Gov’t Extends PPKM Outside Java, Bali to 3 Jan 2022

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, and Minister of Health Budi G. Sadikin deliver press statement after joining a limited meeting on the evaluation of public activity restrictions (PPKM), Monday (12/17). (Photo by: PR/ Rahmat)

In a bid to keep COVID-19 cases under control and to anticipate Christmas and New Year holidays as well as to prevent the spread of Omicron variant, the Government has decided to extend the period of public activity restrictions (PPKM) in regions outside the islands of Java and Bali to 3 January 2022.

The decision to implement PPKM from 24 December 2021 to 3 January 2022 is made based on the evaluation of the enforcement of PPKM throughout the country and in accordance with Instruction of Minister of Home Affairs Number 66 of 2021 on the Prevention and Handle of COVID-19 during Christmas and New Year Celebration.

“It (PPKM) will be extended from 24 December to 3 January, lasting 11 days in line with the period of Christmas and New Year holidays,” Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said in his press statement after joining a limited meeting led by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on the evaluation of PPKM, Monday (12/17).

As COVID-19 situation in the country continues to improve, the number of regions implementing PPKM Level 1 also increases from 159 regencies/municipalities to 191 regencies/municipalities. In addition, there is a decline in the number of regions implementing PPKM Level 2 and Level 3, from 193 to 169, and from 64 to 26, respectively. Meanwhile, the number of regions implementing PPKM Level 4 is maintained at zero.

On that occasion, Airlangga asserted that based on the last weekly evaluation on 27 provinces outside Java and Bali islands, no provinces fell into Level 3 and Level 4. As many as 18 provinces fell into Level 2 category with “moderate” or “limited” response criteria.

In the meantime, 9 provinces fell into Level 1 category with “adequate” response criteria are West Nusa Tenggara, North Sumatra, West Sulawesi, Lampung, South Kalimantan, North Maluku, Riau Islands, Gorontalo, and Aceh.

“There are 10 provinces with vaccination coverage in “adequate” level or 70 percent (of target population), such as West Nusa Tenggara, North Sumatra, Riau Islands, Gorontalo, East Kalimantan, Jambi, Central Kalimantan, Bangka Belitung, North Sulawesi, and North Kalimantan,” he said adding that 14 provinces fell into “moderate” level with vaccination coverage of 50-70 percent, and one province fell into “limited” level with vaccination coverage of less than 50 percent.

Daily COVID-19 confirmed cases in regions outside the islands of Java and Bali, he added, shows a declining trend with 57 cases in 19 December or 73 cases weekly (7-day moving-average). Active cases have also declined by 98.99 percent from its peak on 6 August. In addition, recovery rate is at 96.71 percent and mortality rate at 3.12 percent. (TGH/UN) (RAS/MMB)