The chief of Bali’s Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) said that some members of the public are growing jaded while others are still taking COVID-19 lightly, as the province struggles to tackle rising COVID-19 cases even amid ongoing restrictions.
I Nyoman Dewa Darmadi said today that many people in Bali are still gathering amid the pandemic and risk fueling coronavirus transmissions because of COVID fatigue, 10 months since the first cases were confirmed in Indonesia.
“[Crowds gather] because people feel jaded, [and] it cannot be separated from the belief that COVID-19 is not dangerous or deadly,” Dewa said.
Authorities say they have conducted monitoring and implemented sanctions when applicable, but ultimately relied on the public’s adherence to health protocols to prevent more transmissions.
“If the public cannot change [and] adapt to the new life or disobey health protocols, of course the numbers will not decline. The key is that the public must be obligated to obey health protocols,” he added.
The central government’s Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (PPKM) is still ongoing in Bali, until at least Feb. 8. The province recorded its highest number of daily coronavirus cases only last week, which officials say were due to increased tracing.
Bali reported another 309 new cases today, bringing the provincial total to 26,866.
