Day: August 29, 2021

The handling of COVID-19 in Papua will require extraordinary effort to maintain the sloping rate of positive cases and anticipate any spike during the 2020 National Sports Week (PON), Indonesian Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has said.

Prabowo made the statement during a meeting on Saturday with military commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and the Mimika District Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) on the preparation for the 2020 Papua PON.

“The sloping rate of positive cases after the spike on August 8, 2021 has to be maintained with extraordinary attempts. Do not let the increase happen when the 2020 Papua PON is being held,” he urged, according to a press statement received here on Saturday.

Such extraordinary effort will involve implementing strict health protocols for athletes, coaches, officers, invited guests, and the committee, he said.

The protocols must be followed when participants depart, arrive, during their stay, and during competitions, he stressed. In addition, participants must take a COVID-19 test two days before leaving for Papua, he added.

“Reduce physical contact with other people for 14 days before departure. Prepare a list of names of people who are in close contact to be validated by 2020 Papua PON Committee. Implement disciplined health protocols according to the recommendations of the Health Ministry, comprising changing the medical or double-layered cloth masks every day,” Prabowo instructed.

Furthermore, he urged the Forkopimda to actively ensure the 3Ms — wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining distance – are implemented and all participants submit their COVID-19 test results.

When the participants settle down to take part in the national event, the regional coordination forum must carry out extra strict supervision by limiting their activities, in accordance with their tasks and roles, Prabowo said.

It is also mandatory for participants to report their health conditions through the committee’s health reporting application or the doctor in their respective contingent, he added.

“If necessary, COVID-19 tests will be carried out regularly during the event. If the participants’ test results are positive, they have to do self-isolation or be referred to a hospital. Tracing program will also be conducted for people who are in close contact with the patients,” he informed.

In addition, he urged the Forkopimda to strengthen the 3Ts program — tracking, testing, and handling — and accelerate the mass vaccination program.

He also asked local military and police personnel to assist the governments to speed up the vaccination program to create regional herd immunity.

The government will prepare vaccination sites at schools for students and parents as well as at places of worship for the public, Prabowo informed. Meanwhile, door-to-door vaccinations are planned for reaching village communities, he said.

Another effort is to educate the public to go to COVID-19 isolation centers, he added. It will be better for patients with certain symptoms as they will be supported by adequate facilities and fully supervised by health workers, Prabowo explained.

Furthermore, he emphasized that the national event can also revive the local community’s economy. Hence, the public health sector has to be strengthened amid the pandemic, he added.

Source: Antara News

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Station in Palu, Central Sulawesi, recorded a total of 19 aftershocks after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Tojo Una-Una district last Thursday.

“At least 19 (aftershocks) have been recorded as of today,” spokesman for the BMKG station Iza said on Sunday.

The magnitude of the aftershocks ranged from two to four with different epicenters and depths, he said.

He said four of the 19 aftershocks were felt by local residents.

The BMKG station noted that the last aftershock of magnitude 2.7 occurred on Saturday.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit Tojo Una-Una district, Central Sulawesi, last Thursday, leaving tens of houses damaged and one resident dead.

The quake was centered 44 kilometers southwest of Tojo Una-Una at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The BMKG station said the quake did not have the potential to cause tsunami.

Source: Antara News

The Yogyakarta city government is planning to operate a COVID-19 vaccination car starting next week to speed up the pace of vaccination coverage.

“Hopefully it (mobile vaccination drive), could commence next week,” Yogyakarta Mayor Haryadi Suyuti said here on Sunday.

The mobile vaccination campaign will chiefly target sub-districts whose vaccination coverage rate is still low, he said.

“For instance, Jetis sub-district whose vaccination rate is still low will be prioritized. This is not the case with Gondokusuman sub-district whose vaccination coverage is already high,” he said. The city government has prepared a number of healthcare workers who will provide mobile vaccination services, he said.

He said the mobile vaccination drive will help housewives and people with disabilities who have so far found it difficult to access vaccination services.

The mobile vaccination drive including the registration of COVID-19 vaccination recipients will be conducted in accordance with the standing procedure, he said.

Hence. the data of the COVID-19 vaccination recipients will be recorded in the national database and can be accessed through Peduli Lindung applications.

The city government has so far vaccinated more than 416 thousand people against COVID-19 and 60 percent of them are non-Yogyakarta residents

On a national scale, 34,702,821 Indonesians have received their second COVID-19 vaccine dose as of Saturday, according to the COVID-19 Response Task Force.

The number of fully vaccinated Indonesians rose by 581,618 on Saturday compared to the day before, it informed. Meanwhile, the number of Indonesians receiving their first COVID-19 vaccine jab increased by 786,703 to reach 61,222,258.

Overall, Indonesia is seeking to vaccinate 208,265,720 citizens to build herd immunity against the coronavirus under the nationwide vaccination drive, which was rolled out on January 13, 2021.

Indonesia added 10,050 COVD-19 cases in the 24 hours ending Saturday afternoon, which took the total tally to 4,066,404 since the country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 cases in March 2020.

With 18,594 patients recovering from the coronavirus on Saturday, the number of recoveries increased to 3,707,850.

Meanwhile, 591 patients succumbed to the infection, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 131,372.

Source: Antara News