Regions Must Meet Requirements Immediately

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

A worker in protective gear prepares to disinfect vehicles on Sunday (5/4/2020) in Samporo, Kuningan regency, West Java. Kuningan has set up five border checkpoints for disinfecting arriving vehicles and scanning the temperatures of both residents and visitors to help curb the importation of Covid-19, especially by new arrivals from Greater Jakarta, the epicenter of the outbreak in Indonesia.

Regions must meet requirements to apply for large-scale social restriction (PSBB). The health minister will declare the status within two days of proposals being submitted.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — All regional heads are required to meet the requirements to apply for large-scale social restriction (PSBB) status immediately to accelerate COVID-19 pandemic mitigation efforts.

The Health Ministry’s secretary-general, Oscar Primadi, said in Jakarta on Sunday (5/4/2020) that regional heads must submit supporting data to apply for PSBB status with the Health Ministry. This includes case growth data, epidemiology curve, case distribution map and data of local transmission based on the results of an epidemiologic investigation.

These requirements are in line with Health Ministry’s Regulation (PMK) No. 9/2020 on PSBB guideline and COVID-19 mitigation acceleration.

Regional heads applying for PSBB status must also inform the ministry of their regions’ preparedness in fulfilling locals’ basic living needs, health infrastructure and the operationalization of social and security networks. These requirements are in line with Health Ministry’s Regulation (PMK) No. 9/2020 on PSBB guideline and COVID-19 mitigation acceleration.

“Before the PMK was issued, the administrations of Jakarta and Fakfak [regency in West Papua] had submitted PSBB status request. However, the [supporting] data they submitted was incomplete,” Oscar said.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Workers cart supplies to ready a Covid-19 quarantine facility at Griya Anabatic on Sunday (5/4/2020) in Bojong Nangka village, Kelapa Dua district, Tangerang regency, Banten. The Griya Anabatic temporary facility is to quarantine Covid-19 patients without symptoms or with only mild symptoms, as the isolation wards at hospitals in Tangerang are all full. Griya Anabatic is owned by a subsidiary of PT Anabatic Technologies and used to accommodate participants of corporate teambuilding and training programs.

The regulation also stipulates that the country’s COVID-19 rapid response task force chief Doni Monardo may also file proposals for regions’ PSBB status. However, Doni said that he had yet to do so for any region.Oscar continued that the health minister would grant PSBB status within two days after a request is received either, from the regional head or task force chief. “We will try to be responsive to proposals with consideration of speed. The PSBB policy is taken to curb the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

In the current emergency condition, speedy moves are needed and bureaucracy must not be an obstacle.

University of Indonesia public health faculty epidemiologist Pandu Riono criticized the PSBB guideline as too convoluted and hampering COVID-19 mitigation efforts. In the current emergency condition, speedy moves are needed and bureaucracy must not be an obstacle.

A number of regions have considered applying for PSBB status with the Health Minister. Meanwhile, The East Java COVID-19 mitigation task force’s tracing division head, Kohar Hari Santoso, said 21 COVID-19 clusters had been identified in the province.

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

A banner diverts motorists from the main street in front of the Linggarjati Treaty building on Sunday (5/4/2020) in Linggarjati village of Cilimus district, Kuningan regency, West Java. Indonesia’s Covid-19 outbreak has affected tourism in Kuningan.

Sidoarjo regency secretary Ahmad Zaini said the region had yet to impose PSBB, considering the region’s limited financial capacity to support locals and the fact that Sidoarjo was an industrial hub in East Java. Locals’ awareness of social distancing remains low despite persistent patrols.

In Central Kalimantan, several oil palm plantation companies remain in operation with tighter entry access. Central Kalimantan Palm Oil Business Association executive secretary Halind Ardi said palm oil businesspeople adhered to the government’s health protocols.

Use masks

The government’s spokesperson for COVID-19 matters Achmad Yurianto said that 181 new positive cases were found on 5 April 2020, bringing the total number of positive cases nationwide to 2,273 with 164 fatalities. This increase indicates asymptomatic transmission and that people are not adhering to social distancing rules.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Visitors maintain physical distance in a queue at a supermarket on Sunday (5/4/2020) in Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta. The supermarket management is restricting the number of shoppers by installing a “take a number” system and permitting a maximum of one customer per family to enter the store to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Therefore, mask use is now mandatory, especially when outside. This is in line with the latest World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that using masks is effective to curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The virus is known to spread through droplets when a person with the disease coughs or sneezes.

“As of 5 April, we have conducted tests [using the polymerase chain reaction method] on 9,712 people. The tests are important to establish COVID-19 diagnosis,” Yurianto said. On the procurement of PCR test kits, Indonesia has received 50,000 additional kits from South Korea-based LG Group.

This has disrupted medical service at hospitals. The government is urged to prioritize mass testing for COVID-19.

Slow COVID-19 testing has resulted in numerous patients under surveillance (PDP) dying before their test results are known. This has disrupted medical service at hospitals. The government is urged to prioritize mass testing for COVID-19.

“People are dying not only because COVID-19 is vicious but also due to delayed treatment. Many PDP die before they know their test results,” pulmonologist Eva Sri Diana said. Test results are known within one week at the soonest, leading to overwhelmed isolation rooms.North Sumatra health agency head Alwi Mujahit Hasibuan said that PCR test results will be known within 10 days. (TAN/AIK/IKI/IDO/BRO/RTG/AIN/NIK)

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A man in a cloth mask walks past a graffiti beneath the Becakayu toll road on Sunday (5/4/2020) in Kalimalang, East Jakarta. The Jakarta administration has issued Gubernatorial Appeal No. 9/2020 on the Use of Masks to Prevent Coronavirus (Covid-19) Transmission to urge the public to wear masks, including cloth masks, when venturing outside.