Bandung Is On COVID-19 Emergency Status, Ridwan Kamil: Tourists From Jakarta Are Not Allowed To Enter

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil stated that the Greater Bandung area (Bandung City, Bandung Regency, West Bandung Regency, Cimahi City, and Sumedang Regency) is currently on COVID-19 alert status because it is included in the COVID-19 red zone category.

"There are many important announcements today, first of all, we declare that the Greater Bandung area is on alert for COVID-19. Not West Java, yes, Greater Bandung area because this week there are two large red zones, namely West Bandung Regency and Bandung Regency", said Kang Emil after the Committee Meeting for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19 and Regional Economic Recovery at Makodam III/Siliwangi, Bandung City, reported by Antara, Tuesday, June 15.

He said the occupancy rate of hospitals used as referrals for COVID-19 patients in the Greater Bandung area currently exceeds the standards set by WHO and nationally, which is at 70 percent.

"Now Greater Bandung is at 84.19 percent. Therefore, with these two indicators, the red zone is in Greater Bandung and 84.19 percent of Greater Bandung. So all of Greater Bandung is instructed to work from home", he said.

With the WFH (work from home) instruction, he said, only 25 percent were physically present in the office or workplace.

"So, according to the instructions from the Minister of Home Affairs, 75 percent immediately adjust to working from home with exceptions, which of course we understand", he said.

In addition, by setting the COVID-19 alert status 1 in the Greater Bandung area, his party appealed to tourists outside the region not to visit the Greater Bandung area.

"Secondly, we urge no tourists to come to Greater Bandung for the next seven days until the next decision. In particular, tourism is always crowded at KBB, in Bandung Regency", he said.

"Therefore, I urge tourists, which the majority of whom are from DKI (Jakarta) we also ask not to come. So that this alert condition is clearly understood that we are pulling the emergency brakes to control the situation, which was proven by the long Eid al-Fitr holiday which resulted in an extraordinary spike", continued Kang Emil.

Furthermore, Kang Emil said that the implementation of Micro-scale Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) before Ramadan until Eid this year was considered quite successful.

"The hospital is only 28 percent (its occupancy rate). That's a record. Suddenly, in just two weeks a month, it jumped and jumped to 75 percent", he said.

Therefore, said Kang Emil, the West Java Provincial Government recommended to the central government that there be no further long holidays until Eid al-Adha in 2021.

"So we ask that the Eid al-Adha celebration be given guidelines according to the Shari'a which is obligatory but no holidays and homecoming. Because it is proven that the Eid al-Fitr holiday is really destructive from the start, the control conditions are already very good in micro-scale PPKM", he said.