August 25, 2021
PPKM extended; worship activities permitted at 50% capacity, malls remain closed + Bali health office reveals reason for differences in vax data + Herd immunity difficult to achieve says Luhut + more
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Weather & Tides
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Local Covid Numbers
*Note: Yesterday’s numbers represented a jump of over 100% (over 500 cases), from 434 on Sunday to 934 yesterday, though this could also be due to the “Weekend Effect”, where numbers are lower on weekends due to reduced testing and reporting capacity. Recoveries were at their lowest level for a week. Yesterday’s 44 deaths brought this month’s cumulative fatalities over the 1,000 mark, to 1,041, which is just over 32% of all Covid deaths throughout the pandemic.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.
The Big News
“PPKM Extended, Worship Activities in Bali Start to Open Maximum 50%“ from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The government through President Joko Widodo has officially extended the implementation of PPKM until August 30, 2021. The extension of the PPKM for the umpteenth time applies to areas with level 2, level 3 and level 4. Regarding the extension of PPKM in Bali there are several important points. First, in the field of education, the Bali Provincial Government has prepared 25% of the technical preparation/face-to-face learning simulation (PTM). Second, worship activities can be conducted with a maximum limit of 50% of capacity. Third, mall reopening trials are still not permitted to begin. Fourth, all regions in Bali remain at level 4. Fifth, the extension of PPKM on the island of Bali is valid from August 24 to August 30, 2021.
“Bali Head of Health Reveals Reason for Differences in Bali Vaccination Data“ from Radar Bali(Indonesian): Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya, explained the difference in Bali vaccination data between the Covid-19 Handling Task Force and the Indonesian Ministry of Health. According to Suarjaya, the difference occurred because there were different targets. He further explained that the initial target for the province of Bali was 70% of the 4.3 million population. Thus, the number is around 3 million in accordance with the initial target of the Ministry of Health. Then there is an addition for adolescents aged 12-17 years so that the Ministry of Health’ target is 3.4 million. "Actually there is no problem because Bali has carried out vaccinations for 12-17 years," he said.
“Minister Luhut Says Herd Immunity Difficult to Achieve” from Tempo: Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said herd immunity is difficult to achieve following the emergence of the Covid-19 Delta variant. “We are dealing with the Delta variant that does not allow us to achieve herd immunity. This has been thought up by epidemiologists from UGM and Unair,” he said. According to Luhut, it was because the viral load or the transmission of the mutated virus is 5 to 8-fold higher than the non-mutated virus, meaning that the Delta infection is highly contagious. Luhut said the government shifted its strategies from achieving herd immunity to containing Covid-19 by enforcing 3M, 3T, and restricting contacts. Luhut said the government targeted the reproduction number of Covid-19 to be suppressed to below 1. “We expect that by this October or earlier, the pandemic will be more controlled with the use of PeduliLindungi app, vaccinations, tracing, testing, and strict health protocols,” said Luhut.
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Other Headlines
“Indonesia Covid-19 Cases Top 4 Million“ from The Jakarta Globe: Indonesia passed 4 million Covid-19 cases on Tuesday after recording 19,106 new cases in the past 24 hours, government figures show. The nation now has a total of 4,008,166 cases. A further 1,038 Covid-19 deaths have been registered in the one-day period, bringing the total death toll to 128,252. Indonesia has recorded more than 42,000 Covid-19 deaths in the last 28 days, the highest fatality toll in the world according to US-based Johns Hopkins University. It’s the only country in the world to average more than 1,000 Covid-19 deaths in the past month. Indonesia is also the 13th country in the world to have recorded more than 4 million cases since the pandemic began.
Vaccination Update
“Indonesia to Manufacture Two Vaccine Types in 2022” from Antara: 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 on Tuesday. In addition to mRNA, Indonesia will produce the Red and White vaccine in the second quarter of 2022, he said. The government is cooperating with five universities and two institutions on the Merah Putih (Red and White) vaccine project, the minister noted. "Now, we are engaged in the development of the Merah Putih vaccine, and maybe, we will produce it in May or June next year," Pandjaitan affirmed.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia to Receive 80 Million Covid Vaccines in September” from The Jakarta Globe
Nation: “Bio Farma Asks Local Governments to Add Vaccine Storage Facilities“ from Antara
Nation: “300 Foreigners Receive First Covid-19 Dose at Jakarta City Hall” from Antara
Province: “Indonesian Navy Visits Crew on Ships to Deliver Covid-19 Vaccine” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: “Some Moderna Recipients Experience Fever For Three Days, Badung Vaccinations Delayed” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Current Travel Regulations Under PPKM” from Suara Bali (Indonesian): The current rules for domestic travel within Indonesia include the following. Domestic travelers who use private cars, motorbikes, and long-distance public transportation (airplanes, buses, ships, and trains) must show a vaccine card for at least the first dose of vaccination. For long trips, airplane passengers are required to show the results of the H-2 PCR swab test, while for private cars, motorcycles, buses, trains, and ships an H-1 antigen test is required. This rule applies to everyone entering and leaving Java and Bali. It does not apply to transportation within the agglomeration area, for example for the Greater Jakarta area. Domestic airplane passengers between cities within Java and Bali need to show negative results from the H-1 antigen test and have been vaccinated with two doses. Drivers of logistics vehicles and other goods transportation are excluded from the provision of having a vaccine card. Travelers are also asked to download the Pedulilindungi application to check the status of COVID-19 tests and vaccinations at terminals, airports and/or ports.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia's PCR Test Among Cheapest in Southeast Asia“ from Antara
Nation: “Ministry Vows to Take Care of Covid-19 Orphans” from The Jakarta Post
Nation: ”Sorong City's Floating Covid-19 Isolation Center Becomes Operational“ from Antara
