Coordinating Minister Luhut: PPKM Will Continue To Apply During The Pandemic

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan emphasized that PPKM will continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPKM levels will adjust in each region based on weekly evaluations.

“Pandemic teaching health is our shared responsibility. We need to know that together with PPKM it will continue to apply during the pandemic, I repeat, we need to know that it will continue to apply during the pandemic because this is our tool to balance COVID control with the economy or create jobs for our community," Luhut said at a press conference broadcast on Youtube by the Presidential Secretariat. , Monday, August 23.

According to Luhut, the determination of the level adjusts to the conditions of each region and takes effect once a week or two based on an evaluation meeting chaired by the president every week.

"I ask for the public's understanding regarding this, we are doing gradual, gradual and continuous easing. Because if there is no outbreak, we will all close which will harm us all," continued Luhut.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) extended the PPKM in Java and Bali. But for the Jabodetabek agglomeration area and a number of regencies/cities, the PPKM level dropped to level 3.

"The government has decided that starting from August 24 to August 30, 2021, some regions can be lowered from level 4 to level 3. Java and Bali islands, the agglomeration areas of Greater Jakarta, Greater Bandung, Greater Surabaya and several other city/district areas can already be at level 3. starting on August 24," said Jokowi in the announcement of the PPKM extension via the Presidential Secretariat Youtube, Monday, August 23.

According to Jokowi, there has been quite good progress in handling COVID-19 in Java and Bali regarding the PPKM level.

“There is a pretty good development at level 4 from 67 regencies/cities to 51 regencies/cities. Level 3 from 59 regencies/cities to 67 regencies/cities. Level 2 from 2 regencies/cities, to 10 regencies/cities," Jokowi continued.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Coordinating Minister Luhut said a number of agglomeration areas were still implementing level 4 PPKM.

"Specifically for the agglomerations of Bali, Malang Raya, Solo Raya, and DIY, they are currently still at level 4. But from the data we have it will soon enter level 3 some time in the future with continuous improvements in handling COVID," said Coordinating Minister Luhut at a press conference held the Presidential Secretariat's Youtube, Monday, August 23.

Luhut explained that in the level 4 evaluation, the government included a mortality indicator that was previously withdrawn due to data processing.

"In the next few days, there will be an increase in the trend of confirmed cases and deaths due to savings for confirmation cases and deaths that will be issued by districts/cities," Luhut continued.