Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan Urges Use of App-Based Corona Meter

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Jakarta is taking its war against Covid-19 up a notch with its app-based Corona Likelihood Meter (CLM) that Governor Anies Baswedan wants residents of the capital to download so the government can boost its capability to halt the spread of the virus.

The governor encouraged Jakartans to use the CLM option that is based in the Jakarta Smart City application in iOS App Store or Google Play Store. The app-based meter is designed to monitor Covid-19 cases in the capital.

“CLM is designed to give proper medical care [for suspected Covid-19 cases], and determine who urgently needs PCR tests,” Anies said.

“[The application] will replace the exit and entry permits [SIKM] issued by the Jakarta provincial administration to intercity travelers. I hope that 70-80 percent of Jakartans will download the CLM so we can monitor the number of cases and be more able to control them.”

Anies added that he will urge people from out of town entering Jakarta to take the CLM test.

Anies is also pushing local district chiefs to encourage their residents to download the CLM application. He said the number of people they can persuade to use CLM will be used for their Key Performance Indicators.

The CLM option uses machine learning technology to determine if the user can take part in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test.

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Aside from the user’s honest answers, other factors that will be considered are whether the user is an individual or patient under observation or a patient under observation.

The CLM option can also refer the user to the nearest medical centers to get PCR tests, or treatment if they show coronavirus symptoms.

The drive to use CLM comes after reports that Jakarta’s Covid-19 positivity rate exceeded the safe limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Covid-19 positivity rates in Jakarta has stood at 5.5 percent over the past week from July 13-19,” said Jakarta health official Fify Mulyani. Positivity rate refers to the number of people who test positive in relation to the total number of people tested.

TribunJakarta.com/Muhammad Rizki Hidayat Authorities disinfect Jakartas Hotel Indonesia roundabout on Sunday, 22 March 2020

“This [rate] exceeded the WHO’s acceptable Covid-19 positivity rates of 5 percent or less. But we carried out 3,554 PCR tests for every 1 million inhabitants, more than the WHO’s recommended rate of 1,000 for every 1 million people.”

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Fify called on the public to comply with current health protocols such as wearing masks, washing hands with soap and hand sanitizers, and keeping social distances.