Gov’t Extends Micro-Scale Activity Restrictions Until 5 April 2021

Source: kemenkeu.go.id

In a bid to increase the effectiveness of the prevention and control of COVID-19 cases at the national level, the Government has decided to extend the enforcement of micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro) for two weeks, from 23 March to 5 April 2021.

“The Government will also expand PPKM Mikro to five provinces, namely South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Nusa Tenggara,” Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, who is also the Chairperson of COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (KPCPEN) Airlangga Hartarto said in a press statement on the extension of PPKM Mikro, which was aired on Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Youtube channel, Friday (19/3).

The addition of the five provinces is made following the analysis of COVID-19 parameters, including the percentage of active cases, recovery rate, mortality rate, and bed occupancy rate in the past month (15 February-18 March).

Previously, the Government has imposed PPKM Mikro in ten provinces, namely Jakarta Province, Banten Province, West Java Province, Central Java Province, Special Region of Yogyakarta Province, East Java Province, Bali Province, North Sumatra Province, South Sulawesi Province, and East Kalimantan Province, as well as five additional provinces. Thus, PPKM Mikro stage IV will be implemented in 15 provinces.

Regarding the regulation and restrictions on community activity, Airlangga said that the implementation of PPKM Mikro will remain the same as before, except for teaching and learning activities and cultural art activities.

“Teaching and learning activities can be carried out face-to-face for colleges which are opened gradually with pilot projects based on regional regulations and implementation of health protocols,” Airlangga said, adding that cultural art activities are allowed to operate with a maximum capacity of 25 percent by adhering to the implementation of health protocols.

On that occasion, Airlangga also said that the development of the COVID-19 case at the national level is improving.

As of 18 March, the country’s active case rate stood at 9.12 percent, higher than that of the global average at 17.23 percent. The recovery rate reached 88.16 percent, higher than that of the global rate at 80.56 percent. Meanwhile, the mortality rate was 2.71 percent, slightly higher than that of the global average at 2.21 percent.

Airlangga further said that the ten provinces that implement PPKM Mikro in the previous stage have managed to reduce the percentage of active cases.

“Regarding the recovery rate, we can see that the recovery rate has increased,” he said.

As of 17 March, the capacity of beds at Intensive Care Units (ICU) at referral hospitals in all provinces has shown a decrease in the use of isolation treatment during PPKM Mikro. All of these provinces have less than 70 percent of beds.

Furthermore, Airlangga said that the existence of regional posts was the key in implementing PPKM Mikro. The activities carried out have an impact on increasing community compliance in implementing health protocols.

“One of the keys to implementing PPKM Mikro lies in compliance with implementing health protocols, along with the implementation of activities at the PPKM Mikro regional post,” he added.

Out of 423 regions/cities,  as many as 115 regions/cities or 27.19 percent have a high level of compliance with face-masks wearing, which is in the range of 91 to 100 percent. Meanwhile, 17.97 percent or 76 regions/cities still stood at less than 60 percent.

“PPKM Mikro Post officers, including the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI)/ the National Police (Polri) and regional government officials, have joined hands to disseminate 3M health protocols (hands washing, masks wearing, and physical distancing), as well as supervise the enforcement of discipline (health protocol) and supervise people entering and leaving the region,” Airlangga said, adding that the spirit of mutual cooperation needs to be maintained and increased. (PR of Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs/UN) (RIF/LW)