Category: Self Care

People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo on Monday drew attention to a report indicating a sharp spike in coronavirus cases in five provinces — Jakarta, Central Java, West Java, East Java, and South Sulawesi.

Soesatyo urged the Ministry of Health to request the assistance of regional governments and the COVID-19 Handling Task Force in the five provinces to investigate and clarify the cause behind the increase in cases.

“In addition, respond to these cases by providing health services in order to contain the spread of COVID-19,” he noted in a written statement here on Monday.

He asked regional governments and the COVID-19 Handling Task Force in the five provinces to expand testing, tracing, and treatment efforts.
He also urged them to remain committed to broadening COVID-19 vaccinations and monitoring the people’s movement so that they do not become complacent in response to the nationwide decline in COVID-19 cases.

They should cooperate with the police in carrying out humane monitoring and law enforcement in places where health protocol violations have been reported, he added.

“The relaxation within a number of sectors should still be monitored since COVID-19 cases have not yet disappeared. It (the virus) even continues to mutate,” Soesatyo noted.

Furthermore, he requested that the government, through the Health Ministry, conduct whole-genome sequencing to detect any developing virus variant.

With this, preventive efforts can be undertaken to control the virus mutation, he elaborated.

The assembly chairman also asked citizens to ensure compliance with the health protocols and regulations on pandemic mitigation mandated by the government.

“It would require cooperation from all parties for optimal pandemic handling,” he expounded.

Source: Antara News

New anti-virus medicines that are currently under development globally are a source of hope to Indonesia in the transition from the pandemic to the endemic phase, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has said.

While delivering a press statement that was broadcast live on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel and accessed from here on Monday, he noted that Indonesia can emerge from the pandemic faster if the COVID-19 vaccination program is complemented with the use of anti-virus medicines.

According to the minister, the government has carried out clinical trials for several medicines that are within the monoclonal antibodies category, such as Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab.

In addition, the Health Ministry is also exploring several new anti-virus medicines that have gained popular attention, such as Molnupiravir and AT-527, he said.

“We are also learning about an anti-virus medicine named Proxalutamide produced by Suzhou Kintor Pharmaceuticals from China,” he added.
The ministry is also continuing to monitor the development of phase three clinical trials of COVID-19 anti-virus medicines, Sadikin said.

“For the promising medicines, we are offering to have the phase three clinical trial be conducted in Indonesia,” he elaborated.

With this policy, the minister said that he hopes Indonesia can quickly figure out the compatibility of the new medicines so that they could be utilized in the nation.

“We will continue to provide an update regarding its development. I request all of your prayers so that we can finally move past this pandemic into endemic (phase),” he affirmed.

The first case of COVID-19 in Indonesia was officially confirmed on March 2, 2021.

As of October 18, 2021, Indonesia has officially recorded over 4.2 million confirmed cases, 4,075,011 recoveries, and 142,999 deaths, with the number of people under treatment reaching 17,374.

Source: Antara News

Disaster Mitigation National Agency (BNPB) Head Ganip Warsito visited Karangasem and Bangli Districts in Bali Island on Sunday to observe the impacts of 4.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted the areas on Saturday.

The earthquake that struck Bali Province on Saturday at 03:18 p.m. local time caused destruction in several locations. The disaster zones severely affected by the quake are located in the two districts.

According to a written statement received here on Sunday, Warsito and his entourage began the visit in Ban Village, Kubu Sub-District, Karangasem District, to observe the readiness of command posts there.

As of Saturday at 06:00 p.m. local time, the earthquake killed three people and wounded 25 others.

During the visit, he expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the villagers who lost their loved ones and suffer the impacts of the quake. He also ensured that basic needs for affected residents are available.

To expedite the disaster emergency response aid, the BNPB has supplied 443 packages of food, 152 packages of additional nutrition, 60 packages of instant food, and 20 family tents to each of the affected districts.

Warsito also urged locals to stay calm, and regional governments to continue disaster mitigation programs in an endeavor to improve their disaster readiness.

