the cities were raised as a result of the low rate of tracing of Covid-19 patients’ close contacts.
Several adjustments to the PPKM level 3 include that supermarkets, hypermarkets and malls can operate until 9 p.m. with visitor capacity limited to a maximum 60 percent. Entertainment areas and playgrounds can also be open with visitor capacity at a maximum 35 percent. Children may enter malls and playgrounds as long as they have vaccination certificates proving they have had their first dose.
Food stalls, snack kiosks, restaurants and cafes are allowed to open until 9 p.m., with visitors limited to a maximum capacity of 60 percent. Movie theaters can also operate. Houses of worship may accommodate up to 50 percent capacity. Public facilities and art and cultural activities may have a visitor capacity of a maximum 25 percent.
The President, added Luhut, had ordered that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as small traders be allowed to do business. However, all must maintain strict discipline in adhering to the health protocols and subscribing to the vaccination program.
Regarding the announcement on the reinstated PPKM level 3, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is still awaiting official instruction from the Home Minister. Bogor Mayor Bima Arya said that, on the basis of a coordination meeting on handling the Covid-19 pandemic in the agglomeration of Jabodetabek (Greater Jakarta), PPKM level 3 was now in effect due to tje spike in cases.
The continuing spread of infections needs strict control along with massive tracing.
Meanwhile, the municipal administration of Bekasi in West Java, is focusing on accelerating vaccination during this period of the PPKM level 3, especially for senior citizens.
Masdalina Pane, the professional development head at the Indonesian Epidemiology Association (PAEI), urged the proper implementation of relevant rules.
“The continuing spread of infections needs strict control along with massive tracing [efforts], as well as enforcing compliance with the health protocols,” she said.
ISTIMEWA/KEMENKO MARVES
Screenshot from the broadcast of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan giving a press statement regarding the evaluation of the Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM), Monday (7/2/2022)..
Don’t panic
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the current number of new daily cases in Jakarta, Banten and Bali had exceeded figures during the peak of the Delta wave in the middle of last year. He called on the public not to panic over the situation. He added that patient hospitalization had reached 30-50 percent.
“The public should understand that the total number of cases will rise [to higher figures],” Budi added.
Therefore, health protocol compliance should be tightened. Wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing should be followed in a disciplined manner.
Luhut revealed that the President had ordered the Indonesian Military commander, the National Police chief, the State Intelligence Agency chief and the National Population and Family Planning Agency head to deploy measures in the field. Hospital staff and services, including healthcare workers and Covid-19 medicines, should be maximized to the same levels as during the Delta-driven second wave.
Only patients with severe symptoms or in critical condition should visit hospitals. Asymptomatic patients and patients with mild symptoms are advised to self-isolate if they have space at home that meet the necessary requirements, or stay in centralized isolation facilities.
Telemedicine was also expanded. “Starting this week, it [telemedicine] is being expanded to reach Greater Bandung, Greater Solo, Yogyakarta, Greater Malang and Greater Denpasar,” said Budi.
Stay vigilant
PAEI’s Masdalina said that although the government described the Omicron variant as having none to mild symptoms, the fatality rate was continuing to increase. This was occurring alongside the continuing increase in the number of confirmed cases.
Epidemiologist Iwan Ariawan of the University of Indonesia Public Health Faculty suggested that the transmission rate of Covid-19 in Indonesia was becoming less controllable. This was indicated by the effective reproduction number (Rt) of above 1, or the average number of people that one case of Covid-19 can go on to infect over a certain period while they are infectious.
