Will PPKM Be Extended? This Is What The COVID-19 Task Force Says

COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Widu Adisasmito (Photo: BNPB dock)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, responded to the question of continuing the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM) on the last day of its implementation.

Regarding the possibility of the PPKM being extended or relaxed, Wiku asked all parties to wait for the announcement to be made by the government today.

"Just wait for the official announcement from the government. Thank you," said Wiku when contacted by VOI, Monday, August 16.

Although he did not say about the continuation of PPKM later, Wiku said that at this time PPKM was impossible to stop. However, the implementation of PPKM can be relaxed by lowering the level of assessment.

PPKM currently has four limiting scenarios, namely level 4, level 3, level 2, and level 1. Leveling is applied for a certain period of time so that people can be productive but remain safe from COVID-19.

"Restrictions will be relaxed or tightened according to the situation. The strictest is Level 4 and the loosest is Level 1. If PPKM is not carried out with the above scope, then the community's activities will not be safe from COVID-19," explained Wiku. For information, the previous PPKM period has been extended expires today from August 10th.

The government evaluates the conditions for handling COVID-19 in each region to determine the follow-up policies of the PPKM that are implemented. Evaluation for PPKM in Java-Bali is done once a week, while for Outside Java-Bali it is done once every two weeks.

Based on the implementation of PPKM from August 10 to 16, 2021, there are 71 out of 128 regencies/cities in the Java-Bali region which are at level 4. In the past week, there was 1 district/city which dropped from level 3 to level 2 and 26 districts /cities that dropped from level 4 to 3.

Then, there are 45 of the 386 regencies/cities outside Java and Bali that are at level 4. In the past week, there were 6 regencies/cities that fell from level 2 to level 1 and 28 regencies/cities that fell from level 4 to level 3.