Day: September 1, 2021

The National COVID-19 Handling Task Force has formed the Public Facilities 3M (Wearing Masks, Maintaining Distance, and Washing Hands) Health Protocols Task Force amid the re-opening of public facilities in several regions.

The establishment of the new task force is in accordance with Circular Letter Number 19/2021 on the establishment and optimization of a 3M Health Protocols Task Force for public facilities to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said.

“The task force has been formed to support the establishment of a productive community which is safe from COVID-19,” spokesperson for the National COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said in a written statement received here on Tuesday.

There is risk of COVID-19 infection everywhere — at home, while traveling, or doing activities outside the house, he noted.

“Hence, it is expected that the activities at the public facilities will also be able to contribute to reducing the risk of transmitting the virus among the community,” he said. The circular letter will be effective starting September 1, 2021 until an undetermined date and will be evaluated further in accordance with the latest developments, he informed.

Furthermore, the health protocols task force is expected to be established in eleven community activity groups — economic and shopping; entertainment and sports; accommodation provision; health service; transportation; work; education; social events; law enforcement activities; energy and environmental events; as well as religious activities, Adisasmito said.

To support the health protocols’ implementation, the newly established task force will involve the public facilities’ managers/officers and management associations, as well as the regional COVID-19 task forces, Behavior Change Ambassadors, or volunteers for carrying out the three functions of prevention, surveillance, and support. The prevention function of the task force will be performed through periodic 3M socialization and the daily application of the health protocols, such as setting different entry and exit points, spraying disinfectants regularly, as well as screening visitors’ health at entrances by checking their temperature, PeduliLindungi app barcode scanning, and asking them to wash hands, Adisasmito said.

Meanwhile, the surveillance function will be conducted by monitoring the health protocols’ implementation among officers, managers, workers, traders, and visitors at public facilities and giving necessary reprimands, he added.

In addition, sanctions will be imposed by regional governments and management associations of public facilities on health protocol violators, he said adding, tiered sanctions will apply for repeat violators. Furthermore, performance monitoring and evaluation of the health protocols task force will be carried out by the regional COVID-19 task forces, while training to the task force will be provided by the regional military and police officers, he said.

“Hence, in monitoring and evaluating the performance of the Health Protocol Task Force, the Regional COVID-19 Task Forces should pay attention to their administrative level and adjust to the conditions of the public facilities,” Adisasmito stated.

Moreover, in carrying out the three functions, the Public Facilities 3M Health Protocols Task Force would also follow the Technical Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of the Public Facilities 3M Health Protocols Task Force, he informed.

He also said that the funding for the activity would later come from community donations, grants, and the local or central government’s official assistance.

Source: Antara News

PT Adaro Indonesia offered assistance through the provision of 300 oxygen concentrators to 19 hospitals in the regions of Kalimantan and Sumatra to treat COVID-19 patients in need of oxygen.

Chairman of the Adaro Bangun Negeri Foundation Okty Damayanti stated that apart from being distributed to 19 hospitals, the oxygen concentrators were also handed out to 10 Adaro clinics in South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Sumatra.

“The oxygen concentrators can be used especially for confirmed COVID-19 patients in areas far from access to oxygen suppliers,” Damayanti remarked.

In collaboration with the Satriabudi Dharma Setia Foundation (YSDS), Adaro has ensured that this assistance of oxygen concentrators simplifies the patients’ requirements for oxygen since it is easy to transport to his or her location, does not require complex handling, and does not require refilling.

In addition to distributing oxygen concentrators, YSDS will disseminate information on using them, so that oxygen concentrators can be used optimally. The 300 oxygen concentrators will be distributed in coordination with subsidiaries in South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan: Adaro Indonesia, SaptaIndra Sejati, and Balangan Coal.

In addition, Adaro logistics, Makmur Sejahtera Wisesa, Tanjung Power Indonesia, Adaro Metcoal Companies, and Mustika Indah Permai are tasked with the distribution in South Sumatra.

One of the hospitals that received the oxygen concentrator assistance was H Abdul Aziz Marabahan Hospital in Barito Kuala District.

The assistance of 10 oxygen concentrators was directly received by the hospital’s Director Dr. Fathurrahman on Tuesday. External Relations Section Head of Adaro Logistics Andrianto Rezka explained that this assistance is a form of the company’s support for hospitals in handling COVID-19 patients.

