Friday, December 18
At least 133k people cancel flights after new health rules + Govt says 2.6 million locals will get vaccine; migrants must go home for theirs + Guv says Regents will decide on school reopening + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Friday, December 18. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your Inbox every Monday-Saturday morning, along with each evening’s Covid-19 update. If you are already a subscriber, thank you! Please be sure to share it with others in the foreigner community on the island by clicking the button below.
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Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook
Weather forecast from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Surf outlook via Windy.com.
Local Covid Numbers
*NOTE: Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.
The Big News
"US$22 million In Ticket Refunds Requested As New Swab Test Requirement for Bali Visitors Met with Public Backlash" from Coconuts: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) said that air passengers have requested refunds for about 133,000 flight tickets, citing data from online travel agents. “It’s quite concerning, according to the data that we have gathered [up until Tuesday night], there are refund requests from ticket buyers, as many as 133,000 flight tickets.” PHRI chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani said. According to Hariyadi, the trip cancellations could see Bali lose out on IDR997 billion (US$70.7 billion).
(Ed. Note: The government clarified yesterday that children under 12 who are traveling are exempt from the new requirements. Also, preliminary figures from Ngurah Rai Airport show that passenger volume continues to increase as we approach the holiday, in spite of the new regulations. 10,020 people arrived on Wednesday, with 11,000-12,000 expected by the end of Thursday. As of December 15, there’d been an average of 7,347 arrivals per day. Also, airlines have not yet canceled their flights. Original estimates for the holiday season were for 350,000 travelers to use the airport, including 177,000 arrivals. This would already be a drop of 80% from last year when 1.7 million passengers used the airport during the same period.)
"Bali Targeting 2.6 million Recipients of COVID-19 Vaccine" from Antara (Indonesian): "There is no (vaccines received) yet, our target is 2,696,000 people from the 18-59 year target for all citizens who have a Bali KTP [Bali Province Identity Card]," said the Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya. "This vaccine is for those who have a Bali KTP, according to their area and registered. The recipients will be health workers who are directly dealing with COVID-19, and who are directly dealing with the public from the TNI-Polri public service, including journalists," he said. The provision of the COVID-19 vaccine will be carried out in every health facility, starting from hospitals, clinics, posyandu, and puskesmas in the Bali region.
(Ed. Note: While the order of priority for recipients has been known for a while, this is the first time that a better outline of the Provincial Government’s vaccination plan has been revealed. The word that they intend to use all community health centers island-wide as distribution points comes a day after the Karangasem government said that’s how it would work there. The 2015 supplemental census counted a total of 4.2 million Indonesians living in Bali, so the focus on the almost 2.7 million who are registered as locals leaves a wide gap. There have been no figures released on how many non-Balinese may have left the island since the pandemic began. In another story, when pressed on the matter, Dr. Ketut said, that their plan was based on “the Bali KTP. They [migrants] already have ID cards in their respective regions of origin. We are based on the existing KTP." There is still no information on how foreigners residing in Bali will be handled.)
"Tabanan Entered the Red Zone, Face-to-Face Learning Threatened Canceled" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): New cases of Covid-19 in Tabanan Regency continue to climb. In fact, Tabanan is now in the red zone of Covid-19 transmission. The Tabanan Education Office has not dared to make a decision whether face-to-face learning at the SD and SMP education levels can be implemented or not. He emphasized that the Tabanan Regency Government, in this case the Education Office, prioritizes student safety and the condition of students' cognitive abilities and character in later application. "For face-to-face learning, keep watching the development of Covid-19 with careful consideration before opening the face-to-face learning system," said Secretary of the Tabanan Regency Covid-19 Task Force, I Gede Susila.
(Ed. Note: Buried in this story is the news that instead of making a decision of whether or not to open schools at the Provincial level, Governor Koster has delegated the authority to each regency. "According to the results of our meeting with the province, the policy is returned to the regions. So that we in the regions also see the conditions in Tabanan, which of course coordinate with the Tabanan Handling Task Force," said the Head of the Tabanan Education Office, I Nyoman Putra. "So the results of the meeting, then submitted to the Regent of Tabanan, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti, as the policy maker," said I Gede Susila. Over in Karangasem, the government there is voicing caution and will not yet commit to reopening schools here. "Now regarding this matter, we have not yet discussed it; we are very careful and still take into account the risks and are waiting for direction from the Province and the Center," said the Karangasem District Secretary, I Ketut Sedana Merta.)
