The government has decided to continue the implementation of PPKM level 4 from 26th July to 2nd August 2021. The decision was announced by President Joko Widodo on the night of Sunday 25th July.
“Taking into account the health aspects, economic aspects, and social dynamics, I have decided to continue implementing PPKM level 4 from 26th July to 2nd August 2021,” said Jokowi via the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube show.
As long as PPKM level 4 is in effect, restrictions are placed on several sectors, ranging from offices, education, shopping centres, restaurants, transportation, tourism, arts and culture, and social activities.
“We will make some adjustments related to activities and mobility which will be carried out in stages with extra careful implementation,” said Jokowi.
In a relaxation of PPKM level 4, some rules were changed. People’s markets that sell daily necessities are allowed to open with strict health protocols. Local markets that sell anything other than basic needs can open a maximum capacity of 50 percent with limited opening hours until 3pm.
“Grocery stores, voucher agents or outlets, barbershops, laundries, hawkers, small workshops, vehicle washers, and other similar small businesses are allowed to open with strict health protocols until 9pm with technical regulations regulated by local government,” said Jokowi.
“Food stalls and street vendors and so on located in an open space are allowed to open with strict health protocols until 8pm and a maximum meal time for each visitor is 20 minutes,” said Jokowi.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in the virtual press conference added that shopping centres may be open.
“Activities at shopping centres and trade centres are opened with a maximum capacity of 25 percent until 5pm and public infrastructure construction activities can operate with a maximum of 10 workers,” said Luhut.
Jokowi also claimed that the emergency PPKM and level 4 PPKM had succeeded in improving the pandemic conditions in Indonesia.
“We know that currently there has been an improving trend in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Jokowi. “The rate of additional cases, the BOR (bed occupancy rate), and the positivity rate are starting to show a downward trend, as has happened in several provinces in Java,” said the Head of State.
The PPKM level 4 has been in effect for five days, namely 21-25th July 2021. The policy was implemented in districts and cities in Java and Bali which recorded assessment scores of levels 4 and 3.
Level 4 means that each province has recorded more than 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per week. Further, patients under the care of hospitals is more than 30 people per 100,000 population per week, and death is more than 5 deceased per 100,000 population per week.
Meanwhile, level 3 means areas that have recorded 50 to 150 cases per 100,000 population per week and patients in hospitals being 10 to 30 people per 100,000 population per week. Finally, deaths will be in the range of 2 to 5 per 100,000 population per week.
PPKM Level 4 itself is an extension of the emergency PPKM which was enforced from 3-20th July 2021.