Monday, January 4
Operation to distribute vaccine kicks off amid conflicting reports of final OK from BPOM + Dec. is pandemic's worst month & new spike expected + All regencies cancel school reopenings + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Monday, January 4. [Happy Perihelion!] If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your Inbox every Monday-Friday 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, which includes a look back at last week’s overall totals.
The Big News
"Indonesia Begins Distributing 3 Million Doses of Coronavirus Vaccine " from The Jakarta Globe: Indonesia’s state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma began distributing 3 million doses of vaccine against coronavirus to all 34 provinces on Sunday. The vaccine, developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech, has been approved for emergency use by the Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM). “We are distributing the vaccine to 34 provinces from today after of course everything has been prepared. Health service facilities across the country have prepared the cold chain network,” government spokesman Bambang Herianto said in a video conference in Jakarta.
Context: While the beginning of the distribution process of Sinovac’s vaccine has been confirmed by multiple media outlets and statements by company & government officials, there are conflicting reports as to whether BPOM has actually issued the emergency authorization for its use yet. Contrary to what’s stated in the piece above, a PT Biopharma spokesperson confirmed that the company was using a cold chain network that it had built with the government to get the vaccine to 10,000 health centers, but said that the vaccination program would only begin after an emergency use permit was issued. (Officials in Bali said that they are ready to receive the vaccine once it arrives.) Also, last night a health ministry spokesperson confirmed that President Widodo would be the first recipient of the vaccine “after BPOM issues an Emergency Use Authorization.” In the meantime, the government has begun announcing the names of people who will receive the first vaccine doses, and a Health Ministry official said yesterday that the “first phase” of the government’s effort to inoculate the country’s population would take 15 months and see 181.5 million people vaccinated.
"Indonesia Adds 204,000 Covid Cases, 5,000 Deaths in December" from The Jakarta Globe: Indonesia concluded the year amid ongoing surge in newly coronavirus cases and deaths that put December as the worst period yet in the country's outbreak, as hospitals and even graveyards in major hotspots are nearing capacity. The country has added 204,315 cases in the month-long period to take its total to 743,198, an increase of 27.5 percent on the total number the previous month, government figures show. The previous monthly high was 128,795 cases recorded in November. At least 5,193 Covid-19 patients have died since Dec. 1, bringing the total death toll to 22,138. It’s also the all-time high in monthly death toll since first Covid deaths were confirmed on March 11.
Context: Bali officials confirmed 3,718 new cases in December, a 61% jump from the 2,263 in November. It was also the highest number of cases found in any month since the start of the outbreak, topping the 3,671 recorded in September, which included the wave that followed the August holiday. There were 91 deaths attributed to Covid-19 in December (Indonesian officials do no include suspected cases in death tallies), which was more than double the 45 confirmed in November. On the bright side, the mortality figures did not reach the levels seen in October (112) or September (207), thanks mostly to an expanded testing program that is identifying more asymptomatic cases. Given the country’s - and island’s - history of new waves after travel holidays, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin is warning that a new spike is likely to occur “around Jan. 16 to 18.”
"Supporting Delay of Face-to-Face Learning, Bali DPRD Members Say Children's Health Comes First" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): The face-to-face learning process plan which previously received a "blessing" from the Bali Provincial Government seems canceled. This is because the nine districts / cities, through their Education, Youth and Sports Offices (Disdikpora), each agreed to postpone the implementation. Wayan Rawan Atmaja, member of Commission IV DPRD Bali, said that the decision itself was taken through various comprehensive studies. "It is a study from the Governor, the Education Office," he said... the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) again announced that the face-to-face school plan in January 2021 was canceled. According to Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim, there are concerns that face-to-face schools reopening is a strong reason for the cancellation of the plan. This is because the Covid-19 cases in several regions in Indonesia have increased. "Namely, by distributing internet quota assistance and publishing emergency curricula," said Nadiem on his official Instagram page.
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Other Headlines
"Bali Provincial Government Prepares Covid-19 Vaccine Storage Equipment, From Cold Rooms to Refrigerators" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya explained the types of storage for the Covid-19 vaccine, including cold rooms, refrigerators, vaccine carriers, cold boxes and cool packs. The Provincial Government has prepared 287 refrigerators throughout the regencies and cities of Bali Province, 740 vaccine carriers for the storage of Covid-19 vaccines, and for the storage of cold box types, the Provincial Government has prepared 53 pieces.
"Indonesia Secures 100m Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine from Astrazeneca, Novavax" from The Jakarta Globe: "Thank God. Today, the government has witnessed significant progress, which is the signing of the purchase agreement of 50 million doses from AstraZeneca and 50 million doses from Novavax by Bio Farma," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said. Indonesia has inked the purchase contract of 125 million doses of the vaccine from Sinovac and another 100 million from Novavax. In total, Indonesia has secured at least 660 million doses of vaccine. The country aims to begin vaccinating 181 million of its 270 million population [this] month.
