Indonesia Cancelled Plan to Implement Nationwide Level 3 Restriction During Christmas and New Year

NusantaraPol - Indonesian government through Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, announced that the implementation of nationwide Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) during Christmas and New Year has been canceled. 

Luhut said the government would apply more balanced rules as an alternative. "The level of PPKM implementation during Nataru (Christmas and New Year) will continue to follow the assessment of the pandemic situation as currently applies, but with some tightening," he continued. 

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: InfoPublik)

He also mentioned that there were several reasons behind the cancellation of the implementation of the Level 3 restriction.

First, Indonesia has so far managed to keep the number of daily Covid-19 confirmed cases stably below 400 cases. The coverage for the first dose of vaccination in Java-Bali has reached 76 percent and the second dose is approaching 56 percent.

Then, vaccination for the elderly continues to be boosted until now, reaching 64 and 42 percent, respectively, for the first and second doses in Java-Bali.

Previously, the plan for Level 3 restriction for the Christmas and New Year period was to be implemented throughout Indonesia from December 24, 2021, to January 2, 2022.  This plan has been canceled.

Luhut emphasized that later there will be an evaluation from the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as government circulars which previously served as the basis for implementing Level 3 restriction.

"Detailed changes will be outlined in the revised Domestic Instruction (Inmendagri) and circular letters (SE) related to Christmas and New Year," he said.

Furthermore, Luhut also provides a brief outline of the new rules that will be implemented during Christmas and the coming new year.

First, during Christmas and New Year, domestic long-distance travelers have to complete vaccination and bring negative antigen test results, maximum of 1×24 hours before departure.

For adults who have not been fully vaccinated or cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons are not allowed to travel long distances.

Second, children can travel but have to bring valid negative test results.

Third, the government has also implemented a ban on all types of New Year celebrations in hotels, shopping centers, malls, tourist attractions, and other public crowded places.

Fourth, the operation of shopping centers, restaurants, cinemas, and tourist attractions is only permitted with a maximum capacity of 75 percent. Only people with the green category in the PeduliLindung tracing application are allowed to enter.

"As for social and cultural events, the maximum number of people allowed is 50 people. The discipline of using PeduliLindung must be enforced,” explained Luhut.

Omicron Variant Concern

Meanwhile, the Director of Prevention and Control of Direct Infectious Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said that the cancellation of the nationwide restriction has considered the spread of the B.1.1.529 or Omicron variant.

The variant is now detected in 45 countries around the world. "This has also been discussed, consulted with epidemiologists," said Nadia when contacted by Kompas.com, Tuesday (7/12/2021).

Nadia said the cancellation of the Level 3 restriction is done after the government consulted epidemiologists.

Nadia also emphasized that public mobility during the Christmas and New Year holidays should still be limited.