The COVID-19 Task Force Claims Micro-Scale Community Activity Restrictions Is Effective In Reducing COVID-19 Cases

ILLUSTRATION / PPKM MICRO (DOK. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 Handling Task Force claims that the policy of extending the application of micro-scale of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) from March 9 until March 22 has succeeded in reducing the number of COVID-19 cases.

"Please continue to observe the results of the micro-scale PPKM from the start until finish, if there are any doubts", said Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman for the COVID-19 Task Force in a press statement received in Jakarta, Monday, March 8.

Wiku said that the key to the success of the micro-scale PPKM is having a structured task force from the provincial, district/city, sub-districts to the village level. The task force consists of civilian officials, elements of the National Army (TNI), the Police Tsk Force (Polri), and community leaders.

"All work for four functions, namely prevention, handling, coaching, support. Everything is controlled and monitored, so it is effective", he said.

Wiku also explained that the 3rd stage of PPKM which applies in DKI Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Bali, and the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) plays a significant role in suppressing the decline in cases.

"Even cases in East Java have decreased since the second phase of PPKM", he said.

He hopes that the micro-scale PPKM can increase community compliance in using masks. According to Wiku, the increasing use of masks during the micro-scale PPKM was due to the supervision being carried out in a narrower area, so the supervision process was tighter.

As of the end of February, said Wiku, 22.832 COVID-19 posts were formed in 30 provinces. Most activities at the COVID-19 post during the micro-scale PPKM are education and socialization using masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands with soap.

It is known that the extension of the micro-scale PPKM is contained in the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 5 of 2021 concerning Enforcement of Restrictions on Micro-Based Community Activities and Optimizing COVID-19 Handling Posts and Villages to Control the Spread of COVID-19.

Under the instruction, the micro-scale PPKM was extended to provinces outside Java-Bali, namely North Sumatra, East Kalimantan, and South Sulawesi. The government is extending the micro-scale PPKM policy from 9-22 March 2021. PPKM stage II is believed to be effective in controlling the spread of COVID-19 cases.