Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged the public to stay calm during the implementation of the Emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Java and Bali on July 3-20, 2021.
“I call on the public to remain calm and alert to comply with existing regulations,” Jokowi remarked here on Thursday while delivering a virtual press statement on the implementation of emergency restriction measures to curb the current spike in COVID-19 cases.
The head of state called on the public to remain disciplined in adhering to health protocols and support the work of government officials and volunteers to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
With sound cooperation from every individual and the will of Allah SWT, Indonesia can suppress the spread of COVID-19 and restore people’s lives quickly, the president stated.
The head of state conveyed that the decision to implement the Emergency PPKM was taken after receiving several inputs from ministers, health experts, and regional heads regarding the swift increase in COVID-19 cases owing to the new variant that had also turned out to be a grave problem in several countries. The Emergency PPKM will encompass stricter restrictions on community activities than before.
Jokowi sought details on the implementation of Emergency PPKM from Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan.
The country’s COVID-19 cases have hit a record high, with daily cases reaching 21,807 on June 30, 2021, thereby bringing the total tally to 2,178,272. Meanwhile, the death toll has climbed to 58,491.
As many as 13,329,738 Indonesians have received the full dosage of the COVID-19 vaccine under the national vaccination program as of June 29, 2021.
Since January 13, 2021, the government has been largely administering China’s Sinovac vaccine and few AstraZeneca vaccines obtained from the COVAX Facility.
The government is prioritizing healthcare workers under the program. Data has indicated that a total of 405 doctors had succumbed to COVID-19 as of June 27 this year.
Source: Antara News