If Positive Covid-19 Cases Increase Due To Loosening Mall Hours, Are Entrepreneurs Ready To Take Responsibility?

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) will be extended for two weeks starting tomorrow, January 26 to February 8.

In this PPKM extension, the government extended the operational deadline for the shopping center (mall) business sector and restaurants to 20.00 WIB. In PPKM from 11 to 25 January, the operational time is only until 19.00 WIB.

Seeing this, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, thinks that the opening hours of malls and restaurants is inappropriate, when the COVID-19 case is not yet under control.

"The addition of operating time to malls and restaurants to 20.00 WIB is not appropriate. The name is a limitation, yes it is limited. If the opening hours are due to the request of the entrepreneur, will the entrepreneur really want to be responsible if there are more cases?" said Miko when contacted by VOI, Sunday, January 24.

Miko said, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartato who is also the Chair of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and Economic Recovery (KCP-PEN) carried out President Joko Widodo's mandate, which prioritizes the interests of handling health during the pandemic.

"Pak Airlangga should be fierce and firm in the restriction. The President has already said that health care is the main thing in this pandemic," said Miko.

For information, the decision to extend the PPKM was decided by Jokowi in a limited meeting on Thursday, January 21, taking into account the temporary evaluation of the implementation of PPKM in Java and Bali.

Based on the results of monitoring the development of COVID-19 cases in districts / cities that have implemented PPKM since January 11, there are still 29 districts / cities that are in the high risk zone for COVID-19 transmission.

Of the seven provinces implementing PPKM, only two provinces experienced a decrease in cases, namely Banten and Yogyakarta. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in DKI Jakarta, West Java, East Java and Bali are still high.

Based on the parameter of the increase in weekly cases, there are 52 districts / cities that have experienced an increase and 21 districts / cities have experienced a decrease. In the active case parameter, there are 46 regencies / cities that are still experiencing an increase, 24 regencies / municipalities are decreasing, and 3 regencies / cities remain.

With regard to the parameter of the death rate for COVID-19 cases, 44 regencies / cities are still experiencing an increase and 29 regencies / cities experiencing a decrease. Meanwhile, in terms of the cure rate parameter, 33 districts / cities experienced a decline, 34 districts / cities increased, and 6 districts / cities remained.

The eight forms of restriction restriction are as follows:

Limiting workplaces to 75 percent WFH and enforcing strict health protocols. Online teaching and learning activities. The essential sectors related to the basic needs of the community continue to operate 100 percent by regulating operating hours, capacities, and maintaining strict health protocols. Limiting the opening hours of activities in shopping centers until 20.00 WIB. Eating and drinking at a place to eat or a restaurant is a maximum of 25 percent. Ordering food via take away or delivery is still permitted. Allow construction activities to operate 100 percent with the implementation of more stringent health protocols. Allow places of worship to impose a 50 percent capacity limit on the implementation of stricter health protocols. Public facilities and socio-cultural activities have been temporarily suspended. Arrangement of capacity and operating hours of transportation modes.