Coordinating Minister Airlangga: The Government Must Evaluate And Monitor The Development Of Omicron Variant, and Accelerate Vaccination For Children

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Coordinating Ministry for the Economy)

JAKARTA - The government has decided to extend the Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) as an effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic, although currently, the trend of positive cases continues to decline.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto in his statement at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, after attending a limited meeting (ratas) with President Joko Widodo on Monday, December 6, said PPKM outside Java-Bali was continued until December 23, 2021.

According to Airlangga, the criteria for implementing PPKM outside Java-Bali are determined based on the level of assessment of the pandemic situation and vaccination achievements. Regions with vaccination achievements below 50 percent will increase the level by one level.

On this occasion, Airlangga also explained the development of the pandemic situation and a number of indicators of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Airlangga detailed, active cases as of December 5 were 7.526 cases or 0.18 percent of the total cases and below the global average of 7.91 percent. Meanwhile, daily confirmed cases as of December 5 were 196 cases and an average of 7 days (seven days moving average) was 250 cases.

Furthermore, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy said that the government will continue to evaluate and monitor the development of the Omicron variant that has been detected in 45 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also requested genome sequencing, limiting community activities, and hastening the implementation of vaccines for vulnerable communities.

In addition to accelerating vaccination for children, the President also requested that the implementation of booster vaccinations continue to be prepared so that in January the injection can be carried out. The implementation of the booster vaccination will be regulated in a Minister of Health regulation.

Regarding preparations for the Christmas and New Year (Nataru) holidays, the President requested that a maximum of 50 people participate in various activities. The policy of limiting activities during Nataru will be adjusted to the advice of the WHO and set forth in the instructions of the Minister of Home Affairs.

In addition, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy said that the meeting also discussed the preparation of the Group of Twenty (G20) series of activities in Bali which will soon begin. The implementation of health protocols with a bubble system will be carried out at meeting places and other locations.

Finally, Airlangga explained that until December 3, 2021, the realization of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) program budget had reached 68.6 percent of the total budgeted ceiling. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy said this realization increased when compared to the realization in the third quarter.