COVID-19 Cases Have Not Dropped Significantly, PAN Predicts Jokowi To Extend PPKM Level 4, Only...

JAKARTA - The implementation of Level 4 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in a number of areas will end today, Monday, August 9th. The public is still waiting for the government to officially announce whether to extend or terminate the policy.

The chairman of the DPR's PAN faction, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, said the government would certainly evaluate the policies that had been implemented as usual. The evaluation includes the decrease in people exposed to COVID-19, the hospital occupancy rate, the number of people who died, and the number of people who are self-isolating. In addition, the government will also look at the conditions of other regions in Indonesia.

"Yes, the decision to continue or relax must be based on this evaluation. In general, there has been a decline. Hospital occupancy rates, people exposed, the number of people who died, and those who are self-isolating have also decreased," Saleh said when contacted by VOI, Monday, August 9th.

However, Saleh continued, it must be admitted that the decline in the number of COVID-19 cases has not been significant, and sometimes it seems that it is still fluctuating. Moreover, the spread of the delta variant is reported to be increasingly spreading to regions, which of course cannot be underestimated.

"Based on the existing conditions, I estimate that PPKM will be extended. It's just that the government will only raise and lower the level. It could be that in City A the level drops to 3, but in City B it goes up to 4. Depending on each condition, " explained the member of Commission IX of the DPR.

With this level of difference, according to Saleh, it will be easier for the government to implement policies.

"It's like a radio tone, you just need to zoom in or out. But if you close PPKM, it doesn't feel like it," he said.

In addition, this PAN politician again reminded the government to prepare a social safety net correctly and on target. According to him, the tightening policy will definitely make it difficult and have an impact on the economy of small and medium-sized communities. So at this point, the government must be present to provide a solution.

"They must be empowered and should not be forgotten," said the legislator for the North Sumatra electoral district.

So what about the areas that have experienced a decline in cases? Will the rules be relaxed?

"I think it would be wiser to implement the prokes tailored to the conditions of each region," said Saleh.

As is known, the implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) Levels 4, 3, and 2 in Java-Bali and outside Java-Bali which began on August 3 last ended today, Monday, August 9. There has been no leak regarding the fate of the next PPKM.

PPKM Levels 4, 3, and 2 this week are the second extension. Initially, the government implemented Emergency PPKM on 3-20 July in Java-Bali, and 12-20 July outside Java-Bali. Then it was extended with a new term of PPKM Level 4 on July 20-25, then extended for the period July 26-August-2, and extended again for the period August 3-9, 2021.

As for the development of COVID-19 cases during the six days of PPKM Levels 4.3, and 2 compared to the previous six days, it can be seen that a number of developments have improved, as well as less good.

In the case of positive confirmation of COVID-19, for example, in the period from July 28 to August 2, the cumulative number of additional positive cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia reached 222,504 cases. Then in the period 3-8 August, the number of positive COVID-19 cases decreased to 203,231 cases.

Furthermore, in the case of deaths of residents who died due to COVID-19. It was recorded that during the period of July 28-August 2, 10,456 people died, while during the PPKM Level 4, 3 and 2 period, the number of deaths decreased to 9,805 people.

As for further developments, the number of positivity rates, aka the ratio of daily cases of citizens exposed to the corona virus, has also decreased, although not significantly. In the period from July 28 to August 2, the average number is 24.76 percent. So on six days during the PPKM Level 4, 3 and 2 period, the positivity rate fell to 24 percent.

The World Health Organization (WHO) sets a minimum threshold for the positivity rate of less than 5 percent. So, if the positivity rate of an area gets higher, then the pandemic condition in that area will worsen so it is necessary to increase its COVID-19 inspection capacity.

Meanwhile, unfavorable developments occurred in recovered cases. During the six days before PPKM Levels 4.3, and 2, the number of recovered cases reached 245,525 cases, but in the period 3-8 August, the number of recovered cases decreased to 242,357 cases.

Furthermore, the number of residents who were examined also decreased. In the period from July 28 to August 2, 893,312 people were examined, but in the period from August 3-8, the number of people being examined decreased to 850,041 people.

Cumulatively, the Task Force for Handling COVID-19 as of Sunday, August 8, recorded that there were 26,415 new COVID-19 cases added. Meanwhile, for recovered cases, there were an addition of 48,508 cases, as well as the addition of 1,498 new cases of death in 1 x 24 hours.

So that cumulatively, as many as 3,666,031 people have tested positive for the corona virus in Indonesia. Of that number, 3,084,702 people have recovered, 474,233 people are undergoing treatment at the hospital.