Transitional PSBB in Jakarta extended until July 30

The Jakarta Provincial Government has extended the transitional phase of the Large-Scale Social Restrictions protocol, locally known as PSBB Transisi, for two more weeks, beginning today until July 30.

The capital has been transitioning away from the PSBB protocol, which practically amounted to a partial lockdown, with the easing of restrictions on public activities. 

At a press conference broadcasted live on YouTube yesterday, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that the positivity rate in Jakarta has increased by 5.9 percent in the past week, while the hospital bed occupancy rate rose to 45 percent.




Anies said the majority of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city during this period didn’t show severe symptoms. 

“Sixty-six percent of the new positive cases in Jakarta this past week were those who didn’t have any illness symptoms, no complaints, but they [tested positive for COVID-19],” Anies said.

“Based on the reports we’ve received, it would be very risky to loosen up this first phase of the transition and enter the second phase. Therefore, we decided to extend the first phase for the next two weeks.”

With the first phase of PSBB Transisi extended, the opening of public places initially scheduled for the second phase will be further postponed, including cinemas and other indoor venues that were supposed to open at the end of this month.

Ever since PSBB Transisi was enforced on June 4, Jakarta saw a gradual increase of new COVID-19 cases. Prior to the policy, Jakarta regularly registered around 100 new cases per day, but ever since PSBB Transisi was enforced, around 200 new cases daily has become the norm, especially in July. The record for most daily increase occurred during PSBB Transisi, with 404 new cases on July 12.

Related: Jakarta under pressure to bring back lockdown as COVID-19 cases rise amid loosened restrictions

The unenviable record was highlighted by President Joko Widodo during the cabinet’s daily COVID-19 briefing the following day. The president sounded caution to Jakarta and called for tougher measures to prevent a larger outbreak.

Health experts previously said that PSBB Transisi is merely “a form of loose government intervention” and an “unclear policy that led to public negligence,” expressing concerns that it would lead to more transmissions. They agree that returning to strict restrictions, at least to the level of what it was under PSBB, is necessary at this point in time.

As of July 16, Jakarta has confirmed 15,466 COVID-19 cases, with 9,857 recoveries and 777 deaths. Currently, 4,110 active cases are patients in voluntary isolation, while 619 are in hospital care.

Jakarta is the province with the second-highest caseload in Indonesia, behind East Java with 17,395 cases.

Also Read ⁠— Jakarta cinemas won’t reopen on July 29 as pandemic rages on



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