Friday, March 19
Vaccinated people still must get swab tests to travel + Govt debating vaccine passports; Health Minister calls them "Risky" + Large swings in Covid cases around Jokowi visit cause doubts + more!
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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: After 225+ new cases on Wednesday and 300+ yesterday, it's probably safe to assume that everybody in Bali is back to work, that clinics are fully staffed, and folks who feel symptomatic are getting tested if they feel sick. Since testing data is not made available, it's impossible to know if these last two days represent the possible start of a surge, or backlogged testing results from the previous days. The number of deaths has been at 8 for the lst four days in a row. This has caused the 7-day running total to jump from 48 to 53 over that span, and it has pushed the month-to-date total (126) to within five of September's mark.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.
The Big News
"Vaccine Certificate for Travel Too Risky: Task Force" from Antara: The Task Force for COVID-19 Handling has said that making vaccination certificates a requirement for travel would be risky in the absence of individual immunity tests for those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. "In principle, we still need further study on the effectiveness of the vaccine in creating individual immunity in those who have been vaccinated,” task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito said. "Until now, it (vaccine certificates) remains a discourse," he said. Some countries such as China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have proposed similar requirements and are preparing to issue “vaccine passports” to promote travel.
"Even Though You Have Been Vaccinated, You Still Need a Swab or Rapid if You Are Traveling Outside the Region" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian): Covid-19 vaccination activities have been running in Bali Province. Health workers, the elderly, and people who work in public services have also been injected with the vaccine. Even though they have been vaccinated, someone who wants to travel outside the region still has to do a swab and rapid test. "The use of this swab or rapid is to prevent a person from catching the virus but he has no symptoms and there is still a virus in him. That is the possibility that a transition can still occur. So even though he has been vaccinated twice, travelers are still required to do a swab or rapid antigen," said Dr. Ketut Suarjaya, Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office.
"Jokowi Leaves, Bali Covid-19 Data Rises Again, Netizens Don't Believe Numbers" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Netizens find it strange with the data submitted for Bali. Where, before the president arrived in Bali, the Covid 19 cases, which usually numbered more than 200, dropped to 77 cases on Tuesday (16/3). However, after Jokowi returned to Jakarta on Wednesday (17/3), the number immediately rose drastically to 227. In fact, the latest data as released on Thursday (18/3) said that positive Covid 19 in Bali reached 306 people. With numbers like this, many netizens hope that Jokowi should only work in Bali for a month, compared to Sandiaga Uno, who is based in Bali. "We ask Pak Jokowi to have an office in Bali only. Pak Sandiaga will return to Jakarta," quipped netizens.
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Other Headlines
Green Zones & Reopening News
"Kadispar Bali Called Covid-Free Zones in 3 Regions Will be Evaluated Every 2 Weeks, This is the Reason" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian): Head of the Bali Tourism Office (Kadispar), Putu Astawa said that the implementation of the Free Covid Corridor or FCC (Covid Free Zone) in three areas, namely Sanur, Nusa Dua and Ubud, will be evaluated every two weeks. The evaluation itself was carried out as part of the government's move to review whether the policy could be extended back to other tourist destination areas in Bali. "But there must be a selective stage. Because this is a very dynamic corridor. "We will evaluate it every two weeks so that it can be expanded again," he said. Moreover, according to him, the FCC policy is still a pilot project. He also said that if all destination areas in Bali are opened simultaneously, according to him, they must have truly optimal readiness. This is because this policy puts the name of Bali at stake in the international world.
More...
"This Is the 'Timeline' of Ubud Reopening" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"The Green Zone of Tourism in Bali is Still Limited" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
"Not Entering the Green Zone, Nusa Penida Finishes the CHSE Certification" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
Vaccination Update
"Ministry Upbeat that 1.1 mln Astrazeneca Vaccine Doses Will Be Administered in May" from Antara: The Health Ministry expressed optimism that 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, procured under the Covax multilateral scheme and the World Health Organization (WHO), would be administered before its expiry date in May 2021. "We are optimistic, as currently, 250 thousand to 350 thousand doses of the vaccine are administered daily. It means we can administer 1.1 million doses of the vaccine within six days," the ministry's spokesperson on COVID-19 vaccination, Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, noted... The Health Ministry expressed optimism that 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, procured under the Covax multilateral scheme and the World Health Organization (WHO), would be administered before its expiry date in May 2021. "We are optimistic, as currently, 250 thousand to 350 thousand doses of the vaccine are administered daily. It means we can administer 1.1 million doses of the vaccine within six days," the ministry's spokesperson on COVID-19 vaccination, Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, noted.
