Gov’t Includes Vaccination Rate in Determining PPKM Level

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Health during a virtual press conference on Monday (09/13). Source: YouTube Channel of Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

The Government continues to prepare for the transition from COVID-19 pandemic to COVID-19 endemic by speeding up vaccination across the country.

“As part of the transition processes to live with COVID-19, we have decided to include indicators of vaccination rate in the evaluation of activity restrictions (PPKM) levels in the islands of Java and Bali,” Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said on Monday (09/13).

Luhut said that to lower the PPKM level from level 3 to level 2, the first dose vaccination rate in the area must reach 50 percent and the vaccination rate for the elderly must reach 40 percent. To lower the PPKM level from level 2 to Level 1, the first dose vaccination rate must reach 70 percent and the vaccination rate for the elderly must reach 60 percent.

“Regions that currently implement level 2 PPKM have two weeks to achieve the aforementioned target. If the target is not achieved, the status will be changed to level 3,” he said.

The Coordinating Minister said that achieving the vaccination target is very important because vaccination has been proven to reduce risk of severity and death for COVID-19 patients, especially the elderly.

Luhut added that vaccination became an additional indicator in the PPKM evaluation , since there were vaccine stocks that had not been used.

“Data from Ministry of Health shows that there are 41 million doses of vaccine in provinces and regencies/cities that have not been used while the public’s demand for vaccination is very high,” Luhut said.

Luhut went on to say that the Government also continues to improve testing, tracing, and treatment measures, improve centralized isolation facilities and improve implementation of health protocols (wearing face masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands) supported by the implementation of screening using the PeduliLindungi application.

“If vaccination rate is still low, we will continue the implementation of activity restrictions policy (PPKM),” Luhut stated. (DND/UN) (RI/LW)