14 September 2020

Since Bali entered the new-normal protocols on July, rising trend in confirmed COVID-19 cases continues. Most infections were locally transmitted and happen to all nine regions on the island; eight out of nine regencies were marked as red zones, and only one remains orange zone, Klungkung.

Bali governments are planning new strategies to prevent a larger spread of Coronavirus. During the three-hour meeting in Jaya Sabha, Denpasar; I Wayan Koster, the governor Bali declared thirteen points of measurements to be implemented soon:

1. Implement the latest governor decree strictly to discipline everyone on the island. 
2. Limit the number of participants on any religious activities
3. Banning Tajen (cockfighting)
4. Possibility of reimposing activity restrictions (working, learning and praying from home only)
5. Possibility of tourists attractions closure
6. Possibility of travel ban for domestic tourists
7. Tightening procedures for domestic travellers entering and leaving Bali
8. Improved tracking, testing, treatment for patients of Covid-19; including providing more hospital bed capacity, isolation rooms, quarantine places and the possibility to broaden swab test not only to symptomatic ones.
9. Increased lab capacity (PCR machines, reagents, and healthcare workers)
10. Lab sample management, for faster results
11. Increasing the active role of the customary village on promoting new healthy lifestyle to help Bali Covid-19 Task Force
12. Preparing the community social assistance policy schemes for those in need during the pandemic
13. Socializing the alternative usage of Bali Arak (traditional alcoholic beverage) to prevent virus infection.

Bali provincial government assume there are three main cause of the spike numbers in daily confirmed cases on the island. First, many people are not disciplined enough to practice new-normal protocols such as wearing a mask, wash hand regularly and keep social distancing. Second, inequality in the implementation of the Health Protocol between the Ketapang and Gilimanuk Port Authority. Third, the disagreement between regents on execution of the governor decree in local communities.

Recently, Denpasar has decided to close down again some public areas, Lumintang and Puputan square. Following, the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta which been re-enacting large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) by today, 14 September 2020; the regent of Tabanan, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti is learning the possibility on imposing PSSB near future.

Yesterday, Bali recorded 135 new daily confirmed cases, which pushed up the total cases to 7113; 168 deaths in total, 5593 recoveries and 1352 active cases. Still, this figure is relatively small compared to more than 218,382 cases and 8,723 fatalities in Indonesia.