More...
Nation: "4,838,752 People Receive Covid-19 Vaccine Until March 18" from Antara
Nation: “INACA: Aviation Industry Workers Get Vaccinated for April 2021" from Antara (Indonesian)
Island: "AstraZeneca Vaccine Will Be Used for Vaccination of 3 Green Zones in Bali" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
Island: "Cruise Ship Workers from Bali Confused by the Vaccination Mechanism" from The IDN Times (Indonesian)
Badung: "Drive Thru Vaccination Target 5,890 People, Badung Chases Green Zone Target" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Buleleng: "Vaccination Phase II Reaches 54.62%" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "8,400 Teachers in Denpasar Are Proposed to Get Vaccines" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Gianyar: "Targeting the Elderly, Gianyar Diskes Opens Vaccination Post in Gianyar Square" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Tabanan Asks for Additional 10,000 Vaccine Doses" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
Denpasar: "Pemprov Reopens Renon Field, Kasatpol PP Bali Conveys This Message" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Denpasar Yustisi Team Nets 24 Prokes Violators" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Bali Becomes Priority, Government Prepares Working Capital for Hotel and Restaurant Entrepreneurs" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian): The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs stated that there will be a special working capital loan for hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs that is being discussed with the Financial Services Authority (OJK). Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said that a grace period would also be extended after the payment is due or a grace period of 2 years provided that the business has prospects.
"Forest in Lokapaksa Cleared, People Furious" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Illegal logging (logging or illegal logging) allegedly occurred in state forest in the Lokapaksa Village area, Seririt District. The forest area of about 400 hectares was allegedly cleared by a group of people and then diverted to porang farming. This made some villagers furious. As revealed by a resident named Kadek Suwirta, 44. Kadek Suwirta admitted that he was worried about the forest clearing action in Lokapaksa Village. The reason is, there is concern that this action will cause disasters for the community, such as drought, to floods and landslides. He also hopes that law enforcement officials will immediately take firm action against the perpetrators who are suspected of clearing forests so that the forest remains sustainable.
"DJ Gebby's Bar in Bali on Fire at the Opening, Sold in 2 Minutes" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Bar and Club D'Vesta owned by DJ Gebby Vesta, located on Jalan Raya Seminyak Number 19, Kuta, Badung Regency, caught fire during the Grand Opening, Wednesday, at 19.00 WITA. Head of the Badung Fire and Rescue Service, I Wayan Wirya, revealed that the source of the fire was allegedly from a fire dance at the opening of the restaurant. The fire was suspected to have occurred due to sparks of the fire hula hoop dance show . The second floor at the scene was saved from the rage of the red rooster. The Badung Regency Damkar Team launched its eight brandweer units from the five closest posts. The blackout process lasts for about 2 hours. Due to this incident, the loss was estimated at Rp 1 billion.
Of Interest
"Foreigner Breaking Into ATMs in Bali Recorded On CCTV" from The Bali Sun
"70% of the Dog Population in Denpasar City Is Still Wild" from The IDN Times (Indonesian)
"Gen Z and Gen X are Bali's Population Domination; Millennials are in Third Place" from The IDN Times (Indonesian)
"Hundreds of Uninhabitable Houses in Buleleng Will Be Renovated This Year" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
"Suspected of Having an Affair With a Security Guard, the Wife of the Police Was Raided by Her Husband at the Villa" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
The View from Outside
"Cover Up: Indonesian Women Pressed to Wear Islamic Headscarves" from Agence France-Presse: The world's biggest Muslim majority country recognizes six official religions and has pockets of Christians, Hindus and other minorities living around the nation. But the growing strength of religious conservatism in recent years has fueled fears of rising intolerance -- a force also directed against Muslims like Rohani and her family. Schoolgirls, female teachers and civil servants across Indonesia are often forced or pressured to wear Islamic head coverings, according to a report published Thursday by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The pressure extends to Christians and other non-Muslim minorities and has "increased substantially in recent years", the study said.
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 TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.
About This Newsletter
This newsletter is a product of Migration Media, the hub for stories from and about the international migrant experience.
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We only include news items from established media sources
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