By: Siti Istiqamah )*
Extending the Implementation of Restrictions on Community Activities ( PPKM ) and Vaccination are considered successful in reducing Corona cases . Although there has been a decrease in active cases of Covid-19 due to PPKM and Vaccination, the public is also advised to always obey the Prokes because the Corona virus pandemic is still ongoing .
Minister Koor d inator field of maritime and Investment Luhut B Pandjaitan finally decided that PPKM re-extended. Public already guessed that this program is still passed on until the 20th S eptember 2021. As in the previous period (since J uli), PPKM indeed be extended.
Why is PPKM constantly being extended and don’t know when it will be finished? The reason is because the government wants there to be strict control of the pandemic and suppress the number of Corona patients. The evaluation is carried out weekly and if the results are not considered satisfactory, then the PPKM is decided to be extended.
Indeed PPKM is a special program that was initiated in J uly 2021, and up to 2 months later still enforced. However, we must not complain about the extension, because there are many positive results from this program. First, the number of areas affected by PPKM level 4 dropped drastically to only 3, namely in Brebes, Cirebon, and Purwakarta.
In the previous week, there were 11 regions in Java-Bali that were included in PPKM level 4. Even at the beginning of PPKM in July 2021, almost all areas in Java-Bali were included in the red category, aka the number of Covid patients boomed. This development is certainly very positive because it shows the efficacy of PPKM in controlling Corona in Indonesia.
Second, the number of Corona patients in Indonesia has also fallen drastically. According to data from the task force team handling Covid, on 14 J uly 2021 Covid number of patients across the country has reached more than 54,000 people. However, on 14 S eptember 2021, the number has dropped to “only” 4,000 patients alias stayed less than 10% of the initial amount.
The decline in the number of Corona patients is certainly a relief because there is hope to get out of the pandemic phase as soon as possible. The reason is because if many are healthy, then we can improve the country’s economy so that it does not sway and fall into a recession or economic crisis volume 2. Hopefully the number of Covid patients can be reduced to 0%.
In addition to PPKM, the government is also intensifying vaccinations to control Corona in Indonesia. This program is free and the vaccine has MUI halal status and has passed the BPOM test, so there is no reason to refuse it. By being injected with the vaccine, we have a good immune system so we are safe from the Covid-19 virus.
The national vaccination target is to be completed in 12 months and there are 3 million injections per day (all over Indonesia). To speed up the completion of vaccination, mass injections are carried out so that more people have been injected. This program usually cooperates with the apparatus so that it takes place with more discipline because the regulations are more stringent.
The more people who have been vaccinated, the sooner we will get herd immunity, so the government has accelerated vaccination. The target is that by 2022 100% of Indonesian citizens have received vaccine injections so that Indonesia can be free from Corona. People also want to be vaccinated because vaccine cards are currently a requirement everywhere, before taking mass transportation, before entering the mall, etc.
PPKM continues to be extended to control the Corona pandemic and reduce the number of patients, if possible to 0%. The reason is because when people’s mobility is limited when this program is implemented, the virus will not spread everywhere. The national vaccination program is also boosted so that it can be completed quickly and form a herd community.
)* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students