“Adaro provides support to hospitals to accelerate the handling of COVID-19,” Rezka stated.

Adaro’s support of oxygen concentrators is expected to help patients exposed to the corona virus and in dire need of oxygen.

“This year, the Adaro Group will distribute one thousand oxygen concentrators worth Rp12.6 billion through the Adaro Berjuang program for Indonesia,” he stated. The assistance of oxygen concentrators is expected to reduce the need for large quantities of oxygen cylinders.

Dr Fathurahman also lauded the company for the oxygen concentrator assistance provided.

“Thank you, this assistance is very useful for patients in need,” Fathurrahman remarked.

Furthermore, he expressed hope that the oxygen concentrators would improve the progress in recovery of the patients.

On the same day, Adaro distributed oxygen concentrators in several areas, such as Tanah Laut District, East Barito District, and South Barito District.

Source: Antara News

Indonesia’s airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) has enforced travel requirements during community activities restriction (PPKM) level 4, level 3, and level 2 in Java and Bali from August 31 to September 6, 2021.

Corporate Communications Vice President of AP II Yado Yarismano appealed to all airplane passengers to be heedful of the requirements at the origin and destination airports.

“We urge passengers to pay attention to the requirements that apply at the origin and destination airports to ensure a smooth process of departure and arrival at the airports,” Yarismano noted in his statement, Tuesday.

The regulation is in accordance with Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 38 of 2021 on enforcement of PPKM Level 4, Level 3, and Level 2.

He explained that all airports managed by AP II follow the provisions in accordance with the Minister of Home Affairs Circular Number 38 of 2021 that prospective airplane passengers are required to comply with:

1. Those arriving from outside Java and Bali or passengers departing from Java and Bali to other locations are mandated to show a vaccination card of at least the first dose and a negative PCR result, with samples taken at least 48 hours before departure.

2. Those travelling between cities or districts within Java and Bali must show a negative antigen result, with samples taken 24 hours before departure, and a certificate of the second dose vaccination. In addition, passengers are required to show a negative PCR result, with samples taken 48 hours before departure, if they have only received the first dose of vaccination.

Yarismano explained that AP II airports had also necessitated the PeduliLindungi application to process flight departures.

“Passengers can show a digital vaccination card and digital COVID-19 test results through their PeduliLindungi application to process departures. There is no need to carry paper documents anymore. This can expedite and simplify the departure process as well as improve health protocols, as it also minimizes physical contact at the airport,” Yarismano remarked.

COVID-19 tests must be conducted at laboratories or health facilities that are integrated with the allrecord-tc-19 (New All Record/NAR) application of the Ministry of Health, and the results can be directly sent to the PeduliLindungi account of the prospective airline passengers.

Vaccination cards for prospective airplane passengers are also sent directly to the PeduliLindungi account for the respective passengers.

AP II has also prepared infrastructure, such as a verification machine and QR Reader, to read the QR Code in the PeduliLindungi application, as part of processing departures.

Source: Antara News

Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, confirmed that the provincial government had begun taking precautionary measures to tackle flooding that often occurred in the capital city area.

“We have begun holding meetings to improve work, such as dredging mud from rivers, reservoirs, and various acceleration programs for flood management this year, which will continue to be implemented,” Patria stated at the Jakarta City Hall, Tuesday.

Precautionary steps are also taken by preparing for the likelihood of additional flood points in connection with the increase in rainfall intensity.

“We require relevant agencies, such as the BPBD, to make efforts to prevent, handle, and control floods,” Patria remarked. However, he reminded the community to also take precautionary steps in preparation of flooding.

It is known that the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned the public of potential hydrometeorological disasters due to the early rainy season in most parts of Indonesia, including the island of Java.

Earlier, Head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, had urged local governments of regions prone to floods to be aware, take precautionary measures, and take early mitigation actions to avoid and reduce disaster risk. According to the BMKG, most areas in the country’s 342 season zones are forecast to experience the onset of the 2021-2022 rainy season during the period from October to November 2021, while the rainy season for the 2021-2022 period is forecast to peak during January-February 2022.

“It needs to be a shared concern, especially in areas prone to flooding, landslides, and moving soil along with the intensity of rainfall that will continue to increase,” Karnawati stated.

Source: Antara News