COVID-19 Cases Outside Java-Bali Increase, Should The Government Raise PPKM Levels?

JAKARTA - Towards the end of the implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) today, COVID-19 cases outside Java and Bali have actually increased, especially in areas that do not implement PPKM Level 4.

An epidemiologist from Griffith University Australia, Dicky Budiman in his analysis, considers that the implementation of PPKM in the majority of areas outside Java-Bali cannot be equated with Java and Bali.

According to him, geographical conditions outside Java-Bali which are more spread out make it difficult to implement strict mobility restrictions. Then, there are social and economic impacts that must also be considered.

"Outside Java-Bali, the regional capacity is not the same, the people are more prone to socio-economic problems, then the geographical coverage is very wide for monitoring. So, its effectiveness needs to be carefully studied," said Dicky to VOI, Monday, August 9.

Then, to reduce the rate of transmission of the corona virus outside Java-Bali, restrictions must still be carried out according to the PPKM level scenario that has been implemented in their respective regions.

With a note, the 5M health protocol compliance efforts; testing, tracing, treatment (3T); and the implementation of vaccination should be further improved.

"Actually, if 5M is consistently applied, it is sufficient. Plus, 3T is very important," he said.

According to him, this effort needs to be strengthened with government support and social community assistance, including conducting an initial risk analysis such as in the elderly and comorbid. They are monitored in centralized isolation to prevent death.

"Although the cases outside Java will not be as big as Java, because the population is smaller and the 3T capacity is low, the potential for mortality and burden in health facilities will be greater. That's what happens in limited locations," he explained.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the surge in COVID-19 cases had now shifted from the islands of Java-Bali to other islands over the past two weeks. As of July 25, there was an increase in COVID-19 cases, still in the range of 34 percent or 13,200 cases nationally.

"Quick response. Our need now is a quick response because it seems that this is a shift from Java-Bali to outside Java-Bali," said President Jokowi while chairing the Level 4 PPKM Development Evaluation and Follow-up Meeting, Saturday, August 7.

Furthermore, the increase continued to occur even until Friday, August 6, there were additional 21,374 positive cases or 54 percent. A number of provinces that experienced a significant increase in COVID-19 cases on Friday, August 6, were North Sumatra, Riau, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Sumatra.

"I have ordered the Panglima, Kapolri to really remind the Pangdam, Kapolda, and Danrem, Dandim, and Kapolres to really respond to the numbers that I conveyed earlier. Because speed is needed there," he said.