The residents need to be trained and edified to improve their disaster literacy while night patrols could also be restored to reduce disaster risks of aftershocks, he said.

“Residents themselves must build their alertness and readiness. Regional leaders must be able to encourage their people to get well prepared for facing disaster risks in future,” Warsito said.

Source: Antara News

Several Indonesian provinces recorded zero deaths due to COVID-19 on the weekend, according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

The provinces were West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Aceh, Yogyakarta, Banten, West Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Southeast Sulawesi, Jambi, Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, West Papua, and Maluku, it informed.

Indonesia added 44 deaths nationwide due to the coronavirus on Saturday, taking the total COVID-19 death toll to 142,939.

Meanwhile, the number of positive cases rose by 997 to touch 4,234,011. The country reported its first confirmed COVID-19 cases in March 2020.

On Saturday, the highest number of fresh cases were recorded in Jakarta at 154.

At least 1,525 people recovered from COVID-19 nationwide, bringing the total recoveries to 4,072,332, the task force reported. Jakarta recorded the highest number of recoveries at 217.

Meanwhile, the number of patients undergoing treatment declined by 572 nationwide to reach 18,746, it added.

Additionally, a total of 270,811 specimens were tested at laboratories across Indonesia and 490,512 people were placed under healthcare workers’ surveillance as suspected COVID-19 patients, the task force said.

Source: Antara News

Malang, East Java (ANTARA) – Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno has asked the Malang city government to apply for the ministry’s thematic tourism village reopening trial following an improvement in the city’s activities restriction enforcement (PPKM) to Level 3.

“You can apply for the tourism village reopening permit to the ministry, and we could supervise the trial, but it is essential to persist with the health protocol enforcement and ensure responsible travel,” Minister Uno told Malang municipal officials in Malang, East Java, on Saturday.

If thematic tourism villages are allowed to reopen, the decision on whether to allow children under 12 to enter the tourism attraction or not will be within the discretion of the Malang city government, he added.

However, children under 12 should be allowed entry if their parents have completed the second vaccine dose and cleared the mobile COVID-19 contact tracing application PeduliLindungi’s screening, he advised.

“We will allow tourism attraction operators to decide whether to allow children under 12 to enter their premises. We will also authorize the regional government and local COVID-19 task force to decide on the same matter,” the minister said. He said his suggestion on the entry of children is based on reports that the number of visitors to several tourism attractions has remained low despite their reopening as most families have refrained from traveling due to the age restriction.

“Because most tourist attractions are family-based, it is understandable they are struggling to attract visitors if the minimum age restriction remains,” Uno noted.

Malang government had earlier applied for tourism villages reopening trial, but the central authority had rejected the application on the basis that tourist attractions in the city were yet to satisfy several prerequisites for the reopening trial.

The government has instructed tourist attraction operators to implement PeduliLindungi’s QR code as the main condition for reopening and commencing the operational trial.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has called for acceleration of vaccinations in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ), West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), ahead of the World Super Bike (WSBK) event.

The WSBK will take place from November 19-21 this year.

“The event is expected to attract more local and international tourists as well as foreign exchange to Indonesia. Thus, it can revive the economy of the people of Lombok,” he said in an official statement received here on Saturday.

He then urged the NTB Regional Police chief and Commander of the 162 Wirabhakti Provincial Military Command to ensure 70 percent of residents in the area get the first vaccine does and 50 percent receive the second dose ahead of the event.

As of October 15, 2021, vaccination coverage in NTB province has reached 47.11 percent for the first dose and 16.13 percent for the second dose, the minister noted.

Meanwhile, 66.04 percent of residents in Central Lombok district, which is hosting the 2021 Mandalika WSBK, have received the first dose, while only 13.70 percent of them have been fully vaccinated, he added.

Hence, the central government has continued to provide assistance by accelerating vaccine distribution in all cities and districts of NTB province so that the vaccination target is reached, Hartarto said. In addition, the regional government is also encouraging the acceleration of vaccination coverage reporting in the Health Care and Social Security Agency’s (BPJS’) Primary Care (P-CARE) app for data integration, he said.

