Gov’t Extends Micro-Scale Activity Restrictions until 17 May 2021

Chairperson of COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee Airlangga Hartarto delivers a press statement after joining a limited meeting on the handling of COVID-19, on Monday (3/5), in Jakarta. (Photo by: PR/ Agung)

In a bid to curb COVID-19 cases, the Government has announced it will extend micro-scale public activity restrictions from 4 to 17 May 2021 in 30 provinces including regencies/municipalities in ten provinces with the highest new and active cases.

The regencies/municipalities are, among others; Bintan Regency and Batam City in Riau Islands Province; Bengkalis Regency, Kampar Regency, Dumai City, Pekanbaru City, Kuantan Singingi Regency, Rokan Hilir Regency, and Rokan Hulu Regency in Riau Province; Kepahiang Regency and Bengkulu City in Bengkulu Province; East Lampung Regency and North Lampung Regency in Lampung Province; Bangka Regency, West Bangka Regency, Central Bangka Regency, and Pangkalpinang City in Bangka Belitung Province; Sintang Regency in West Kalimantan Province; Agam Regency and Padang City in West Sumatra Province; Batanghari Regency in Jambi Province; the Regencies of Bandung, West Bandung, Bogor, Cianjur, Cirebon, Garut, Kuningan, Majalengka, and Sumedang as well as the Cities of Banjar, Cirebon, and Tasikmalaya in West Java Province, and Mataram City in West Nusa Tenggara Province.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, who also helms the COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee, said on Monday (3/5) that the restrictions will remain the same as previous period. He added that the implementation of micro-scale public activity restrictions during the past 10 days must be evaluated.

“There is no change in public activity restrictions. People at recreational areas, public spaces, and community areas are obliged to adhere to the health protocols and wear face mask,” he firmly said adding that the places may open with 50 percent capacity.

On that occasion, Airlangga confirmed that as of 2 May 2021, the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is lower than that of the global average. The daily cases decreased from 10,000 cases per day in January to 5,222 cases per day in April while the total active cases went down from 139,963 cases in January to 107,000 cases in April.

The positivity rate also dropped from 26 percent in January to 10.81 percent in May. In addition, the national average Bed Occupancy Ratio (BOR) at Intensive Care Units (ICU) and isolation wards reached 35 percent in May 2021 with no province having a ratio of 70 percent and above. (FID/UN) (RAS/MUR)