New Year Without PPKM

Crowds and people's movements are no longer restricted. However, residents are still asked to be careful and alert because the government has not revoked the health emergency status in this country.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Residents' activities around the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, Central Jakarta, Friday (30/12/2022). The repeal of the rules for imposing restrictions on community activities still requires the community to implement health protocols.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government has decided to revoke the imposition of restrictions on community activities or PPKM. However, the health emergency status stipulated in Presidential Decree No. 11 of 2020 has not been revoked.

"Today the government has decided to revoke PPKM as stated in the Home Minister’s Instructions No. 50 and 51. of 2022. So, there are no more restrictions on crowds and people's movements," said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the State Palace, in Central Jakarta, on Friday afternoon (30/12/2022).

According to the head of state, PPKM was revoked after the government reviewed and took into account improvements related to COVID-19 control.

Accompanying the President on this occasion was Home Minister Tito Karnavian and Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

According to the President, the PPKM policy was withdrawn because Indonesia is one of the countries that has succeeded in controlling COVID-19.

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Indonesia can maintain economic stability with an “acceleration and brake pedals” policy that balances handling of health and the economy.

As of 27 December 2022, there were only 1.7 cases per 1 million population. The weekly positivity rate is 3.35 percent and the bed occupancy rate (BOR) is at 4.7 percent. However, the death rate is still 2.39 percent.

These indicators, according to the President, are below the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). All regencies/cities already have PPKM level 1 status, namely limiting crowds and movement of people at the lowest level.

In the last 10 months, Indonesia has also not experienced a surge in the number of cases, such as during the peak of the Delta variant in July 2021 and the peak of the Omicron variant in February 2022.

Indonesia can maintain economic stability with an “acceleration and brake pedals” policy that balances handling of health and the economy.

The population's immunity is considered quite high. The Sero survey in December 2021 showed the population's immunity was 87.8 percent, while in July 2022 it was 98.5 percent.

The number of vaccines injected exceeds 448.52 million doses. This number consists of 204 million first-dose vaccinations, 174 million second-dose vaccinations, 68 million third-dose vaccinations and 1.1 million fourth-dose vaccinations.

Even though the PPKM was revoked ahead of the New Year's celebration, which usually brings crowds, the President is not worried because the population's immunity is considered to be quite high. This policy was also taken after consulting with epidemiologists.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Dozens of children play at Bungkul Park two days before the new year, Surabaya City, East Java, Friday (12/30/2022). On that day the government officially stopped imposing restrictions on community activities.

Health emergency

On the other hand, the pandemic is not completely over. A pandemic is not per country, but worldwide.

"So the health emergency status is maintained following the public health emergency of international concern from the World Health Organization, WHO, not us," said the President.

Therefore, the President asked all people to remain vigilant and alert. Masks must be worn in closed spaces, public transportation and crowds.

Vaccination continues. The public is also asked to independently detect transmission through an antigen test or PCR test if they experience symptoms leading to COVID-19.

Provision of aids in the form of vitamins, medicines and social assistance provided during the pandemic will be continued in 2023.

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Home Minister Tito said PPKM was revoked through the Home Minister’s Instruction on Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 during the Transitional Period Toward Endemic, which was issued on Friday. Bylaws and regional head regulations that regulate restrictions on people's mobility and their sanctions are requested to be repealed.

The central government and regional administrations are still monitoring because the COVID-19 Task Force has not yet been disbanded. "If there is a significant spike in cases, PPKM can be reapplied," said Tito.

Health Minister Budi asked the public, especially the elderly, to take booster doses of vaccination. "[Because] it turned out that more than 50 percent of those who were admitted to the hospital and died had not been vaccinated and more than 70 percent had not gotten a booster vaccine," said Budi.

If you are in a crowd, including on public transportation, you still need to wear a mask as well as get vaccinated.

Spokesperson for the Health Ministry, Mohammad Syahril, said that the revocation of PPKM was meant to no longer limit community activities.

"So there is no need for WFH [work from home] and there is no need for restrictions [number of visitors] at malls. However, if you are in a crowd, including on public transportation, you still need to wear a mask as well as get vaccinated," he said.

Negative impact

Separately, Griffith University epidemiologist and health safety researcher, Dicky Budiman, assessed that the revocation of PPKM had more negative impacts from a health perspective. "Revocation [of PPKM] in the current context has more minuses than pluses," said Dicky.

He saw a big tendency to revoke PPKM. "I see it economically, politically. In terms of date, the figure is actually debatable, [because the data is presented] when test activity is decreased," said Dicky.

Head of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Immunization Section of the Jakarta Health Office Ngabila Salama said there were findings of seven cases of COVID-19 variant Omicron BF.7 in Jakarta. Five cases are residents of Jakarta and two more cases are residents outside Jakarta who previously received treatment in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the Puncak area, Bogor, in West Java, is predicted to be crowded with tourists on New Year's Eve. The government will implement a vehicle-free night policy to reduce crowds. (INA/WKM/TAN/ GIO/Z14/Z15)

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo.