West Java Needs Oxygen
The oxygen crisis was the focus of a corporate roundtable held between West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, and multinational companies yesterday, July 27. The roundtable was attended by over 200 participants. The governor spoke about the latest Covid-19 cases, death indicators during Emergency PPKM and isolation centers for Covid-19 patients.
The bottom line was West Java’s oxygen crisis, which has resulted in more Covid-19 fatalities. The oxygen needs in the province include high demand and low supply, limited availability of distributor fleets and human resources to keep up with demand, limited availability of medical oxygen cylinders, limited information on oxygen producers outside Java and abroad, and high demand for oxygen among self-isolated communities.
Ridwan said the local government aims to increase oxygen production by at least three times; improve distribution; procure new gas cylinders; prepare oxygen for self-isolating citizens; and search for other oxygen producers/factories outside West Java.
To that end, he said the government welcomes donations and contributions from multinational companies to alleviate the oxygen crisis in West Java.
For more information, please contact the numbers below:
- Dino Patti Djalal: 62 817-6068-888
- Yusuf (Governor’s team): 62 8128420120
- Hanif (West Java/Jasa Sarana): 62 817-0040-101
Donations in the forms of funds are also welcome via BCA 8090351037, account name PT Jasa Sarana.
Companies interested to donate for the crisis may also fill out the form below.
PPT MATERIAL - WEST JAVA'S CORPORATE ROUNDTABLE
Bed Occupancy Rate Falls, Cases Still High
The bed occupancy rate of Covid-19 referral hospitals has fallen, said Adib Khumaidi, head of the mitigation team of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) yesterday, July 27. Despite that, the number of new cases for Indonesia remains stubbornly high at 47,791 for today, July 28.
Adib said Kudus, Pati, Rembang, Semarang, Jakarta, Tangerang and Bekasi had all seen declines in bed occupancy. Semarang experienced the most significant, from 92 to 66 percent, while in Jakarta, intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy fell to 85 percent.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Monday that the national rate has fallen to 82,000 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients, from 92,000 last week. The number of new cases reported has fluctuated as testing numbers increase or decrease.
Related links:
- https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210727153158-20-672862/idi-sebut-bor-di-jawa-turun-kasus-covid-luar-daerah-naik
- https://www.presidenri.go.id/siaran-pers/menkes-tingkat-keterisian-tempat-tidur-bagi-pasien-covid-19-di-rumah-sakit-menurun/
- https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20210728162341-4-264354/belum-terkendali-covid-19-ri-tambah-47791-kasus-hari-ini
Effectiveness of Sinovac Vaccine Falls after 6 Months: Lab Study
Antibodies triggered by the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine fell below a key threshold around six months after a second dose for most recipients, Reuters reports, but a third shot had a strong booster effect, a lab study by Chinese researchers showed.
The research, published on July 25, reported the findings from a study of blood samples from healthy adults aged 18-59. It has not yet been peer-reviewed. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, a senior Indonesian health ministry official, told Reuters yesterday, July 27, that clinical data from the country showed the reduced antibody level is still enough to provide protection, without providing details.
She said the immunization advisory board recommends a booster vaccination 12 months after the second dose.
Related links:
- https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/antibodies-sinovacs-covid-19-shot-fade-after-about-6-months-booster-helps-study-2021-07-26/
- https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/indonesia-considers-covid-19-booster-shots-wider-use-govt-official-2021-07-27/
Jakarta Shifting Away from Critical Covid-19 Condition: Governor
Jakarta has begun to shift away from a critical Covid-19 condition said Governor Anies Baswedan, as active and positive Covid-19 cases are decreasing. Active cases fell from 113,000 cases on July 16 to 64,000 on July 25. Other parameters have also seen a decrease, including the average number of positive cases, which fell to 25 percent from around 45 percent. Likewise, Covid-19 burial procedures, which once reached more than 350 a day, have fallen to below 200 per day. Despite these positive developments, Anies said Jakarta is still not safe, as the 25 percent positivity rate remains far above the World Health Organization ideal threshold of 5 percent.
Related link:
No Vaccine Cards, No Travel: Over 10,000 Passengers Barred from Boarding Trains
Some 10,865 passengers were barred from boarding long-distance trains for not bringing their Covid-19 vaccination cards July 3 to 25, according to public railway operator Kereta Api Indonesia. Long-distance train passengers must present their vaccination cards to railway personnel, according to the Covid-19 Task Force circular letter on PPKM Level 4. Travelers with specific medical problems are exempt but they must present proof from a hospital or doctor.
Previously, passengers had to also show a worker registration certificate (STRP) and paperwork proving they had tested negative for Covid-19. But effective July 26, long-distance train passengers no longer need to carry an STRP but must show they have received at least one vaccine dose and have tested negative based on a PCR or antigen result.
Related link:
AmCham Cares: Siemens
To support Indonesia and to boost economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, Siemens Indonesia has successfully registered its employees, including family members, in the Gotong Royong vaccination program.
“In collaboration with Mayapada Hospital, Siemens has successfully kick-started the vaccination program for our employees. The health and safety of our employees continue to be of utmost importance at Siemens, whilst ensuring business continuity. We thank Kadin Indonesia for facilitating the program and enabling the business sector like Siemens to take part in the country’s vaccination acceleration effort,” said Sylviawati, Head of Human Resources of Siemens Indonesia.
Satgas Circular on Domestic Travel
The Covid-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) has issued Circular Letter 16/2021 on provisions for domestic travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. The letter outlines general health protocols, testing requirements for each mode of transportation, and obligations to provide proof of vaccination. It is effective from July 26 and revokes Circular Letter 14/2021 as the previous regulation for domestic travel in the Covid-19 pandemic.
For the full text, please refer to the link below.
Related link:
USTDA Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is calling for proposals for its Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure (GCP) initiative. The initial focus is to connect the US industry to major energy and transportation infrastructure in emerging markets, such as Indonesia. The initiative aims to promote best practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience to climate change.
For full information, including the project eligibility checklist, please check the link below.
Related link:
Event Info: 2021 Indo-Pacific Business Forum
The Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF) 2021, the leading event to promote trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the United States and its partners throughout the Indo-Pacific, will be held virtually on October 28-29 (October 27-28 in the US) from Hanoi, Vietnam. Recognizing current global challenges, this year’s theme will be centered around resiliency and innovation: economic recovery from the pandemic, climate action, and digital innovation.
Participating in IPBF is an opportunity for high-level business executives to e-meet with senior US officials and business executives from throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The IPBF online platform also welcomes 1:1 networking opportunities and opportunities for select conference participants to engage in small group conversations with the US government principals.
If your company is interested in having senior-level executives participate, announcing a business deal, or speaking at the event, please contact%u202F[email protected].
Marine Tech Opportunities Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore Coffee Chat
Join the US Commercial Service (USCS) for a free virtual coffee chat with the US Marine Technology Specialists from Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore on August 4, 9 PM EDT. This informal video discussion will cover the marine technology sector in Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore, and include a brief regional overview and Q&A session.
For more information and access to the flyer click here. Or contact Maryanne Burke at [email protected].
Get Katadata and Stay Updated on News and Trends
In this fast-paced world, it is often hard to stay informed on the latest political issues and business trends that may affect our lives. This is why Katadata’s D-insights provides the information we need on a daily basis, plus weekly and quarterly reports that summarize the trends and give background on the business, politics, markets, and energy.
Katadata D-insights offers a special rate for all AmCham members. The subscription for D-Insights are as follows:
Individual Subscriber:
Visit the link https://dinsights.katadata.co.id/account/subscribe for more details. Use the code "AMCHAM1" to get a special price for AmCham Members
Corporate Subscriber:
Up to four users with a special price at Rp 40,000,000 annually. Send names, emails, and quote “AMCHAM2” to [email protected]
Support Independent Journalism: Subscribe to The Jakarta Post
In these difficult times, our hometown English language newspaper, The Jakarta Post, is more important than ever. Given the difficulties of physical circulation and the economic slump, the Post needs to boost its online subscribers – a goal we heartily support at AmCham Indonesia. Quality English language news is vital for our businesses, our home offices, and the flow of information out of Indonesia. It is for this reason, that we are urging all of our members and readers to subscribe to JP! Information is what will help get us through this crisis. Below is information about how to sign up.
JP Premium Digital Subscription Packages
https://www.thejakartapost.com/packages
Monthly subscription – Rp 50,000
Yearly subscription – Rp 600,000
Now is the Time to Join AmCham!
 |
We offer a full slate of meetings, events, and information for our community online. But we can only do this through the support of our members. If you are not yet an AmCham member, please join now.
AmCham Indonesia is open to all companies with an interest in US business relations and we have many non-American members. We are a community and we welcome you!
Reach us at [email protected] or click below!
AmCham Office and Events
 |
The AmCham Office is on the work-from-home status and all face-to-face meetings and events have been postponed. We are having a number of meetings online using the Zoom platform. You will be notified of virtual meetings as they are scheduled.
What is Your Company Doing on COVID-19?
Please let us know what measures your company may be taking in the form of donations and other assistance to help Indonesia during this time of confusion and concern. Contact [email protected] with your news. We would like to publicize the ways that our AmCham companies are pitching in.
Stay well
We urge you to send us press releases and other information that we can pass on to the broader AmCham community. If you have items of interest, please email material to [email protected]. Follow this link to information provided by the US Embassy
Stay safe, call a doctor if you have a high fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. Stay healthy above all else.
AmCham Update is AmCham's regular newsletter on developments related to the pandemic crisis and other issues in Indonesia. It is edited by AmCham Managing Director A Lin Neumann and written by the AmCham Staff. Paul L Goddard is the Managing Editor