The Central Lombok district government has formed 143 vaccination team comprising one doctor, four paramedics, two registration officers each and deployed them in 139 villages across the district, he added.

In addition, the local government has determined sub-district and village-based vaccination targets mobilized by each sub-district head, village head, as well as other related officials, he said.

As of October 14, 2021, NTB province has recorded 27,559 COVID-19 cases, with recovery rate reaching 95.92 percent, he noted.

By accelerating vaccinations, the government is hoping to build herd immunity so that the implementation of the 2021 Mandalika WSBK does not create any new COVID-19 cluster, the minister said.

“Vaccination acceleration in Central Lombok district is the main key for making the international event successful. The event is expected to have an economic multiplier effect on the community,” Hartanto added.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Communication and Informatics has said that the government has formulated six strategies to anticipate a third wave of COVID-19, which could potentially occur by the end of 2021.

“Our success in decreasing the number of COVID-19 cases should not end,” Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, said in an official statement released on Saturday.

Based on last year’s experience, people’s mobility increased during the Christmas and New Year holidays, causing the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths to spike sharply, he noted.

Therefore, the government has strengthened anticipatory measures for the end of this year, the minister said.

The first of its six strategies for anticipating a third wave of infections is ensuring the easing of activity restrictions is followed by strict control on the field, he informed and appealed to the public to remain vigilant in responding to the easing of restrictions.

“We should stay alert by complying with the health protocols and limiting our mobility,” he remarked. Second, the government has continued to increase the vaccination rate among older adults, especially in agglomeration areas and centers of economic growth, to prevent a high death and hospitalization rate if there is a third wave, the minister said.

Third, the government is expediting vaccinations of children so that their immune systems are strengthened by the time the Christmas and New Year’s holidays arrive, he informed.

Fourth, the government is implementing strict protocols for international travel, especially in Bali, the minister said.

Fifth, it is strengthening the role of local governments in supervising activities and educating residents in the region regarding the health protocols that need to be implemented, he added.

Lastly, it is promoting the health protocols to improve the community’s health protocol compliance, Plate said.

“Good cooperation from all parties is needed so that Indonesia can successfully handle the COVID-19 pandemic,” the minister said.

The government has also appealed to the Christmas organizing committee to comply with the Circular Letter of the Minister of Religious Affairs Number 29 of 2021 concerning Guidelines for the Implementation of the Commemoration of Religious Holidays to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and, at the same time, provide a sense of security to people celebrating Christmas.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate affirmed that strict punishment will be meted out to those found violating the COVID-19 quarantine regulations.

“Strict sanctions will definitely be imposed on those who violate it,” he noted in an official statement as quoted on Saturday.

The minister reminded that the pandemic was far from over and pressed for everyone to continue to comply with all COVID-19 regulations, including quarantine for all international travelers, in order to ensure safety of the people around and the community at large.

Plate believes that taking care of each other is only one key to surviving and surmounting the pandemic.

“Let us implement the existing health protocols and regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulations that have been set up were subject to a series of studies to ensure that the entire community is protected,” he noted.

Quarantine regulations for international travelers are laid out in the Circular of the COVID-19 Task Force No. 20 of 2021. According to the circular, international travelers entering Indonesia must undergo quarantine, so they did not fall sick or infect other people.

“Moreover, there are currently many threats of the entry of a new variant of the coronavirus,” Plate noted.

The government imposed sanctions on international travelers found violating quarantine regulations, as it is stipulated in article 14 of the Infectious Disease Outbreak Act and article 93 of the Health Quarantine Act.

The imposition of health quarantine rules is supervised by the Integrated Joint Task Force comprising the national defense force, police force, ministries, related institutions, and volunteers that are led by the National Defense Force’s Operational Commander, under the control of the Commander in Chief of the Joint Defense Area Command.

“Let us supervise the rules that have been set, together. All the rules are intended solely to protect the health and safety of the general public,” the minister affirmed.

The government still needs the public to participate in monitoring the implementation of regulations on international travelers, who will enter Indonesia.

Source: Antara News