Gov’t to Extend PPKM Implementation in 7 Provinces

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto in his press conference, Jakarta, Thursday (21/01). (Photo by: PR/Rahmat).

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday (21/1) has ordered to continue the implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) for the next two weeks from 26 January to 8 February 2021.

This statement was made by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto after attending the Limited Cabinet Meeting led by President Jokowi in Jakarta.

Airlangga said the PPKM initially had been implemented in seven provinces in Java and Bali, namely DKI Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, DI Yogyakarta, East Java, and Bali or specifically in 73 regencies/cities in these provinces.

“Of the seven provinces, the positive cases are still increasing in five provinces and declining in two provinces namely Banten and Yogyakarta,” Airlangga added.

Furthermore, the monitoring results of PPKM implementation in 73 regencies/cities indicated that 29 regencies/cities are still in the high-risk zone, 41 regencies/cities are in the medium-risk zone, while 3 other regencies/cities are in the low-risk zone.

In more detail, the weekly cases in 52 regencies/cities increased and they declined in 21 other regencies/cities. Moreover, 46 regencies/cities experienced an increase in their active cases, while the active cases declined in 24 regencies/cities, and and they were constant rate in 3 regencies/cities.

The number of death rate has increased in 44 regencies/cities and declined in 29 regencies/cities. About the number of recovery rate, the rate has increased in 34 regencies/cities, declined in 33 regencies/cities, and it remains stable in other 6 regencies/cities.

The President’s instruction, Airlangga continued, will be followed up by the issuance of Minister of Home Affairs Instruction related to the extension of the PPKM.

He also urged the regional government on provincial level to perform evaluations based on the parameters that have been set (active case rate above the national level, death rate above the national level, cure rate below the national level, and ICU and isolation rooms Bed Occupancy Rate  (BOR) d above 70 percent).

The PPKM extension on the next two weeks will have slight difference on opening hours of malls and restaurants which initially must be closed at 7pm local time. “We changed the closing hours to 8pm because there are some areas that had a bit flat (curve),” he added.

The following are the details of the regulations:

1. Limiting attendance in workplace /office by implementing Work From Home (WFH) composition by 75 percent, by imposing more stringent health protocols;
2. Implementing online teaching and learning activities ;
3. the essential sectors related to the basic needs for the public can still operate 100 percent by regulating operating hours and attendance capacities and implementing more stringent health protocols;
4. set the restriction application on:
   – restaurant activities (dine in) by 25 percent and food service via takeaways is still permissible in accordance with the operating hours of the restaurant; and
   – limitation of operating hours for shopping centers/malls up to 20:00 Western Indonesian Time;
5. allow construction activities to operate 100 percent with more stringent application of health protocols;
6. activities in places of worship can still be carried out with a 50 percent capacity limit and more stringent implementation of health protocols;
7. activities in public facilities and socio-cultural activities are temporarily suspended; and
8. the operational hours and seating capacity for public transportation must be regulated.

“Each local government must regulate their public transportation,” Airlangga said. (TGH/UN) (GWH/LW)