Covid-19 Restrictions Extended by Another Week in Java, Bali

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Covid-19 restrictions on public activities in Java and Bali has been further extended by another one week until September 6 but the government started to gradually reopening the country’s economy amid a decline in coronavirus cases.

In a televised message on Monday, August 30, President Joko Widodo said that the Covid-19 level 2 to level 4 restrictions in some areas will come into effect from August 31 to September 6 in the fight against the coronavirus.

“In the past week, there has been a trend of improving as the Covid-19 positivity rate continues to decline. The occupancy rate of hospitals is under control following a decline in the bed occupancy rate of about 27 percent,” said the President who is popularly known as Jokowi.

Also read: Indonesia to Start Enforcing Emergency PPKM in Java and Bali

“The government has decided to lower the Covid-19 alert level for Greater Malang [East Java] and Greater Solo [Central Java] from level 4 to level 3,” he said.
Other areas under the Covid-19 level 3 restrictions also include Greater Jakarta, Greater Bandung, and Greater Surabaya.

The relaxations will allow schools to begin in-person learning with a limited number of students, shopping malls to resume operations, and places of worship to offer in-person services.

“Overall in Java-Bali, the number of areas in the Covid-19 level 4 restrictions has been reduced from 51 to 25 regencies and cities.”

Also read: Indonesia’s Covid-19 Alert Level Lowered in Some Areas, Restrictions Extended to Aug. 30

The Covid-19 level 2 to level 4 restrictions on public activities (PPKM), which was previously known as the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), has been changed several times, especially in its restrictions related to activity and people’s mobility.

A stricter policy was implemented when Jokowi announced the emergency Covid-19 measures (PPKM darurat) which took effect from July 3-20 this year following a surge in Covid-19 cases. At that time, the increasing number of new confirmed cases was not supported by the improvement of health facilities or hospitals, which then led to a high death rate.

(Writer: Fitria Chusna Farisa | Editor: Rakhmat Nur Hakim)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/08/30/19155771/ppkm-level-2-4-jawa-bali-diperpanjang-7-hari-31-agustus-6-september.