PSBB Easing Merely a Plan

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

A minivan carries a full load of passengers on Monday (18/5/2020) in Sukaasih, Tangerang municipality, Banten. The large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) implemented in Greater Tangerang (Tangerang regency, Tangerang municipality and South Tangerang municipality) has been extended for another 14 days from 18 May 18 to 31 May 2020.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reaffirmed that the government has yet to ease large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). PSBB easing must be done carefully to prevent any surge of Covid-19 cases.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — President Jokowi said strict PSBB remained in place. Scenarios to ease PSBB will only be implemented when cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, have dropped significantly and continuously.

“There has yet to be any PSBB easing. The public should not misunderstand that the government seeks to ease PSBB. There is no policy to ease PSBB,” the President said in a limited meeting on Covid-19 mitigation at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday (18/5/2020).

“We have only prepared a plan or scenario for easing to be implemented at the right time after seeing data and facts. We have to be careful and not make the wrong decision,” the President said.

Also read: The Dynamics of Policy Response to Covid-19

In the upcoming two weeks, the government will still be focused on implementing the Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) ban and controlling the return flow. The President ordered the National Police chief and the Indonesian Military commander to ensure that the ban was effectively carried out. “Please remember that it is mudik that we ban. Transportation services for supply distribution, government affairs, supporting healthcare, repatriating migrant workers and supporting essential economic [sectors] must be available with strict health protocols,” the President said.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Motorists and motorcyclists fill Jl. Ciledug Raya heading from Tangerang to Jakarta on Monday (18/5/2020) in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta. While the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) for Greater Jakarta that ends on 22 May 2020 is likely to be extended for another 14-day period, public activity has been on the rise in the days leading up to Idul Fitri, and could eliminate any gains made from the PSBB towards breaking the chain of transmission in the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia.

Communities

The President reiterated the important role communities had in Covid-19 mitigation efforts. Therefore, relevant ministers must request all regional heads to boost Covid-19 task forces at the levels of neighborhood units, community units and villages. “There lies the key,” the President said.

Regarding the transition period into the new normal, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that the government would prepare a plan. “We are preparing a scoring mechanism based on epidemiological calculation and regions’ preparedness with regards to their health capacity and latest developments in tackling the disease,” he said.

There will be new standards in holding activities.

Furthermore, the government will observe preparations in all sectors, locals’ discipline in adhering to PSBB policy and public response on the latest conditions in preparing the study to resume activities under the new normal. “There will be new standards in holding activities,” Airlangga said.

Also read: Anticipating New COVID-19 Epicenters

Meanwhile, the State Owned Enterprises Ministry said that SOE employees under 45 years old resuming office work by 25 May 2020 was still merely a study. The new-normal scenario was still awaiting policies by the central and regional governments. The ministry’s deputy of human resources, technology and information Alex Denni said that SOEs would be asked to set examples in resuming work activities under the new normal. SOE Minister Erick Thohir has sent a letter on anticipating the new-normal scenario to all SOE president directors. The five-phase plan to resume work activities is still just a plan.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that no decision had been made to either extend PSBB or ease it with certain requirements after 22 May 2020, the end date of the capital’s second PSBB period. The Jakarta administration is still awaiting results of the evaluation meeting with a team of epidemiologists regarding the PSBB.

The West Sumatra administration also has no plan in place to ease PSBB in 19 local regencies and cities. The administration is still waiting for directions from the central government on PSBB easing. West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno said that there was no plan to ease the province’s second PSBB period, in place on 6-29 May 2020.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Shoppers crowd Jatinegara Market in East Jakarta on Monday (18/5/2020) in the week leading up to Lebaran, despite the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in Greater Jakarta, the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia. Idul Fitri is expected to start on either 23 or 24 May, depending on the sighting of the new moon.

Lower adherence

Locals show lower adherence to health protocols in the fourth week of PSBB in Surabaya, Gresik and Sidoarjo in East Java. This was reflected in the East Java Police’s data of punishment given for PSBB violations in Greater Surabaya.

“I have received reports from colleagues in several regions that locals are beginning to ignore PSBB rules. This can lead to many new cases while medical workers have been mentally drained,” Indonesian General Practitioners Association chairman Abraham Andi Padlan Patarai said.

Also read: Regions May Impose Sanctions

There are concerns that conflicting government policies, including on the reopening of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, will exacerbate Covid-19 spread in regions with limited healthcare capacity. Such policies have led to public confusion and people ignoring PSBB rules.

Apart from the country being able to take the epidemic under control, its public healthcare system must also be able to detect and manage cases and commit to contact tracing.

Epidemiologist Iqbal Elyazar, a collaborator in the Laporcovid19.org initiative, said that the World Health Organization (WHO) had issued a guideline for countries wishing to ease Covid-19 interventions on 12 May 2020. Apart from the country being able to take the epidemic under control, its public healthcare system must also be able to detect and manage cases and commit to contact tracing.

Data from the Covid-19 national task force as of Monday showed that only samples of 143,035 Indonesians had been tested and daily testing rate remained below 5,000. “As a result, many people with Covid-19 remain undetected and can spread the disease to others,” Iqbal said.

The government’s spokesperson for Covid-19 matters Achmad Yurianto said that Indonesia had 18,010 Covid-19 cases, 1,191 related deaths and 4,324 recovered people as of Monday.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Shoppers and motorists crowd the road running through Kebon Kembang Market on Monday (18/5/2020) in the week leading up to Lebaran, despite the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) implemented in the city of Bogor, West Java. Seasonal traders have set up shop on the road in front of Kebon Kembang Market, also known as Anyar Market, to draw crowds of shoppers in violation of social distancing rules, which could eliminate any gains made from the PSBB towards breaking the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

Research and Technology Minister/National Research and Innovation Agency Head Bambang PS Brodjonegoro said that there was a lack of research on preparing a new normal in Indonesia. “[Social study] researches must no longer be about the impacts of PSBB but about people’s preparedness to face the new normal,” he said.(AIK/INA/LAS/MZW/TAN/AGE/RTG/TAM/DNE/BRO/SYA/JOL)

Also read: Learning from the Grass Roots