By: Nofri Fahrozi)*
Although the national case has decreased, the government has chosen to implement the extension of the PPKM with a number of easing. The community also supports the PPKM extension policy which is expected to maintain the positive trend of overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government has resumed the implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) level 3-4 in Java-Bali to suppress the spread of the corona virus. The policy was extended for 14 days, from November 2 to 15, 2021. The decision was contained in the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs (Inmendagri) Number 57 of 2021 which was signed by Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian on November 1, 2021.
Even though it was extended, the government still made easing in a number of sectors during the PPKM period. The easing referred to is the same as in the previous PPKM period, such as opening children’s playgrounds in malls or shopping centers in level 2 areas, increasing cinema capacity to 70 percent, and allowing children under 12 years old to enter tourist attractions and cinemas.
Then, 25 percent of non-essential work from office (WFO) employees are permitted for level 3 regions and 50 percent for level 2 regions. Meanwhile, essential sector employees are allowed to WFO a maximum of 75 percent and 100 percent critical. In the education sector, schools are allowed to hold limited face-to-face learning with a maximum student capacity of 50 percent.
This easing was implemented because the government considered that the Covid-19 pandemic situation had shown a decline. In Jakarta, PPKM level 1 has now been implemented, where eating at warteg is now not limited by duration, while the capacity has been increased from 50% to 75%.
Relaxation is also given for restaurants and cafes with extended operating hours until 00.00. The rules that have not changed are the obligations of warteg, cafe and restaurant owners to conduct initial screening of visitors.
However, there are several areas on the island of Java that must implement PPKM level 3. This area is rated as level 3 which has 50-100/100,000 residents per week of Covid-19 cases.
We need to know that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated Indonesia as a country with a low Covid-19 transmission rate or level 1 as of Monday, October 25, 2021. This determination is of course an encouraging motivation. new for Indonesia to quickly be free from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Executive Director of the Institute for Health Development Studies and Consultations (LPK2PK) Dr. Ardiansyah Bahar said, “If PPKM is carried out properly, of course, daily cases of Covid-19 will decrease. The condition is that PPKM must be carried out properly. The government, community and private parties comply with applicable regulations.
Alexander Ginting as Head of the Health Handling Division of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas), said that PPKM is one of Indonesia’s model instruments in the context of tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
PPKM is believed to provide a number of benefits, namely it can reduce mobility, improve the performance of PPKM command posts at the village and sub-district level and establish stricter supervision of community behavior to implement the 3M health protocol (prokes) in order to cut off the transmission of the corona virus.
In addition, PPKM can encourage 3T (Testing, Tracing and Treatment), especially contact tracing can work continuously. Although confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been sloping, PPKM is considered capable of preventing a larger transmission. PPKM can also be used to control so that there are no spikes in the future.
PPKM has also had an impact on reducing the number of occupied isolation rooms for Covid-19 patients, in several places the PPKM policy for 2 volumes has been proven to be able to reduce BOR by up to 50%.
Of course the PPKM policy was taken after going through a study, even though easing has been given, it does not mean that we are trapped in euphoria so that we do not heed the health protocols.
The extension of the PPKM is one of our efforts to keep the transmission of Covid-19 suppressed, and of course as an anticipation step for the third wave.
We all certainly hope that everything returns to normal, compliance with health protocols is a fixed price in order to realize herd immunity so that the Covid-19 pandemic will soon be declared over and the economy can accelerate.
)* The author is a Contributor of the Pertiwi Institute, lives in Palembang