Nation: “Minister Confirms 52.3% of Active Cases From Outside Java-Bali”: from Antara
Province: “Professor of Virology Says Testing and Tracing in Bali is Not Optimal” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Province: “For Fourth Day in a Row, Pregnant Women in Bali Die of Covid-19” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Ambulance Driver Edi Can Deliver Six Bodies in a Day During the Pandemic” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Government Reduces Number of Centralized Isolation Places in Denpasar” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Gianyar: “Security Forces Tighten Isoter and Prokes” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: “Spike in Covid-19 Cases Sees Karangasem Hospital BOR Hit 92.7%” from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Redevelopment of Nusa Penida Tourism Objects Planned” from Bali Post (Indonesian): The Head of Tourism, Anak Agung Putra Wedana, said that the Klungkung Regency Government is currently trying to organize nine Nusa Penida mainstay attractions, each of which already has a master plan. These objects include Atuh Beach and Tanjung Juntil, Diamond Beach, Kelingking Beach, Pasih Uug Beach/ Broken Beach, Angel Billabong, Tembeling Beach, Gamat Beach, Pandan Beach, and Teletubbies Hill. The Head of Tourism explained that structuring activities remain constrained by the problem of ownership assets around tourism objects, which had not yet been resolved in collaboration with local governments. "The target for 2022 is that the regional regulation on user fees will be changed, where tourists will no longer be charged a fee when entering Nusa Penida, but will be charged a fee when entering a tourist attraction. Therefore, the tourist attraction must really be managed as well as possible and equipped with supporting facilities” said Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Suwirta.
More...
Denpasar: ”One and a Half Years of Pandemic, Sales of Tofu and Tempe Slump” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Education
Nation: “National Assessment Vital for Mapping Learning Loss Amid Pandemic” from Antara
Nation: “Blend Online and Offline Learning Systems on School Reopening” from Antara
“Hoaxes, Misinformation Pose Biggest Challenge to Vaccination Program” from Antara: The Indonesian Health Ministry's spokesperson for COVID-19 Siti Nadia Tarmizi affirmed that the spread of hoaxes and misinformation on vaccination and COVID-19 posed the biggest challenge for the vaccination program's acceleration, education, and socialization. "The number of hoaxes and misinformation also continued to increase along with the amount of information we convey. Tarmizi remarked that the false narratives were mostly regarding the side effects of vaccination. "For instance, the information says that the recipient can die, become paralyzed, or be implanted with a chip after getting vaccinated," she revealed. "Meanwhile, the misinformation about COVID-19 was usually that canned milk, coconut water, and eucalyptus oil can cure COVID-19, whereas another hoax misguides people that they do not need any mask," Tarmizi stated. "The hoaxes make people hesitant, as they do not know whom to ask since socialization had not been conducted," she said.
“Health Minister Reveals Strategies to Coexist With Coronavirus“ from Antara: Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has revealed three strategies for coexisting with the coronavirus, which aim to balance health and economic life. The strategies comprise information technology-based health protocols, testing, and tracing programs, as well as treatment attempts, he informed. Referring to testing and tracking activities which will be improved to be more on target, the minister said. "The testing and tracing will not be a mass program anymore. The program will be applied only for epidemiological testing, not for screening," he said. The strategy will only target suspected patients and people who have come in close contact with symptomatic patients, Sadikin said.
Context: International media reports have frequently referred to Indonesia as having among the lowest testing and contact-tracing rates globally, and for focusing on securing vaccines at the expense of trying to enforce health protocols.
“Crypto Transactions in Indonesia Soar” from Kompas: The Ministry of Trade said that crypto asset transactions experienced an extraordinary surge in Indonesia, due to a significant increase in the number of customers and transactions. "As of July 2021, the number of crypto customers has reached 7.4 million people. In 2020 there were 4 million people, so it has doubled in a year. The transaction value has reached IDR 478.5 trillion as of July 2021, a significant increase from 2020 which is Rp 65 trillion," said Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga. Meanwhile, daily crypto trading transactions as of July 2021 reached IDR 2.3 trillion, up from 2020, which was only IDR 180 billion. Jerry explained that according to data from the Ministry of Trade, 80-90% of customers or users of crypto trading are generally young people aged 20-30 years. This forms an understanding that crypto as an asset and commodity has the potential as a digital product. Jerry said that in the future, crypto assets will try to be diversified, regulated, and legally ensured by the Ministry of Trade. "We will also make it more integrated by presenting a crypto exchange as many media have said about our statement," he said.
Of Interest
“Violence Against Women Up Amid Pandemic“ from Antara
“Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Officially Opened, Here’s the Complete Schedule of Indonesian Athletes” from Tempo
“Waves of Up to Six Meters in the Bali Strait Over the Next Three Days” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
“Goddess Saraswati Explained” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
“Australian Surfer Rescued From Surf at Berawa” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
How You Can Help
In response to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali and the resulting economic crisis, dozens of individuals and organizations have sprung into action, raising funds and distributing badly needed food and everyday essentials to the innumerable families who have suddenly found themselves without any source of income. We've been making an effort to document and raise awareness of these efforts. We will add information on projects in this space as we are able to confirm them. If you'd like to see a list of the efforts that we've featured so far and contribute to them with either time or money, visit our complete list here. You can also see a list of projects that have registered themselves with Bali Solidarity. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.
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