Monday, February 22
Govt extends PPKM until March 8 + Minister clarifies foreigner entry policy + As funding expires, govt cancels hotel isolation scheme for asymptomatic patients; some regencies vow to continue + 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: Yesterday's new case numbers were unusual for the weekend in that they were at a level that is usually seen on on a weekday. Recoveries slipped from Saturday, so the number of active cases rose. Fatalities inched up, keeping month-to-date deaths (191) ⬆️24% vs. September's pace.
For the week that was (Feb. 14-20), there was more evidence that the island has passed the post-New Year holiday peak, as new cases were ⬇️15% (-339) & surging recoveries moved the In Treatment number ⬇️18% (-532). But Denpasar saw another week of growing cases (795, ⬆️3.25%) while Karangasem surged the most (76, ⬆️49%).
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers, which includes a look back at last week’s overall totals.
The Big News
"Govt Extends Micro-scale Social Restrictions Till March 8" from Antara: The government has extended the implementation of micro-scale public activity restriction (PPKM) in Java and Bali to the period of Feb 23-Mar 8, COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (KPC-PEN) Chief Airlangga Hartarto stated. Within a week of having imposed micro-scale PPKM, the number of active COVID-19 cases significantly reduced by 17.27% nationwide. A declining trend was also recorded in the five provinces of Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java. "The bed occupancy ratio (BOR) trend has also declined, with all provinces having recorded a BOR trend of up to 70%," he pointed out.
"When Can Foreigners Return to Indonesia? This Said the Coordinating Minister for Airlangga" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): Foreign nationals are still restricted from coming to Indonesia. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, said on Saturday that foreigners who are allowed to come to Indonesia are to have special permits and essential business interests. He also said that foreigners who can enter come from countries that have a bilateral travel corridor agreement with Indonesia. "So of course, some people can enter, but follow health protocols." In the policy of allowing foreigners to enter Indonesia, self-quarantine is mandatory upon arrival. They must be quarantined for 5 days in their chosen hotel and undergo a PCR swab test on the first and fifth day. "The hotels that are chosen are of course at the expense of the foreigners who come," he said.
"Bali Stops Isolation of Covid-19 Patients in Hotels, OTG Asked for Home Quarantine" from Bali Bisnis (Indonesian): The Provincial Government of Bali will temporarily suspend isolation of Covid-19 patients at the Quarantine Hotel on February 28, 2021 because there is no certainty about financing people without mild symptoms (OTG-GR) and health workers. Secretary of the Bali Covid-19 Handling Task Force I Made Rentin said payments for the OTG-GR Quarantine Hotel and Covid-19 Nakes came from the Ready-to-Use Fund (DSP) of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) only until February 28, 2021. So that the evacuation of positive cases of Covid -19 to hotels where quarantine starting February 19, 2021 is temporarily suspended and directed to self-isolation at home.
Context: After an outcry over the change in policy from virologists and worry from citizens, some in government tried to put a positive spin on the satiation, with one provincial legislator saying the independent isolation would be OK because it was “less stressful” than being isolated in a hotel. Meanwhile, officials from several regency governments have been quick to assure people that as they wait for a possible extension of the federal funding program, they will continue to pay for the housing of asymptomatic Covid patients. Buleleng, which has cited a Rp. 200,000/day cost per patient, Klungkung, and Bangli will each maintain the status quo and use hotels as isolation centers. Denpasar’s government has decided that it will revert to the self-isolation method for now. There were no reports of the plans of other regency governments as of press time.
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Other Headlines
"Covid Increases, Call It Not PPKM Failure, This Is The Excuse Of Regent Suwirta" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Klungkung Regent I Nyoman Suwirta emphasized that the addition of the Covid-19 cases was not due to the failure of the PPKM. "Positive cases have increased because indeed we are carrying out tracing (tracing) strictly according to central recommendations," said the Regent from Nusa Ceningan. Not bad, according to him, the increase in Covid-19 cases because strict tracing will actually prevent the wider spread of the corona virus. Where those who are exposed to Covid-19 but have no symptoms can be handled immediately. "With more and more we are opening (finding) of course positive cases symptomatic and asymptomatic are certainly visible. And it is precisely when everything is visible, then it will be easier for us to take the next step. This is a must for us," he said.
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
"Entering the Red Zone, Changing Covid-19 Handling Policy Protested" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The implementation of restrictions on micro-scale community activities (PPKM) at the village level, which has been running and will end on February 22, is a burden for the government in the village. This is because the micro-scale PPKM that is on the road at the village level has absolutely no injection of funds from the central and regional governments. In addition, there are continuing changes to the rules for handling Covid-19. Moreover, currently there is a new regulation that Covid-19 patients with the status of people without symptoms (OTG) are no longer quarantined at hotels, but self-quarantine at home.
More...
