Indonesia adjusts COVID-19 restrictions according to localities
Indonesia has extended the public activity restriction policy, locally known as PPKM, in Java and Bali, which was previously set to end on September 20.
Police monitor travel on a road in Indonesia. (Source: Xinhua/VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia has extended the publicactivity restriction policy, locally known as PPKM, in Java and Bali, which waspreviously set to end on September 20.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment affairsLuhut Binsar Pandjaitan told a virtual press conference that the PPKM isextended for two more weeks from September 21 to October 4 to curb COVID-19spread.
The Indonesian government continues to conduct evaluations weeklyfor the two islands and one every two weeks for other areas to anticipate any changes,he added.
Despite the extension, easing restrictions has been seen ina number of fields, including the reopening of such public spaces as shoppingcentres, entertainment areas, markets, cinemas, and churches.
The PPKM, beginning in Indonesia in July, has been extended multipletimes along with easing restrictions given continuous reductions of COVID-19deaths since the beginning of August.
On September 20, Indonesia logged 1,932 new COVID-19 cases,the lowest since August 2020.
Indonesia, once Asia's coronavirus epicentre, has reportednearly 4.2 million infections overall and over 140,000 deaths, but new caseshave dropped 98 percent from their peak in July, according to Luhut Pandjaitan.
Its average positivity rate - the percentage of tests that arepositive - was just below 4 percent this month, under the World HealthOrganization's 5 percent threshold for determining whether an outbreak is undercontrol.
The official warned, however, that were still risks of newinfection waves and said quarantine protocols would be strengthened at entrypoints./.
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Indonesia may allow foreign tourists to travel to the resort island of Bali and other parts of the country by October, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has said.
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Police monitor travel on a road in Indonesia. (Source: Xinhua/VNA) 
