Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Almost Runs Out of Beds to Treat Covid-19 Patients | Vaccine is No Cure for Covid-19: Indonesian Minister | Indonesian Authorities in Bali Deport Russian over Motorcy

KOMPAS.com – Many residents have lodged their complaints about a shortage of beds to treat the Covid-19 patients across Indonesia.

A volunteer group, known as LaporCovid-19, said it received as many as 34 reports from the Covid-19 patients who were rejected by hospitals because they ran out of beds.

Its volunteer said that long queues could cause a delay in treatment and an increased risk of death.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said that the Covid-19 vaccine can’t cure coronavirus as it is not a medicine.

He suggested making the public understand that a mass inoculation program is to build a herd community.

Below are excerpts from the stories in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

1. Indonesia Almost Runs Out of Beds to Treat Covid-19 Patients

KOMPAS.com/MUHAMMAD NAUFAL An image of a hospital.

An Indonesian volunteer group, LaporCovid-19, called on the government to immediately resolve a critical shortage of isolation beds to treat the Covid-19 patients amid a surge of infections that shows no signs of slowing.

"As of January 21, we have received 34 reports from the Covid-19 patients who were rejected by hospitals because they ran out of beds," the LaporCovid-19 initiator, Irma Hidayana, told a virtual press conference on Monday, January 25.

"We have also been assisted by the Jakarta Provincial Health Agency in securing hospital beds [for the patients]," Irma added.

She said that her team has also asked the Ministry of Health four times to find a solution. However, the problem persists.

The availability of isolation beds in Greater Jakarta and other areas in the country shows a significant decrease as the number of daily Covid-19 cases doubled to over 10,000 after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

On January 16 alone, the number of Covid-19 cases reached more than 14,000 in a day.
“The number of overcrowded hospitals is increasing in January 2021. Moreover, people’s mobility tends to increase with the implementation of simultaneous regional head elections and the Christmas and New Year holidays throughout December 2020.”

Long queues could cause a delay in treatment and an increased risk of death, she said.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/25/201039174/indonesia-almost-runs-out-of-beds-to-treat-covid-19-patients.

2. Vaccine is No Cure for Covid-19: Indonesian Minister

KOMPAS.COM/ANDI HARTIK Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian delivers his speech during an event in Malang, East Java on August 7, 2020.

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said that the Covid-19 vaccine can’t cure coronavirus as it is not a medicine.

“It is necessary to make the public understand that vaccines are not cures,” said Tito on Monday, January 25 in Jakarta.

The minister said the main purpose of undergoing mass vaccination is to build herd immunity. This will only be effective in breaking the chain of transmission if at least two-thirds of the population have antibodies to fight against Covid-19, he said.

Tito said various steps are done by the government to contain the Covid-19 from spreading, including a mass inoculation program.

Besides, the government continues to implement partial lockdown or locally known as Enforced Restrictions of Community (PPKM) across the country, as well as its 4M movement comprising washing hands, wearing masks, keeping physical distancing, and staying away from crowds.

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/01/25/22120641/mendagri-vaksin-covid-19-bukan-obat.

3. Indonesian Authorities in Bali Deport Russian Over Motorcycle Stunt

Kompas.com/ Imam Rosidin Sergei Kosenko, a Russian tourist on his deportation from Bali, Sunday (24/1/2021)

Indonesian authorities in Bali have deported Russian national Sergei Kosenko on Sunday, January 24, more than a month after he gained notoriety among Indonesian netizens for plunging a motorcycle into a disused harbor on the resort island.

Kosenko’s deportation culminated a month-long search by police and immigration officials seeking the perpetrator of the motorcycle stunt.

However, the Russian national eased their task after he attracted the authorities’ attention with a number of high-profile infractions.

“[Kosenko] uploaded a photo on social media of himself attending a party at the Badung regency on January 11 which violated health protocols on social distancing or wearing masks,” said Jamaruli Manihuruk, the head of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Human Rights office in Bali.

“We were forced to take action, as he endangered others and violated a 2011 law on disturbing the peace.”

Jamaruli added that “Kosenko also violated the terms of his tourist visa by going into business in Bali. During his time here, he went into marketing [for a company] and promoted their products, and even acted as a company representative for another business, and even invited investors in Bali.”

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/25/192259874/indonesian-authorities-in-bali-deport-russian-over-motorcycle-stunt.