September 9, 2021
Kuta Beach reopens + Bali’s abandoned planes + 2 million vax doses targeted + more
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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.
Daily Covid Update
National Figures
Local Figures
*Note: The provincial government did not release its infographic by press time.
The Big News
“Kuta Beach Bali Opening Trial for Tourists” From Tribun Bali (Indonesian): "Kuta Beach is starting today in accordance with the Governor's Circular Letter, we are trying to reopen it with a maximum visitor capacity of 50%," said Kuta Traditional Village Head Wayan Wasista on Wednesday. He said various health protocols would be implemented strictly and officers will ensure that tourists are disciplined on health protocols. His party also asked the public to use the PeduliLindungi application. All beach traders must implement strict health protocols and have undergone a second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. "Hopefully this way the public will realize the importance of vaccinations, for themselves, for the environment and then for us together," he said.
Context: Other media reports suggest both vendors and visitors must be double vaccinated. For those without the PeduliLindungi, a paper copy of the vaccination certificate is sufficient (in Indonesian).
“The Story of Bali’s Abandoned Boeing 737 in a Quarry” from Simple Flying: Bali’s most high-profile plane isn’t a slick Airbus at Ngurah Rai International Airport. Instead, it is an abandoned Boeing 737-200 parked in a field near Pandawa Beach. Just how and why the Boeing ended up here is a mystery. Equally mysterious is why Bali has become a hotspot for abandoned planes. The plane was moved to its present site in March 2013. The new owner, who is allegedly an Australian, reportedly proposed converting the plane into a tourist attraction. The chit-chat is the plane came into the quarry in parts and was reassembled there before the new owner ran out of cash and/or interest.
“Government Targeting 2 Million Covid Vaccinations Per Day” from Antara: The Indonesian government is targeting to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations to two million doses per day to achieve herd immunity, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said. "It is being pushed to reach more than two million, that is what is being worked on. It has already begun, so there are increases every day," he said on Wednesday. To expedite vaccine coverage, members of the army, police, and officers from the Population and Family Planning Agency will be involved, he said.
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Other Headlines
“NTB Vaccinations at 18.83%, November Target is 70%” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police Chief Inspector General Pol Mohammad Iqbal is optimistic that the Covid-19 vaccination target of 70% or the equivalent of 3.9 million people can be achieved ahead of the World Superbike Championship event on 12-14 November. Inspector General Iqbal said on Wednesday the strategy to achieve this target is that the NTB Police together with the TNI and the local government are committed to injecting 15,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine per day. "If that goes on, God willing, within one month, 70% of our population will be vaccinated," he said. From the vaccination target of 3.9 million people, only 18.35% of the population have received the Covid-19 vaccine.
Context: November 12 is 62 days away, which equates to 930,000 vaccination shots delivered on the basis of the stated target 15,000 per day. It wasn’t clear if Iqbal was referring to first shot or both shots being administered by the time of the Superbike Championship.
Vaccination Update
“Domestic Factory to Use Same Vaccine Technology as Pfizer” from Antara: Vaccine factory PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia will develop its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine by using the same technology as Pfizer, Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said on Wednesday. “Yesterday, I visited a vaccine factory candidate currently established in Pulogadung. It utilizes the most advanced technology that Pfizer has: mRNA. Now, we 'steal’ the technology by cooperating with other partners,” he said. The company will produce vaccines from June-July 2022, with total production estimated at 30 million doses at the early stage, the minister said.
More...