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Other Headlines
"Rapid Antigen Test Required to Enter and Exit Jakarta" from Indonesia Expat: Head of the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, Syafrin Liputo, has stated that starting on Friday 18th December 2020 until 8th January 2021, travellers entering and leaving Jakarta must carry the results of a rapid antigen test. Syafrin explained that the need for the rapid test result has become a national policy. Every person traveling using public transportation in and out of Jakarta is required to have their results ready for inspection. The policy applies to all public transportation by air, sea, and land. However, for private vehicles, this policy is not applicable. Priority checks will be carried out on travellers using airplanes going to and from the Jakarta area.
"AirAsia Opens a Rapid Antigen Test Service Clinic and a PCR Swab Test in Bali" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): AirAsia customers can do a rapid antibody test for IDR 95,500, a swab / rapid antigen test starting from IDR 150,000 and a PCR-based swab test starting from IDR 700,000. This service is now available in various locations including Jabodetabek, Bali, Medan, Surabaya, Makassar, Lombok, Yogyakarta, Bengkulu, Ciamis, Palembang, Solo and Pontianak. For Bali, prospective passengers who need Rapid Antigen and RT-PCR services can visit the SOS Gatot Kaca Pratama Clinic, Jl. Gatot Kaca No.21, Dangin Puri Kauh, Denpasar. Operational Monday - Friday 09.00 -16.00 WITA, and Saturday 09.00 -12.00 WITA.
"Covid-19 Still High, Dozens of Foreigners in Bali Are Holding Parties, Ignore Health Protocols" from iNews Bali (Indonesian): A video showing dozens of foreign nationals holding a party at a bar in Canggu, Kuta, Bali , went viral on social media. The party ignores health protocol . Apart from crowding around, they also don't wear masks. In the video witnessed by iNews.id, dozens of foreigners witnessed a fashion show that was held to promote a clothing brand... Satpol PP will summon Pretty Bar owners and event organizers. Satpol PP will also check the bar's licensing. "The sanctions given are still awaiting investigation and statements from a number of people relating to the event," said Head of Investigation of the Badung Satpol PP, I Wayan Sukanta.
"PHRI Badung does not question the Compulsory Swab Koster Policy for Tourists" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Despite being a polemic in the community, the Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI) in Badung Regency, I Gusti Agung Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, did not question Koster's policy regarding mandatory swab and rapid tests for tourists to Bali. Rai Suryawijaya admitted that the SE regarding the Implementation of Community Activities during Christmas Holidays and welcoming the New Year 2021 in the New Era of Life in Bali Province to be an additional burden for tourists. However, he said, this policy was positive in order to free Bali from Covid-19. “I emphasize that the Governor of Bali does not close people from coming to Bali, so keep opening them. What people who come to Bali want is to be healthy. This health must be proven by PCR, ”he confirmed separately yesterday.
(Ed. Note: Travel industry leaders are falling in line behind the new restrictions. President Director of Garuda Indonesia Irfaniaputra, said, "We certainly hope that the provisions of the PCR-based swab examination can be interpreted as an effort to ensure a sense of security and comfort for the community during a healthy year-end holiday with family by always prioritizing the application of health protocols in their daily activities.")
"AirAsia, PHRI Join Forces to Boost Demand with Package Deals" from The Jakarta Post: The cooperation will allow customers to book AirAsia flights and hotels owned by PHRI members in a bundling scheme via the airline’s website. But customers will still be able to book the two services without the bundling. PHRI chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani said on Wednesday that its hotel members would offer “their best rates” and that AirAsia promised to do the same. More than 5,000 hotel members of the PHRI, which have participated in a similar cooperation with online travel agents, are expected to join the program with AirAsia, according to Hariyadi. The hotels will be able to set their own rates and inventories for the special offers in the package deals.
"Indonesia to Redirect Stimulus Funds Toward Mass Vaccination" from The Jakarta Post: By Dec. 14, the government had spent 70% – or Rp 481.6 trillion (US$34.12 billion) – of the nation’s Rp 695.2 trillion stimulus package in an effort to strengthen the healthcare system and tend to the economy as it reeled from the coronavirus outbreak. “We think that it may not be possible to spend 100% of the budget this year,” Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the head of the economic recovery task force, told reporters during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “We have already had discussions that the remaining funds will be used for the national vaccination program.”
"One Machine Can Burn 600 Kg of Garbage Per Hour" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The procurement of an incinerator machine by the Badung Environment and Cleanliness Agency (LHK) has arrived, and is currently in the assembly process. "In July 2021, the condition of the TPA in Suwung is over capacity. In other words, it is no longer able to accommodate garbage,” said Head of LHK Badung I Wayan Puja. "In the future, Badung must be ready to process waste independently. That is why the procurement of these two incinerators is very helpful. We ask for public awareness to sort waste starting from the household level. So that the TPST Mengwitani will only process residual waste, which cannot be processed by the TPST at the village / kelurahan level," said Wayan Puja.
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 at BaliSolidarity.org. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to newsletter@migrationmedia.net.
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