Saturday, August 8
Jembrana stepping up vigilance, will now quarantine all cases in hospitals + National govt to allow local officials to open schools in Yellow Zones + Kuta Beach still closed to vendors + more!
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PUBLICATION REMINDER: Sundays are my off day, so there will not be a morning news update tomorrow. The evening Covid-19 Update will publish as normal.
Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook (animation shows changes from 8:00am - 6:00pm)
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: Bali’s streak of 14 days without a Covid-19 fatality has ended. However, it has now achieved 16 straight days (and 18 out of the last 20) where there have been more recoveries than new infections recorded. Click here to see the complete breakdown of yesterday’s numbers + trendlines in our evening update.
The Big News
"Government to Allow Reopening of Schools in Covid-19 Yellow Zones" from Tempo: The Indonesian government on Friday decided to reopen schools in COVID-19 Yellow Zones after the same move was done in areas that are considered Green Zones. “Based on the official mapping as of August 2, there are 163 yellow zones that will enable schools to reopen with face-to-face learning,” said COVID-19 task force chairman Doni Monardo. However, Doni Monardo asserted that how school activities were implemented would heavily depend on the situation in the field as the final decision to reopen schools would be handed to local administrations. He added schools and parents were also among the decisive factors as to whether this plan was feasible.
"As Local Transmission Increases, Regent Artha Says Positive Patients Must Be Isolated at Hospital" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Local transmission cases have increased drastically in the last few days, receiving serious attention from the Regent of Jembrana, I Putu Artha. Supervision in the villages and banjars has begun to slacken, and he has asked that it be activated again to tighten supervision of residents entering Jembrana... Regent Artha emphasized that all patients who were confirmed positive for Covid-19 must be quarantined at the hospital. "There should be no quarantine at home, all isolation at the hospital. Because if isolation is at home, no one is responsible and the transmission can be more widespread, "said Regent Artha.
"Even Asymptomatic People Carry the Coronavirus in High Amounts" from The New York Times: A new study in South Korea, published Thursday in JAMA Internal Medicine, offers more definitive proof that people without symptoms carry just as much virus in their nose, throat and lungs as those with symptoms, and for almost as long. “It’s important data, that’s for sure,” said Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong who was not involved in the work. “And it does confirm what we’ve suspected for a long time — that asymptomatic cases can transmit infection.”... Experts said the results strongly suggest that asymptomatic people are unwitting broadcasters of the virus. “They don’t look any different from the symptomatic population” in terms of how much virus they carry, said Marta Gaglia, a virologist at Tufts University in Massachusetts who was not involved in the work. “There’s no actual reason to believe a priori that they would transmit any differently.” (Ed. Note: WEAR A MASK!)
Other Headlines
"Kuta Beach Traders Are Not Allowed to Sell" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Bendesa Adat Kuta, I Wayan Wasista, explained that access for domestic tourists on Kuta Beach is now fully open. But traders are not yet allowed to sell. According to the data, there are 1,168 traders who earn a fortune along the Kuta Beach area. They were asked to be patient because there would still be a stall arrangement for traders. "So far, we have not opened access for traders. So, only tourists are allowed at this time," said Wasista... According to Wasista, with such a large number of traders, it is certainly very risky when starting activities simultaneously and not paying attention to safe distances. So, by arranging a place to sell, they can pay attention to the distance in accordance with Covid-19 health protocol standards. "Before Covid-19, traders only stood on their own. Some are selling close together. Therefore, we are currently coordinating with related parties including the Badung Regency Government to find solutions and make arrangements according to standard health protocols. Well, later we will provide space or distance between the stand," said Wasista.
"New Era Normal Music Concert Will Be Held in Ubud" from Kumparan (Indonesian): Soon, music concerts like the days before the COVID-19 pandemic will be held again. The difference, the health protocol will be done carefully and the audience can enjoy this concert from the car. The event is titled Bali Revival 2020 - New Era Festival. The event will be held for three days, 15 to 17 August 2020 at the rooftop parking of Monkey Forest, Padangtegal village, Ubud. "Spectators can also watch from outside the car where we provide a barrier to minimize physical contact with other people. Between cars will be given a distance of about 2 meters," he said... Bali Revival 2020 will feature a number of Balinese singers and music groups from various genres or types of music. Among them are Lolot, Navicula, In Ubud, Balawan, The Hydrant, Early Morning Dialogue, Jun Bintang, Dek Ulik, and Manja group. They will take turns performing each day for the evening concert until the evening, at 16:30 to 18:30 WITA.
"TikTok, Audible, Alexa, Among Firms Subjected to Digital Product Tax" from Tempo: The Finance Ministry’s Director-General of Taxation on Friday appointed ten global entities fitting the government’s regulation on electronics system trade (PMSE) that are subjected to the mandatory value-added tax (VAT). These global entities include Facebook Ireland Ltd, Facebook Payments International Ltd, Facebook Technologies International Ltd, Amazon.com Services LLC, Audible Inc, Alexa Internet, Audible Ltd Apple Distribution International Ltd, Tiktok Pte. Ltd, and Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd... “The appointment of 10 additional entities adds to the list of international digital product firms to sixteen in total after the initial appointment on July 2020 of six international firms,” said the directorate general’s spokesperson Hestu Yoga Saksama.
"Grab Serves the Mengwi Terminal" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The Mengwi Badung Terminal is now equipped with four-wheeled vehicles that can be ordered online. The availability of GrabCar services is in collaboration with the Director of Road Transportation at the Ministry of Transportation and BPTD region XII. Meanwhile, for the availability of a four-wheeled service fleet at this type A terminal, Grab has established partnerships with taxis and cooperatives that have previously operated at Mengwi Terminal... "The driver partner who operates GrabCar is from local residents who have become local transportation partners at this time. They have undergone training as GrabCar driver partners according to Grab's safety and security standards," said Kresno Wibowo, Head of Bali Nusra, Grab Indonesia.
The View from Outside
"Coronavirus is Running Rampant on Java, But 2.4km Across the Sea, Bali is Faring Much Better" from ABC News: Bali had five direct flights a week to Wuhan until February, and yet the holiday island has so far managed to avoid a coronavirus disaster. Infections have only recently begun to trend upwards and Bali's death toll is still low at [49]. It's a different story on another island. In neighbouring Java, they are recording 1,000 or more new cases a day and it is now the epicentre of Indonesia's coronavirus pandemic. No one can pinpoint exactly why Bali has fared so much better than Java. But some explanations have begun to emerge.
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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