December 17, 2021
Omicron arrives in Indonesia + Bali’s New Year’s celebrations get go-ahead, but with health protocols + Amnesty: Indonesia’s human rights record is alarming + more
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Daily Covid Update
National Figures
Local Figures
The Big News
“Omicron Arrives in Indonesia” from The Jakarta Globe: The government announced on Thursday that the Omicron variant had been detected in Indonesia. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that one of three cleaning workers at Wisma Atlet Kemayoran — a government-sponsored athlete village, turned into a quarantine and isolation facility for Covid-19 patients and overseas travelers in Jakarta — tested positive for Omicron following gene sequencing tests. Budi Gunadi Sadikin also revealed five other probable Omicron cases, including two Indonesian citizens who had recently returned from the United States and the United Kingdom. Both are isolated at Wisma Atlet. The other three were foreigners from China, currently staying in an isolation facility in Manado, North Sulawesi.
Context: In related news, the Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate appealed to the public to not panic, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin asked people not to travel abroad during the holidays, and the Vice President asked regions to increase vigilance. Meanwhile the government has loosened quarantine regulations for foreigners who hold official visas, foreign officials and entourages on state visits, as well as participants from G-20 delegations. Bali Health Service announced no cases of Omicron have been detected in Bali so far (Indonesian).
“Celebrate New Years in Bali But No Crowding, Fireworks Await Governor's Decision” from VOI (Indonesian): The Daily Chair of the Bali Province COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Dewa Made Indra, said the provincial government would follow government policies related to anticipating the spread of Omicron during Christmas-New Year's. To anticipate the spread of COVID-19, especially the new variant of Omicron during Christmas-New Year, Bali Governor Wayan Koster will hold a meeting of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum throughout the Bali Province on Sunday. As for New Year's celebrations, Indra ensured that public facilities such as public squares or city parks would be subject to restrictions, however, the Bali Provincial Government does not prohibit the celebration of Christmas-New Year as long as it applies health protocols. The issue of fireworks, said Indra, will be discussed in the Bali Forkopimda forum.
“Indonesia’s 2021 Human Rights Record ‘Alarming’ Says Amnesty” from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall): Amnesty International Indonesia has recorded an increase in attacks against the country’s human rights defenders this year alongside continued restrictions on the exercise of free speech, developments the organization has called “alarming”. The rights group recorded 95 attacks against 297 activists, government critics, students, journalists, indigenous people and other victims this year, ranging from intimidation to physical abuse, an increase from last year’s 93 incidents affecting 253 victims. Police and military personnel, as well as officials from the central government and local administrations, allegedly took part in 55 of this year’s incidents.
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Other Headlines
“Ahead of Lombok’s MotoGP, Hotel Reservations are at 100%” from Bali Bisnis (Indonesian): Rooms at 5-star hotels such as Pullman, Radja Hotel and Novotel in Mandalika have been fully booked by the MotoGP crew. Meanwhile, hotels in Mataram and Senggigi have also been booked by the audience. Chairman of the Senggigi Hotels Association I Ketut M. Jaya Kusuma explained that at Senggigi, bookings for MotoGP guests were 99% for five-star hotels. Even though the MotoGP event is three months away, the audience chooses to book hotels early so they don't run out of rooms like at World Superbike. The target audience for MotoGP is predicted to reach 200,000 people, with such an audience, all hotels in Lombok, both star and non-star, will be full. "Foreign guests are still constrained by restrictions, so currently the dominant one is from Indonesia," he said.
Vaccination Update
“Two Doses of Moderna, Janssen, Pfizer Vaccines Less Effective Against Omicron” from Reuters (Indonesian): A study conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard, and MIT, revealed the effectiveness of three Covid-19 vaccines, namely Moderna, Johnson & Johnson (Janssen), and Pfizer, against the Omicron variant. As a result, the three vaccines provided 'significantly less' protection against the Omicron variant. "But with the booster dose of vaccine or booster, a third injection is likely to restore most of protection," written in a study published on Tuesday, December 14.
