This Is Government's Reason In Not Implementing A Lockdown Yet

JAKARTA - Head of the Public Communications Division of the COVID-19 Task Force (Satgas) Hery Trianto explained the government's reason for not taking the policy of implementing "lockdown" or regional quarantine.

The Task Force explained that the substance of the implementation of micro-based community activity restrictions (PPKM) as a policy to prevent the spread of COVID-19 which has been running so far is the same as the lockdown scheme.

"So don't confuse the lockdown policy with restrictions on community activities. The substance is the same, limiting people's mobility to suppress the rate of transmission," said Hery, quoted by Antara, Sunday, June 20.

The government extends the micro PPKM, 15-28 June 2021. The micro PPKM uses the reference policy of the Minister of Home Affairs Instruction Number 13 of 2021.

The regulation explains the limitation of micro-based community activities and optimizing the COVID-19 handling posts in villages and sub-districts to control the spread of COVID-19.

Micro PPKM limits activities in workplaces/offices, implementation of teaching and learning activities, regulates the implementation of restrictions on restaurant and shopping center activities, regulates activities in places of worship, public facilities activities, as well as arts, social and cultural activities.

Hery said officers in the field tightened the implementation of micro PPKM through judicial operations involving the TNI and Polri. Officers in the field monitor activities and discipline people who do not comply with health protocols.

"The goal is to reduce mobility so that more people stay at home. Because of the human transmission factor. So, if human activities are reduced, it will suppress transmission," he said.

Hery emphasized that micro PPKM is actually quite effective in reducing the rate of transmission of COVID-19. Recently, positive cases have increased for several reasons.

Among them are people who do not obey the travel ban, the ban on going home for Eid. According to Hery, the government has tried to prevent people from traveling and going home, but it turns out that many do not follow the government's advice.

"The case in Kudus, we know there was a pilgrimage after Lebaran in Sunan Muria and Sunan Kudus, then it was considered one of the triggers of transmission. In Bangkalan it's the same, after Lebaran, people have a tradition of gathering. When they gather there is interaction, there is a risk of transmission, " said Harry.

Another cause, he continued, is a new variant of COVID-19 which is thought to have accelerated transmission.

With micro PPKM, according to Hery, risk mitigation policies to the level of RT/RW are getting easier. Until now there are tens of thousands of villages that form the post.

Active Command Posts report on the development of conditions in their respective areas. The effectiveness of the micro PPKM policy has been seen until mid-May.

"So that we can get more valid data about what actually happened in various regions. When we can map the risk zone to the RT/RW, of course, it will get better, we will be more precise," he said.

In addition, Hery said, the micro-lockdown policy has also been implemented in several regions. For example, one RT did a micro-lockdown because five families were exposed to COVID-19.

"This has happened in several areas. Micro-lockdowns have actually been carried out, but on a micro-scale," said Hery.