Nation: "Over 1,000 Returnees Test Positive despite Having Covid-Free Certificate" from The Jakarta Globe
Denpasar: "Crowd and Ignore Prokes, Queues for Noodle Stores in Peguyangan Regulated" from The Bali Sun (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Inspection at Three Points, Denpasar City Yustisi Team Did Not Find Prokes Violators" from Bali Puspa news (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Viral on Social Media, Foreigners Action to Block the Road in Denpasar, This is the Police Response" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian)
Gianyar: "Joint Officers Still Find Dim Cafe Still Open Past Limits" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Vaccination Update
"Bali Receives 130,300 Doses of Second Stage Covid-19 Vaccine" from Republika (Indonesian): This second stage vaccine is intended for the elderly (elderly), TNI-Polri, public services in the market, and journalists. "Now the second priority vaccine is in Denpasar City, later it will come again and then in another regency, it will be resolved in the area with the most cases first. Now coming, tomorrow, starting distribution to services as well as preparing for who gets vaccinated early," said the Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya.
More...
Buleleng: "Implementation of Vaccine Phase Two in Buleleng, Just Waiting for Technical Guidance and Schedule" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Dozens of Thousands of Vaccines Are Prioritized for This Red Zone" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
Gianyar: "Gianyar [Waits to] Complete Phase II Vaccination" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Economy News
"Trillions Have Been Poured Out, the Occupancy Is Still Small, the Hotel Chooses to Close" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the occupancy rate or occupancy of hotels in Badung Regency has not shown any signs of increasing. Until now, hotel occupancy rates are still single digits, or between 5-9%. In fact, the government has disbursed funds of around Rp1.18 trillion as tourism grants for hotels, restaurants and district / city governments in Bali... The Head of PHRI Badung, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, said that not all hotels are open, because the arrival of domestic tourists to Bali is around 2,800 people per day. Of course this is far from being enough to fill the hotels. "Now 2,800 per day, meanwhile we have 146,000 rooms. It's very far from the arrival of domestic tourists. Meanwhile, their length of stay is only three days. You can count. That's the reason so many hotels are temporarily closed. If they open it, they will still lose. For example, a hotel with 100 rooms and only 5 rooms, that's their loss," he concluded.
More...
"Tabanan Unemployment Rate Soars Significantly, Reached This Far" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali Airport is Targeted to Achieve ISO 50001: 2018 Certification" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian)
"How Coal, Renewables Have Replaced Oil in Indonesia’s Energy Mix" from The Jakarta Post (Paywall)
Tourism Figures
"The Beginning of the Year the Movement of Passengers at Ngurah Rai Airport Has Decreased" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): The movement of passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has fallen by 89.73% in the calculation of January 1, 2021 to February 18, 2021 compared to the same period last year ( year on year / YoY). Based on data from the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Authority, during January 1, 2021 to February 18, 2021, there were only 305,593 passenger movements. In contrast to the conditions in the same period last year, the number reached 2.97 million passengers. Aircraft movement has also decreased, although the percentage is not as large as passengers. During January 1, 2021 to February 18, 2021, there were only 4,972 aircraft movements or a decrease of 76.02% YoY from 20,735 aircraft movements.
"Thousands of Parents in Klungkung Do Not Give Permission to Face-to-Face Learning" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The Klungkung Regency Education Office has carried out factual verification of all schools, both SD, SMP, SMA and SMK in Klungkung Regency regarding the readiness of health protocols in implementing face-to-face learning systems (PTM). From the verification carried out, it turned out that there were thousands of students who did not get permission from their parents to take part in PTM. Head of the Klungkung Regency Education Office, I Ketut Sujana, revealed that a total of 31,956 students received parental permission to participate in PTM. Namely 15,566 elementary school students, 7,211 junior high school students, and 9,179 high school / vocational high school students. Then about 2,709 students did not get parental permission to take part in PTM.
"Allegedly Discarded, Baby Found in a Cardboard on the Street" from Bali Express (Indonesian): A female baby was found by a resident in front of the house of one of the residents, Jalan Gunung Lawu Number 11, Pemecutan Klod, West Denpasar, Saturday. The poor baby was placed in a box complete with blankets, gloves and feet, pampers, and also the umbilical cord that was still attached. The poor baby was put on the road by an irresponsible person suspected of being his parents. "The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Denpasar City ambulance team evacuated the baby to Prima Medika Hospital," explained the Head of Denpasar BPBD, Ida Bagus Joni Ari Wibawa. He said, the condition of the baby when he was found was in good health. It is estimated that the abandoned baby was only two to four days old.
Of Interest
"Not Also Found, the Search for Three Missing Anglers Is Stopped" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Batu Paras Landslide in Gianyar, Bali, Closing the Access Road to Pura Indrakila" from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
"Heavy Rain and Strong Winds, Crossing Closed" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
"Governor Clarifies Guidelines on Endek Bali" from Bali Discovery
"Figure and Profile of I Gede Ardika, Former Minister of Culture and Tourism from Singaraja Bali, Who Passed Away Today" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian)
"1st Art Exhibition (ART) Enlivens Seminyak Village" from radar Bali (Indonesian)
The View from Outside
"Is the Party Over for Bali’s Digital Nomads?" from The Independent: Before the pandemic, the Indonesian island had a reputation for welcoming thousands of remote workers to hotspots like Canggu, Ubud, and Uluwatu to decorate their co-working spaces and niche cafes with laptops and wireless headphones. According to remote working tool Nomad List, at least 5,000 digital nomads were working from Canggu, Bali’s zeitgeisty neighbourhood, before Covid hit. That was also before the current travel ban and recent deportation of two travel influencers, which could mark the end of an era for digital nomads in Bali. Both these cases have raised complex questions around the status of these remote workers in Bali.
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.
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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