Context: Media on Wednesday reported Sinovac provided an inadequate shield against Omicron. Roughly 80% of vaccinations in Indonesia are with Sinovac or Sinopharm.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia to Expedite Omicron Booster Rollout” from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Nation: “Only 3 Provinces Have a Vaccination Rate Over 70%” from CNN Indonesia (Indonesian)
Nation: “Mataram Can't Implement Covid-19 Vaccines for Children 6-11 Years” from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: “Police Target 500 Vaccinations a Day” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Vaccination Is Targeted for Three Weeks, First Day 5,000 Children” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Task Force Adds Isolation Sites Capacity Ahead of Holidays” from Antara: The national COVID-19 Handling Task Force has boosted the capacity of self-isolation sites to anticipate a rise in the number of travelers arriving from abroad ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays. "In addition, the quarantine period in Indonesia has been extended from seven days to ten days," head of the task force, Lieutenant General Suharyanto, said on Thursday. He predicted that the number of travelers will increase in the next few days. Therefore, the task force has prepared the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital at Jakarta Athlete’s Village, he said. Tower 7 of the complex will be specifically used to quarantine Indonesian Migrant Workers, he said. In addition, the Nagrak Cilincing Flats, North Jakarta, will serve as an alternative self-isolation facility, he said. "The places can accommodate more than four thousand people. Thus, neither place will be too crowded with people,” the task force head added.
Economy & Infrastructure
“Losses Due to Nusa Penida Flash Floods Estimated at Over IDR 3.6 Billion” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): The flash flood that occurred on Nusa Penida has an estimated material loss amounting to Rp 3.6 billion. This loss is according to temporary data from the Klungkung BPBD based on reports from each village affected by the banjir bandang disaster. The head of the Klungkung BPBD, Putu Widiada, S, Sos, said the number of losses was based on reports from villages affected by flash floods, namely Sakti Village, Suana Village, Batununggul Village, Ped Village, Kutampi Kaler Village, Batumadeg Village, including Lembongan Island which also reported damage.
More...
Badung: “Commodity Prices Stable, Except for Cooking Oil and Chili” from Bali Bisnis (Indonesian)
Bali Reopening
“Bali Only Received 45 International Tourists in 2021 Despite Reopening” from CNN: Due to strict border control measures and a closed airport, Bali went from receiving millions of international visitors to welcoming just 45 in 2021. Compare that to about 6.2 million international arrivals in 2019 and 1.05 million in 2020. "That is the lowest number of foreign tourist visits we've ever recorded," said Nyoman Gede Gunadika, section head of tourism for Bali Province. The two-digit number accounts for the period between January and October 2021 and was confirmed by the Central Statistics Bureau of Bali. As the island's Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar has been closed to international flights nearly all year, those tourists have almost all come via private yachts. In order to come to Bali, foreign tourists have to deal with strict Covid-related entry requirements. They must obtain a business visa at a cost of $300 (there are no tourist visas at present), take multiple PCR tests and buy special health insurance.
Context: This story was covered by the local press on Tuesday. The B211 Business visa is a valid tourist visa. In 2021 Indonesia has attracted around 150,000 entries by foreigners, while numbers from the Americas and Europe are low, roughly half were from ASEAN. As Bali Airport only opened in the middle of October and is yet to receive a single international flight, tourists have instead arrived via Jakarta. The CNN story focuses on private yacht arrivals direct to Bali. Meanwhile the Bali Hotel Association is aiming for 30,000 domestic tourists over the holiday period (Indonesian).
More...
“PHRI Badung Plans Bali Tourism Recovery Proposal” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
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Weekend Reads
“Indonesian Police and Vigilante Groups: An Implicit Double Standard” from Fulcrum
“Regeneration of Farmers to Maintain the Existence of Subak in Bali” from Kompas (Paywall, Indonesian)
“From Linggasana to Gunung Sari, Traces of Civil War and Gardens of the Kings” from Lombok Post (Indonesian)
Of Interest
“Death Toll of Indonesians Aboard Sunken Ship Climbs to 16” from Antara
“East Java Earthquake Damages 31 Houses in Jember” from Tempo
“6 Komodo Dragons Native to Indonesia Hatched at Bronx Zoo” from Coconuts Bali
“Four Suspected Terrorists Arrested in South Sumatra, Investigate Christmas/New Year’s Terror Plan” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
“Mandalika Bracelet Seller Who Went Viral Is Embarrassed to Be Famous” from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
“Parents Exploiting Children, Ordered to Beg & Busking on the Street” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
“‘Forgotten' Animals Rescued After Indonesia Volcano Eruption” from CNA
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How You Can Help Bali
Due to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali, tens of thousands of families have found themselves with a greatly reduced income—if any. If you’d like to support organizations working to help those in need, you can see a list of some here.
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