Indonesia has imposed a partial lockdown on Java and Bali. The reason is the rapid spread of the delta variant with daily new highs for new corona infections and deaths. The capital Jakarta has also been in partial lockdown since the weekend.
In Indonesia, a partial lockdown on the islands of Java and the popular holiday island of Bali has been in effect since Saturday due to the rapidly increasing corona infections. On the populous island of Java, which is also the economic center of Indonesia, there are not only the Indonesian capital Jakarta but also numerous other large cities such as Surabaya, Bandung and Semarang. Numerous restrictions now apply to the approximately 145 million inhabitants of the island of Java. Among other things, the government has decided to close schools, restaurants, mosques and shopping malls and also to severely restrict local public transport. Anyone who has already received at least one corona vaccination can consider themselves lucky. Because domestic travel is only allowed for this group of people. However, currently only around 5 percent of the entire population in Indonesia are fully vaccinated and around 11.5 percent have received a primary vaccination so far. A large part of the population in Java and Bali are therefore not allowed to take domestic bus or train travel during the partial lockdown. The same also applies to air travel.
Experts consider partial lockdown to be inadequate
Due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant throughout Indonesia, the current regulation to limit the lockdown to Java and Bali at the moment is not expedient, according to experts. Even if the number of new infections in Bali is currently significantly higher than in other regions such as the Moluccas or Sulawesi, other regions should also be included in the lockdown. Otherwise, these regions and islands are facing a similar scenario in the foreseeable future.
Partial lockdown in Indonesia: These regulations apply from 3 to at least 20 July 2021 for Java and Bali
- Restaurants, cafes etc.: only delivery and consumption outside the home permitted
- Temples, mosques, churches etc.: temporarily closed
- Schools, universities: temporarily closed, lessons for students only possible online
- Supermarkets, grocery stores: open until 8 p.m., 50% occupancy permitted
- Offices and employees: 100% home office (non-essential areas), 50% home office for essential areas / activities
- Pharmacies: open 24 hours
- Shopping malls, trading centers: temporarily closed
- public parks and attractions: temporarily closed
- Domestic travel: Generally a vaccination certificate for the receipt of at least the first Corona vaccination is required; negative antigen test when traveling by bus and train; negative PCR test on domestic flights
Bali: Tourism restart postponed indefinitely
With regard to the restart of tourism on the popular holiday island of Bali, things are currently looking rather bad in the wake of the lockdown. The opening of the island of Bali to international tourism from the beginning of July 2021, which was announced around a month ago, will not take place. And the Indonesian government has not announced a date when this will be possible. Maybe that’s better that way. After all, the opening of Bali has already been announced several times, but then it was postponed again.
Health system in critical situation
According to reports, the situation in the hospitals and clinics in Jakarta and in many parts of Java can be described as tense or very critical. Some hospitals in the capital are already hopelessly overcrowded. There are not enough beds and ventilators. Patients are already cared for in tents in front of the hospitals. It is also worrying that medical oxygen is scarcely available anymore and that prices have risen significantly due to strong demand.
Indonesia now has more than 25,000 new infections every day and more than 600 deaths within 24 hours, and the trend is rising.
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