For The Task Force There Is No Other Way Than PSBB Total

Illustration of the dangers of COVID-19 (Photo: Achmad)

JAKARTA - Head of the Health Sector for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Akmal Taher, assessed that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's decision to withdraw the emergency brake by imposing strict PSBB was correct. Because the number of positive cases of COVID-19 continues to increase every day.

"If you look at the numbers, what I said earlier about the availability of beds, I think there is no other way to brake first," said Akmal in the MNCTrijaya Polemic discussion, Saturday, September 12.

However, in implementing the total PSBB regulations, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government must also pay attention to the easing pattern. If we reflect on the previous easing policy, many people do not strictly implement health protocols.

Akmal said the condition had an impact on the increasing number of positive cases. Even if that happens again, it is possible that the spread of COVID-19 will be increasingly difficult to control.

"Therefore, if the PSBB is implemented now, we will really prepare people when we open it again, it is impossible for us to continue this," said Akmal.

Previously, DKI Governor Anies Baswedan officially "stepped on the emergency brake" which revoked the transitional PSBB policy and reinstated the total PSBB.

"By looking at this emergency situation in Jakarta, there is no other choice but to decide to pull the emergency brake. This means that we are forced to apply the PSBB just like the beginning of the pandemic. This is the emergency brake that we must draw," said Anies, Wednesday, September 9.

Anies' reason for making this decision for Jakarta was due to the three indicators that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government really cares about, namely the death rate, the availability of isolation beds and special ICU for COVID-19 and the rate of positive cases in Jakarta.