Activities Restrictions in Java-Bali Continued Until November 29: More Areas Downgraded to Level 1

Indonesian government has resumed its policy of implementing Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Java and Bali for the next two weeks, until November 29, 2021. 

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, revealed that there are five additional regencies/cities in Java-Bali whose level is downgraded to 1, which brings to 26 regency/cities in total. Furthermore, ten additional regencies/cities are included in level 2, or 61 regencies/cities in total. 

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President Jokowi leads the Meeting on PPKM Evaluation, Monday (15/11/2021), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. (Photo: Cabinet Secretariat/Agung)

"In the assessment that will take effect for the next two weeks, there are additional regencies/cities that are included in level 2, as many as 10 regencies/cities and level 1 as many as 5 regencies/cities. So that the total number of regencies/cities included in Level 1 becomes 26 regencies/cities, Level 2 becomes 61 regencies/cities, and Level 3 becomes 41 regencies/cities. The details of this decision will be re-written in the Instruction of Ministry of Home Affairs," said Luhut, in a press statement, Monday (15/11/2021). 

Although level 1 and 2 areas continue to expand, Luhut reminds the public to be mutually cautious in dealing with the pandemic given that there are indications of an increase in the effective reproductive rate (Rt) in Java-Bali in the past week. 

The increasing trend can also be seen from several regencies/cities in Java-Bali which are starting to experience an increase in weekly cases and treatments.

As many as 29% of total regencies/cities in Java-Bali experienced an increasing incidences compared to last week. Furthermore, 34% of regencies/cities in Java-Bali experienced an increase in term of people being treated compared to last week.

“Care must be exercised especially for dealing with Nataru (Christmas and New Year). Currently, the Google Mobility indicator which monitors the movement of people in Java-Bali shows a significant increase, above the Nataru period last year, and is approaching the position of the Eid al-Fitr period in May-June 2021," he said. 

In addition, Luhut also asked the entire community to remain careful considering that there are still regencies/cities in Java-Bali where the first dose of vaccination for the elderly is still below 50 percent.

"In more detail, there are still 16 regencies/cities in Java-Bali with general vaccination coverage and the first dose for elderly people is still below 50 percent," he explained.

"Therefore, in welcoming Nataru which will come soon, the government will coordinate to tighten the use of the PeduliLindung application and health protocol, mainly in crowds," he said. 

Not only that, Luhut added, the government will also continue to strengthen testing and tracing activities, which will be conducted by the TNI (Indonesian Armed Forces)/Polri (Indonesian Police), in order to find active cases. 

Indonesian government will also prohibit New Year's celebrations that can cause large crowds of people. In addition, the government is also preparing various scenarios to anticipate the potential increase in cases due to Christmas and New Year holidays.

Luhut assessed that success in containing the increase in COVID-19 cases in the 2021 Nataru period will determine the sustainability of Indonesia's economic recovery going forward. 

Outside Java-Bali 

Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto stated that the reproduction rate (Rt), for area outside of Java-Bali as of November 14, is already below 1. Kalimantan is 0.98, Sumatra is 0.96, Maluku is at 1, Papua is 0.98, Nusa Tenggara is 0.98, and Sulawesi is 0.95.

Airlangga further explained that based on the weekly assessment of the COVID-19 situation, there are no longer provinces outside of Java-Bali with restriction level 3 or 4. A total of 25 provinces are at level 2 and 2 provinces are at level 1 restriction.

Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) for area outside of Java and Bali will continue as planned until November 22, 2021.