July 22, 2021

Local govt. eases some restrictions as Bali sees record 1,111 daily cases + Oxygen stocks still safe, only delivery delays says Bali health office + Foreigner entry restrictions expanded + more

Jul 21, 2021

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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: Bali announced a new daily record of 1,111 cases yesterday, while 23 deaths bring this month's total fatalities to 280. July is already the province's deadliest month of the pandemic by far; the previous one was February with 239 fatalities.

Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.

The Big News

"Bali Gov’t Eases Some Covid Restrictions as Province Reports Record 1,111 New Daily Cases" from Coconuts Bali: The coronavirus outbreak in Bali is not showing any signs of slowing down with the province reporting a new daily record of 1,111 cases today, but the rapid escalation has been met with some eased restrictions that are expected to last until at least the end of this week. Bali’s new daily record broke on the last day of the Emergency Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (Emergency PPKM) that started in early July, and while you’d think the situation would result in an extension to the tighter restrictions, officials have instead announced that a few restrictions had been eased. According to a new circular issued Wednesday, businesses in the non-essential sector across Bali are now allowed to operate at 25% capacity until 9pm, after they were mandated to close completely under the first phase of the Emergency PPKM. In addition, restaurants and other types of food sellers are now allowed to operate for an extra hour until 9pm. While the official circular [from the central government] stated that restaurants are only allowed to open for delivery and takeaways, a statement issued by the provincial government is using more ambiguous language: “[It is] recommended that they prioritize deliveries,” the statement reads.

Context: This is the circular issued by the Bali Provincial Government on Tuesday that slightly differs from the central government’s PPKM Level 3 and 4 restrictions, which are practically the same as those under Emergency PPKM.

"Claims Bali's Oxygen Stocks Still Safe, Head of Health: No Shortages, Only Delivery Delays" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office (Kadiskes) Ketut Suarjaya asked the public not to worry about the news of the oxygen cylinder crisis in Bali. In fact, he ensured that the need for oxygen cylinders in Bali was still met for every referral hospital for Covid-19 patients. According to Suarjaya, until now the availability of oxygen can still cover the needs for Covid-19 patients. However, he said that there was a slight delay in the delivery of oxygen cylinders to Bali. The reason is that the majority of oxygen cylinders in Bali come from various oxygen factories in East Java Province. "There are no shortages, only shipping delays from East Java," he added. He mentioned the high number of Covid-19 positive patients who are asymptomatic, so that there are those who carry out centralized isolation and self-isolation, and do not require oxygen.

Context: Several Bali state hospitals have raised concerns over low oxygen availability, including Buleleng, Tabanan, Jembrana, and Klungkung. Meanwhile, private hospitals have begun to turn away Covid-19 patients due to uncertain oxygen levels.

"Restrictions on Foreigners Entering Indonesia Expanded" from Indonesia Expat: The Law and Human Rights Minister, Yasonna Laoly, has officially expanded restrictions on foreigners allowed to enter Indonesia during the PPKM period. Announced on 21st July, this expansion is contained in the Law and Human Rights Minister regulation number 27 of 2021 concerning restrictions on foreigners entering Indonesia during the enforcement period of emergency PPKM. “In this regulation, foreigners who may enter Indonesian territory are only holders of diplomatic visas and service visas, holders of diplomatic stay permits and service stay permits, holders of limited stay permits and permanent stay permits, foreigners with health and humanitarian purposes, and crew of transportation equipment who came with the means of transportation,” Yasonna said. “Thus, foreign workers who previously came as part of a national strategic project or for reasons of family union can no longer enter Indonesia as per this regulation."

Context: The major difference in these expanded restrictions is that those carrying a social visa (B211) can no longer enter during the period of enforcement. The government’s expanded restrictions document is embedded in the article above.

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Other Headlines

"Message Circulating Regarding Sanglah Hospital Overwhelmed by Referral Patients, Managing Director Wayan Sudana Speaks Up" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): General Director of Sanglah Hospital, Dr. Wayan Sudana, spoke about the news that Sanglah Hospital was overwhelmed with receiving Covid-19 referral patients. The message is being spread on WhatsApp. Dr. Sudana said that the condition of the availability of oxygen and health workers at Sanglah Hospital so far is quite smooth. And indeed the distribution of oxygen to hospitals in Bali is done gradually and not all at once. The Bali Health Office has fulfilled the oxygen requirements at Sanglah Hospital, he said. On average, Sanglah Hospital requires 8-9 tons of liquid oxygen per day and 40-50 cylinders of gas cylinders per day. In addition, Sudana also confirmed that a number of hospitals referred patients due to lack of oxygen. This is of course because Sanglah Hospital is the referral center for Covid-19 so far.

Vaccination Update

Nation: "Over 16.45 Million Indonesians Fully Vaccinated Against Covid-19" from Antara

Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services

"High Mortality Rate, Heads of Java-Bali Region Asked for Evaluation" from Bali Post (Indonesian): The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves), Luhut B. Pandjaitan, asked regional heads in the PPKM Level 4 Java and Bali areas to evaluate the high mortality rate. Luhut said testing, tracing, and treatment should be executed immediately. "I think this can run even more massively, especially as a mitigation of possible spikes after Eid al-Adha over the next two weeks," he said. According to him, the President of Indonesia has requested regional heads to have definite data regarding patients who have died, and whether they have been vaccinated or not. He added that the availability of oxygen, treatment by hospitals, and access to drugs must also receive attention.