Nation: “500,000 Astrazeneca Vaccines From Australia Arrive” from Antara
Bangli: “Jabs for Noodles in Kintamani” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Many Covid-19 Deaths Due to Late Hospital Admission” from iNews Bali (Indonesian): Bali Governor Wayan Koster said Covid-19 cases in Bali were reducing, however, cases of death remain high due to late admission to hospital. "I need to convey that many cases of death occurred because residents were late for PCR swab testing and entered the hospital in a severe condition," said Koster on Tuesday. Koster asked people who experience early symptoms of Covid-19 transmission such as fever, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of sense of smell and taste to immediately have a PCR-based swab test.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia Records Lowest Rate of Positive Covid19 Tests” from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Province: “Ngurah Rai Has 8th Best Health Protocols in Region” From Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Denpasar Remains at PPKM Level 4 Because Tracing-Testing is Low” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Denpasar Hospital BOR Remains Above National Average” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Karangasem: “Cockfighting Disbanded” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Bali Banking Credit Growth Overshadowed by Non-performing Loans” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): The growth of bank credit in Bali is facing a higher ratio of non-performing loans. Based on data from the Bank Indonesia Representative Office in Bali, bank credit growth in Bali again recorded a positive number of 0.49% on an annual basis in the second quarter of 2021. However, the opposite condition occurred in the ratio of non-performing loans, which rose to 4.03% in the second quarter of 2021 from 3.78% in the first quarter of 2021. Economic observer from the Denpasar National Education University Ida Bagus Raka Suardana said the NPL ratio was high and risky, as it is close to the maximum of 5%. According to him, all Bali’s economic benchmarks are very bad. "Bali's economy relies on the tertiary sector, almost 68 to 70%, of that number, 52% depend on tourism," he said on Tuesday.
More...
Nation: “NTB Coffee Exports Constrained by High Shipping Costs” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Province: “Mall Owners Relieved Can Reopen and Stop Free Rent” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Province: “Cash Social Assistance Finally Disbursed” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: “Karangasem Tourism Managers Welcome Reopening” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Education
“Schools Need to Meet Requirements for Face-to-face Learning” from Antara: Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on Wednesday highlighted requirements that schools need to meet in order to carry out limited face-to-face learning. One is that students and teachers be vaccinated against COVID-19, he said. "There are several rules, which are the requirements for limited face-to-face learning to be (conducted). For students, of course, it is expected that all of them have been vaccinated," Amin said. Moreover, students and teachers can take part in limited face-to-face learning if their immediate family members are not confirmed positive for COVID-19, he said. "If there are students who are exposed at their homes, they will not be allowed to participate in limited face-to-face learning. The teachers will also not be allowed to teach if they are exposed. And if someone is exposed at school, then the school will be isolated or closed," Amin said.
Context: Amin made these comments while visiting a school in Jakarta. It was not made clear if the policies he mentioned would hold nationwide.
“Prison Fire Kills 41 Inmates in Tangerang” from The Jakarta Globe: At least 41 inmates still locked in their cells died after a fire at Tangerang Penitentiary in Banten, just south of Jakarta, early Wednesday. All but one victim are drug offense convicts, according to officials. The other dead inmate was convicted of terrorism but identities of the victims is yet to be revealed. The incident also injured more than 70 others, with eight in a serious condition. While an investigation is underway, Fadil speculated that an electrical fault may have sparked the fire.
Context: In response to the Tangerang tragedy, Head of the Bali Law and Human Rights Office, Jamaruli Manihuruk said all prisons in Bali have been asked to check their electrical systems and replace any damaged equipment (in Indonesian).
“Extending PPKM Can Help Lower Active Cases to 100,000” from Antara: The government could push active COVID-19 cases down to 100,000 per day if it continues to enforce PPKM, Dr. Iwan Ariawan, an epidemiologist from University of Indonesia, has said. "Such a target could be achieved if PPKM is continuously enforced," he said on Wednesday. Consistent enforcement of health protocols and the use of PeduliLindungi application have grown increasingly important, Ariawan stressed. Aside from the enforcement of health protocols and vaccinations, strict screening must also be carried out at all Indonesian entry points, including small ports, he said. "The quality of testing and tracing must continuously be improved," he said.
Of Interest
“Benefits of Balinese Ice Kuwut and Easy Ways to Make It” from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
“From Stone to Copper Plate” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
“Bali Police Returns Certificate of Uluwatu Temple” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
“Cashew and Mango Plants Engulfed in Fire, Firefighters Complain About Lack of Fleet” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
“Profile of Ubudian Artist, Pandi” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
“Tibumana Waterfall Reopens 12 September” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
“3.9 Magnitude Quake Shakes Badung” from Merdeka (Indonesian)
“Waiting for Bali Tourism to Recover” from Merdeka (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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