COVID-19 Red Zone Area, Balikpapan City Government Closes All Tourist Attractions

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

BALIKPAPAN - The Balikpapan City Government, East Kalimantan will close all tourist attractions because the status of the area is designated a pandemic red zone or a high risk of COVID-19 transmission.

"If Balikpapan becomes PPKM Level 4, then there will be no more bargaining, all tourist attractions have to be closed," said Head of the Balikpapan City Satpol PP Zulkifli as quoted by Antara, Friday, February 25.

Currently, he said, the local area is still implementing Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) so as to allow tourist attractions to be partially opened, while the closure is only Saturday-Sunday.

If the Balikpapan City PPKM rises to level 4, said the Head of Security and Law Enforcement of the Balikpapan City COVID-19 Handling Task Force, all tourist attractions must be closed.

"The policy is the same as during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, so we prioritize those who have the government to close them," he said.

As one of the evaluations after Christmas and New Year, he said, it was difficult to implement the PeduliLindung application at the Manggar Beach tourist attraction.

The high spike in confirmed cases of COVID-19 has made Balikpapan City, which was previously in the green zone, back into the red zone.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 from spreading, the Balikpapan City Government issued a circular regarding restrictions on community activities.

The purpose of the policy of limiting community activities, he said, was to suppress greater transmission, because prevention is better than treating patients.

If the positive confirmed cases in Balikpapan City continue to climb, said Zulkifli, it is certain that the tourist attraction in the area nicknamed "Oil City" will be completely closed.

The closure of all tourist attractions as a step to suppress the spread of COVID-19 transmission in the Balikpapan area.