More...

Province: "During the Emergency PPKM Period 3-20 July 2021, Bali Police Turned Back 28,595 Vehicles" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "Bali Police Takes Firm Action Against Medical Device Cartels" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "All Attractions in Denpasar City Still Closed" from Republika (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "PPKM Level 3, Prokes Enforcement Intensified in Denpasar" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Fulfilling Needs, Sanglah Hospital Receives Thousands of Tons of Liquid Oxygen" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Joint Team Finds 6 Residents Violating Prokes in Jembrana" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)

Economy & Infrastructure

"Governor of Bali Says Central Government Has Donated Almost IDR 1 Trillion in Aid to Bali Community" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): The Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, said the total social assistance for the community that had been realized from January to July 2021 from the Ministry of Social Affairs was Rp.449 billion. In addition, there is also a Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance (BLTDD) from the Ministry of Villages and Disadvantaged Regions of the Republic of Indonesia in the amount of Rp.160 billion, as well as Productive Assistance for Micro Enterprises (BPUM) from the Ministry of Cooperatives of the Republic of Indonesia amounting to Rp.287 billion. The assistance will be provided continuously every month through PT Pos Indonesia and Bank Himbara. Koster also explained that the recipients of Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT)/Food Social Assistance (BSP) themselves amounted to 144,303 Beneficiary Families (KPM), the amount of assistance was Rp.200,000 per month for a year. The aid itself since January-July 2021 that has been disbursed is as much as Rp.163 billion. Koster added that this assistance would be increased by Rp.200,000 for 2 months, July and August.

More...

Nation: "Govt Extends Electricity Discount to End of Year" from The Jakarta Post
Nation: "Food Security on the Rise, Yet Pandemic Takes its Toll" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Nation: "Shopping Centers Ask Govt to Subsidize 50% of Workers' Salaries” from Antara
Denpasar: "Denpasar City Government Gives Aid to 14,477 Residents" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)

Education

"Class Struggles: How Online Schooling Magnifies Indonesia’s Social Disparities" from The Jakarta Post: Online education has exposed and, in many cases, widened the discrepancies between the educational experiences of children of different socioeconomic backgrounds. Nadya Lumy is a rising 12th grader at Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS), and the past year has been a challenge for her. Like most teenagers, she misses being able to see her schoolmates in person and enjoy the human connection that screens cannot provide. But Nadya’s frustration and sadness, while acute, is of a different character than that of underprivileged teenagers such as Rahmi, a 15-year-old student at Nara Kreatif, who barely has the means to attend virtual classes, let alone chat with her friends online.

"Super Air Jet Unveils 6 Destinations Ahead of Inaugural Flight" from Coconuts Jakarta: Super Air Jet, the Indonesian low-cost carrier that is daring to take off amid a pandemic, has unveiled the first six airports it will serve ahead of the airline’s inaugural flight. Sadly, the IDR426K (US$29) Jakarta-Bali flight is not among its first routes. Instead, the airline will begin by serving routes connecting destinations it has deemed to be especially popular among its millennial target market, which are Jakarta, Palembang, Padang, Batam, Medan, and Pontianak. “Super Air Jet will operate [out of those cities] with one return flight each day,” Super Air Jet CEO Ari Azhari said in a statement today. The airline is expected to add to its domestic routes in the future, Ari said, potentially pitting it against the likes of established airlines Lion Air and Citilink, among others. Ari did not give a specific date for Super Air Jet’s inaugural flight, only that the airline is expected to launch in the near future.

"A Star is Born: Former President SBY Appears in Hollywood Film (for One Second)" from The Jakarta Post: Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) appears for a split second in the 2021 Hollywood film “The Tomorrow War”, starring Chris Pratt and J.K. Simmons. The sci-fi action film tells the story of an alien invasion in 2051 that prompts soldiers from that year to travel back in time to 2022 in search of military backup. The film shows a news segment that includes a clip of SBY meeting former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown on March 31, 2009, during the G20 summit in London. The clip was shared by Democratic Party politician and member of the Sijunjung Regional Legislative Council (DPD) Redi Susilo on his Instagram page. “SBY is there among other great leaders,” he wrote. Herzaky Mahendra Putra, chair of the Democratic Party’s strategic communications body, said SBY was depicted in the film as one of the world leaders working to save the world. "Surely, this is a good thing that we should be proud of and grateful for because, first, one of the best sons of Indonesia, the sixth president of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was included in a film scene that was widely screened around the world as a protagonist and a decisive [figure]."

Video: "The Battle for Indonesia's Gold Island" from BBC News: A Canadian-listed mining company has been granted a concession over more than half of an Indonesian island. Environmentalists say the gold mine threatens Sangihe island's ancient forests, which are home to endemic birds. And locals fear it will affect their water supply. Mining on small islands in Indonesia was off-limits until a controversial pro-business bill was passed last year. The BBC went to visit the remote island to see what’s at stake.

Of Interest

"Efforts Ongoing to Trace West Kalimantan's 33 Missing Fishermen: SAR" from Antara
"Not Just Dancing, Bali Enters 15 Most Popular World Destinations on TikTok" from Detik (Indonesian)
"Russian Citizen Who Was Wandering On Bali's Canggu Beach While Positive for COVID-19 Deported" from Kumpuran (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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