"Travel Under Green Lane Arrangement Affected After Indonesia's Temporary Ban on Foreigners" from The Straits Times: Singaporeans will not be able to travel to Indonesia under the Singapore-Indonesia Reciprocal Green Lane/Travel Corridor Arrangement, following Indonesia's temporary ban on the entry of all foreign nationals, amid concerns over the more infectious coronavirus strain identified in the United Kingdom. Given the reciprocal nature of the green lane arrangement, travelers from Indonesia will also not be able to enter Singapore during the period of the ban. But travelers who have already received approval to enter Singapore under the reciprocal green lane can proceed.
Context: Indonesia’s ban on foreigners entering the country runs from January 1-14. You can see Imigrasi’s explainer on the new policy on their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages. You can also read a translation of the official circular on their website here.
"90,000 Passengers Enter Bali Over 13 Days After Testing Requirements Enacted" from The IDN Times (Indnoesian): From the flight traffic records shared by Ngurah Rai Airport, it was recorded that for 13 days from 19 to 31 December 2020, the arrival was 90,905 passengers. With the number of aircraft arrival traffic as many as 1167 aircraft. The highest arrival data occurred before the Christmas celebration on December 24, 2020 with 10,327 passengers, December 23, 2020 with 9,263 passengers, and December 25, 2020 with 8,009 passengers. Meanwhile, data on departures from Bali in the same time frame were 82,182 passengers, which were served by 1168 aircraft through the Domestic departure terminal.
Context: These numbers are far below the official estimates of 387,000 domestic tourists that had been expected to arrive over the holiday before the PCR testing requirement was rolled out. Yesterday, airport officials announced that the peak travel season had ended with the departure of 13,000 passengers, among the largest single-day totals since the start of the outbreak. At Gilimanuk, almost 16,000 people in 3,078 vehicles crossed over from Bali to Java via ferry on Saturday and Sunday, representing a peak for this season but a drop of 60% from last year. Internally, Sanur-Nusa Penida ferry volume jumped 50% during the holiday from typical pandemic-era levels.
"Coastal Waste in Badung Goes Crazy, Yesterday Saw 280 Tons" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): At the end of the year and New Year, as usual, almost all beaches in the Kuta area and its surroundings were attacked by trash. Not surprisingly, tens to hundreds of tons of waste are generated from these consignments. On Saturday, the Badung Environmental and Cleanliness Service (DLHK) mobilized all green troops personnel, assisted by a number of relevant stakeholders, communities and communities. Last Friday the waste produced penetrated 60 trucks or around 30 tons. However, on Saturday the waste started to experience a significant increase. "The total waste today is 140 trucks, equivalent to 280 tonnes," explained Gede Agung Dalem, Head of Cleanliness Management and Hazardous and Toxic Waste Management of DLHK Badung.
"BNPB Adds One PCR Machine Unit for Buleleng" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): RSUD Buleleng now has two units of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines, after getting another unit assistance from the Indonesian Ministry of Health. Managing Director of Buleleng Hospital, dr. Putu Arya Nugraha, SpPD when confirmed by telephone on Sunday (3/1) explained that he received the PCR machine last Saturday (2/1). Currently his party is conducting a functional test related to the operation of the PCR engine. "The test time takes one day. In the morning the sample was taken, in the afternoon the results were out. So, if the two units are operational, it means that around 160 specimens per day can be tested," said Dr. Putu Arya Nugraha, Managing Director of Buleleng Hospital.
"Padang Bai Nusa Penida Ferry Resumes" from Bali Discovery: The KMP Nusa Jaya Abadi Ferry operating between Padang Bai in Bali and Nusa Penida Island returned to service on Wednesday, 30 December 2020, following its removal from service since 17 October 2020, when it struck a reef at Nusa Penida and damaged its rudder. The 629 gross ton RoRo Vessel with a crew of 18 and the capability to carry 210 passengers, six trucks, and eight cars between Bali and nearby Nusa Penida Island will operate 12 weekly round-trip voyages, an increase from its regular schedule of 9 trips per week.
The View from Outside
"As Chinese Tourists Steer Clear of Indonesia, Resort Islands in Bali and Beyond Feel the Pinch" from The South China Morning Post: Dimming hopes resonate with many stakeholders in Indonesia’s US$19.8 billion tourism industry. Foreign tourist arrivals in October last year came to just 158,000, an 88.25 per cent decline from October 2019, according to government statistics. Southeast Asia’s biggest economy has cut its 2020 foreign tourist arrivals target to between 2.8 million and 4 million, from 18 million in 2019... For many foreign tourists, Bali is seen as the hub to further explore other tourist destinations in Indonesia, mainly the neighbouring island of Lombok but also Labuhan Bajo on Flores island, Java, as well as Manado and Bunaken Island. These places are typically featured in fliers commonly found at tour agency offices across the island and offered as “Bali and Beyond” tour packages. When Bali’s tourism activities flopped, so did activities in those places, said Syamsul Bahri, chairman of the Mandalika Hotel Association in Lombok.
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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