Yesterday marked one year since Indonesia first officially recorded COVID-19 cases in the country. Throughout the year, Jakarta has seen various iterations of what eventually amount to partial lockdowns, which experts say were insufficient measures to contain the coronavirus.
And now, Jakarta’s own vice governor has admitted as much.
“The Jakarta Provincial Government’s policies, from imposing sanctions to imposing the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) over the past year, that were enforced tightly or loosely, only contributed to halting the SARS-CoV-2 virus’ transmission by 20 percent,” Ahmad “Ariza” Riza Patria said yesterday, without explaining how he worked out his estimate.
The vice governor added that the remaining 80 percent was reserved for public compliance towards health protocols. Considering that Jakarta is the province with the highest caseload in Indonesia, was Ariza implying that its failure was mostly down to the public’s indiscipline.
“So let us be more compliant, disciplined. This is the most effective medicine,” he said.
While public indiscipline undoubtedly plays a huge part in Indonesia’s dire management of the pandemic, the government’s half-baked restrictions, from PSBB to the current Enforcement of Restrictions on Social Activities (PPKM), were seen by experts as too-little-too-late measures. Even President Joko Widodo, whose administration pushed provincial governments to impose the policies, said they did not work due to their relaxed enforcement.
As of March 2, Jakarta has recorded 342,371 COVID-19 cases, including 328,526 recoveries and 5,568 deaths.
Related — A year of COVID-19 in Indonesia: 1,341,314 cases, 36,325 deaths
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