Day: August 24, 2021

Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan confirmed that Indonesia will produce two types of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2022 specifically to meet domestic requirements.

“We have encouraged to build the vaccine industry here. One vaccine type — the mRNA — will be produced in April 2022 by Indonesian companies collaborating with firms from China,” Pandjaitan noted at the meeting of the Association of Indonesian Entrepreneurs here on Tuesday.

In addition to mRNA, Indonesia will produce the Red and White vaccine in the second quarter of 2022, he confirmed.

The government is cooperating with five universities and two institutions on the Red and White vaccine project, the minister noted.

The five universities are Airlangga University, Gadjah Mada University, University of Indonesia, Padjajaran University, and Bandung Institute of Technology, while the two institutions involved are the Eijkman Institute of Molecular Biology and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

Pandjaitan noted that the Eijkman Institute was cooperating with state-run pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma, while Airlangga University was collaborating with PT Biotis Pharmaceutical Indonesia.

“Now, we are engaged in the development of the Red and White vaccine, and maybe, we will produce it in May or June next year,” Pandjaitan affirmed.

Quoting the health ministry’s data, Indonesia has currently administered 90 million vaccine doses and is ranked ninth in the world in terms of the number of vaccine injections.

The minister noted that in August, the government aims to administer up to 100 million vaccine doses to people and reach the target of 200 million vaccine doses by the end of 2021.

The goal of COVID-19 vaccination is to achieve herd immunity to fully protect and strengthen the immune system while maintaining productivity and reducing the social and economic impacts on the public, he stated.

Source: Antara News

The Yogyakarta COVID-19 Task Force has reported a decline in confirmed daily COVID-19 cases in the past week, saying the number of cases dropped to less than a hundred on average per day.

“In the last week, daily cases have seen decline, even though it is still two or three times above the average cases in June (2021),” Yogyakarta COVID-19 Task Force Head Heroe Poerwadi said in Yogyakarta on Tuesday.

He informed that in the last week, the average daily COVID-19 cases reached 50 to 70 cases. The average stood at 20 to 25 daily cases in June this year, he added.

He said he expected the decline to continue so that COVID-19 spread in Yogyakarta could be controlled.

The community activity restrictions policy, which was implemented since July 3, 2021, was one of contributing factors for the decline in average daily cases, he added.

“Hopefully, various restriction policies are followed by the public, apart from optimization of vaccination acceleration among them,” he said.

Efforts to stem the virus’ spread will also be undertaken at the smallest level, like the rukun tangga (RT), he added. “If a positive case emerges in an RT, limitations or blockades would be enforced immediately in that area, so that the cases do not spread,” Poerwadi informed.

The bed occupancy rate in both ICU and isolation chambers of referral hospitals has also decreased in direct proportion to the decline in positive cases, he observed.

“The bed occupancy rate of ICUs has gone down to about 70 percent, while (bed occupancy rate) in isolation chambers has declined to 40 percent,” he said.

The occupancy rate at a number of shelters in Yogyakarta has also declined, he informed. There are 31 shelters in Yogyakarta, and currently only about 10 percent of them are filled, he said.

“The total capacity of the regional shelter is 235 beds and is currently occupied by 15 to 19 people,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Tegalrejo Shelter is about 40 percent full, he said. The Gemawang Shelter has only one to two people, with no occupants in the last few days, he added.

Source: Antara News

Herd immunity against COVID-19 can only be achieved if the effectiveness of vaccines is above 80 percent, according to University of Indonesia epidemiologist Pandu Riono.

Earlier, Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria had said that Jakarta is already in the green zone and has realized herd immunity, with active cases declining and vaccinations increasing in the capital.

However, Riono argued, the vaccination program rolled out by the government may not be helpful in attaining herd immunity, though it could be effective in reducing the death rate and the onset of severe symptoms.

“Although vaccination has reached the 100-percent target, the highest population immunity rate is only 60 percent. Meanwhile, to provide significant protection, the immunity rate must be more than 80 percent,” Riono stressed when contacted by Antara here on Tuesday.

Herd immunity in Jakarta will be difficult to achieve because the vaccines used in Indonesia generally only have an effectiveness of 55 to 60 percent, he explained.

On the other hand, the coronavirus has continued to mutate, he pointed out. The Delta variant that is claimed to be very dangerous, reduces the effectiveness of vaccines, even in vaccines that have the highest effectiveness in the world, such as Pfizer and Moderna, he claimed. “It is hard to achieve herd immunity, but still, vaccines are important because what we are focusing on is lowering mortality and the severe cases. The vaccine is able to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 cases and death rates,” Riono said.

“To contain the pandemic, we cannot rely solely on vaccines, because there is no single vaccine in the world that is 100-percent effective in preventing COVID-19,” he added.

Therefore, the government must continue to encourage the public to reduce COVID-19 transmission by following the health protocols, identify exposed communities by carrying out the 3Ts (testing, tracing, treatment), and accelerating vaccinations, he advised.

“With these three efforts, it is expected that the pandemic can be controlled. We may not eliminate it altogether, but we can maintain (a better situation) so that (public activity restrictions/PPKM) easing can be done,” he added.

Source: Antara News

The Sleman district government in Yogyakarta will attempt to open malls after securing a permit from the central government along with the extension of Community Activities Restriction (PPKM) level 4 until August 30, 2021.

“The extension of PPKM level 4 in Sleman until August 30 brings good news, one of them being the trial permit to open shopping centers and malls,” Head of Sleman District Kustini Sri Purnomo noted on Tuesday.

Purnomo later remarked that Sleman had obtained a trial permit for opening a mall and shopping center during the extension of PPKM level 4 from August 24 to 30. This is stipulated in the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Instruction No. 35 of 2021 on PPKM Levels 4, 3, 2 in the Java-Bali region.

“Today, malls and shopping centers in Sleman have started to open, although they are still in the trial phase,” she remarked.

Several malls included in the trial opening started today are Plaza Ambarukmo, Jogja City Mall, Hartono Mall, Sleman City Hall, and Transmart.

Sleman’s Trade and Industry Office had monitored the readiness regarding the trial opening of malls and shopping centers to ensure adherence to health protocols at those locations.

“The most important aspect is to maintain distance and capacity. Alhamdulillah (thank God), they are all ready,” she affirmed.

The COVID-19 Task Force from Sleman District, Yogyakarta Province, also monitored the first day of the trial opening in several malls and shopping centers. This step is being taken to ensure that health protocols were implemented properly in order to support economic recovery.

“Today, the COVID-19 Task Force will monitor visitors and general progress at several malls. If they found a violation, then the perpetrator will receive a warning,” she emphasized.

Purnomo remarked that the trial opening of malls had been conducted after considering several factors, including mall employee vaccinations having reached 99 percent.

Moreover, every mall and shopping center is required to have in place temperature check devices, hand washing facilities, hand sanitizers at every entrance, and provisions for social distancing at every outlet and tenant.

Only visitors in the age bracket of 12 to 70 years are allowed to enter the building by using their PeduliLindungi application.

“We are optimistic that this relaxation would not increase the number of COVID-19 cases in Sleman. Laid-off employees can return to work and MSMEs can market their products again,” Purnomo noted.

Source: Antara News

President Joko Widodo will monitor a COVID-19 vaccination program organized for students of the 22 State Middle School on Pahlawan Street, Samarinda, East Kalimantan on Tuesday (August 24, 2021).

“After we held a meeting with a number of parties, it was finally agreed that the appropriate location for the President to visit for the COVID-19 vaccination (observation) was the 22 State Middle School,” head of Samarinda Education Office, Asli Nuryadin, said in Samarinda on Monday.

The middle school has 1,185 students, most of whom belong to the 13-15 age group, and a few students who are less than 13 years old, he informed. The vaccination program will cover students in the 13-15 age bracket.

“So, we are targeting around one thousand students in this (mass vaccination program) who will be vaccinated against COVID-19. But, when the President visits, there will be only 50 student representatives who will be vaccinated,” Nuryadin said.

The remaining 950 students would be vaccinated before and after the President’s visit, he informed. Such a measure has been planned in view of the health protocols, and is mainly aimed at avoiding crowds, as stipulated by the vaccination program’s committee, he said. According to Nuryadin, the 22 State Middle School was chosen for the President’s visit because the school has a spacious yard, is located just beside a highway, and is on the same route as East Kalimantan Governor’s Office, which is one of the locations the President will visit while in Samarinda.

During his one-day trip to East Kalimantan province, the President will visit several locations in Balikpapan City.

The President will review the vaccination program at the Balikpapan Sport and Convention Center, virtually issue directions at the Balikpapan City Hall Office Hall to the East Kalimantan Governor, the regional military commander, regional police chief, heads of districts, and mayors from the province.

The President will also inaugurate the Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road sections 1 and 5. During the inauguration ceremony that is scheduled to take place at the Manggar toll gate, he will inspect the display panel, sign upon the inscription, and conduct toll road trials. (

Source: Antara News

President Joko Widodo said the government will loosen the enforcement of public activity restrictions (PPKM) in stages.

“By seeing the improvement in several indicators, the government is considering making gradual adjustments to restrictions on public activities,” President Widodo said in a video posted on the Youtube channel of the Presidential Secretariat on Monday.

PPKM in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) areas would be reduced to level 3 from August 24 to August 30, 2021, he informed.

Apart from those areas, Greater Bandung, Greater Surabaya, and several other cities and districts may also reach level 3 PPKM status starting August 24, 2021, Widodo said.

“(Gradual adjustments) include, among others, places of worship are allowed for worship activities, with a maximum of 25 percent of capacity or a maximum of 30 people,” the President added.

Dine-ins in restaurants are now allowed with capacity capped at 25 percent capacity, he noted. They are allowed to seat two people per table, and their operating hours have been limited to 8 p.m., he added.

“Shopping centers and malls are allowed to open until 8 p.m., with a maximum of 50 percent capacity, with the implementation of strict health protocols, which are further regulated by the regional government,” he said. Furthermore, export-oriented and supporting industries can operate 100 percent, he informed.

“However, if it becomes a new cluster of COVID-19, it will be closed for five days. The adjustment to some restrictions on public activities is accompanied by strict health protocols and the use of PeduliLindungi application as an entry requirement,” the President added.

The current improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia must be handled carefully and with complete vigilance, he said.

“The reopening of community activities must still be carried out step by step in line with tight health protocols, testing and tracing as well as wider vaccination coverage,” he remarked.

According to Widodo, such measures are required so that the reopening of public community activities does not lead to an increase in cases.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet, and some countries are currently experiencing the third wave with a very significant addition of cases. Therefore, we must remain vigilant, and the government is trying hard to implement the right policies in controlling this pandemic,” he remarked. (

Source: Antara News