18 August 2021

The implementation of Partial Lockdown, also known as PPKM Level 4, in several regions of Indonesia, including Bali, has finally been updated to 23 August 2021. Bali has been going through partial lockdown for five-time extensions in more than a month since the first PPKM applied on 3 July 2021. 

The decision was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, on the official YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday Evening (16/8). “Based on the evaluation carried out under the direction of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, PPKM levels 2,3 and 4 will be extended until 23 August 2021,” said Luhut.

The authority keeps monitoring the movement of people to the malls and shopping centres through the PeduliLindungi system, which has recorded more than 1 million people checked in to the system to enter the mall, and 619 people were refused entry to the system for various reasons within the first week of reopening. Therefore, the government decided to loosen up strict regulations in several more regions at level 4 that could conduct trials. Mall’s visiting capacity is up to 50%, and restaurants are allowed to open for dine-in as much as 25% of the total capacity.  

The Ministry of Industry will also conduct a trial of health protocols for export-oriented industries. The total number of employees participating in this trial is more than 390,000. The industry will be allowed to operate 100% with a minimum of 2 shifts. Companies are required to use the PeduliLindungi application to screen employees who enter the factory site. However, workers of non-essential companies are still required to work from home.

Worship places (mosques, churches and temples) can be opened again with a maximum of 50% of the total capacity. Individually outdoor sports with no more than four participants and no required physical contact will operate under strict health protocols.

Per 17 August 2021, Bali has given the first jab of Covid-19 vaccines to 3,114,467 people, and 1,429,683 were fully vaccinated. More than 91% of the targeted population in Bali (ca. 3.4 million people) have received their first shot, and more than 41% have received their second jab. Leaving only about 300,000 people to receive their first immunisation. Bali authority predicts to have all of its targeted population fully vaccinated by the end of October 2021.

Latest Covid-19 statistics per Tuesday (17/8), 988 new infections in Bali, made total cases 97.903. Recent recoveries at 1037, in total 83.892 with 48 recent deaths were reported, in total 2805. While in Indonesia, there were 20.741 new cases, pushing down the total infections to 3.892.479 with 120.013 total deaths and 3.414.109 recoveries.