Pressure on Jakarta’s COVID-19 Referral Hospitals
Hospitals in Jakarta which treat COVID-19 patients have reached 87 percent capacity. The Jakarta government says approximately 24 percent of people treated in its COVID-19 referral hospitals are residents of the Bodetabek area (Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi).
On Jan 17, 7,734 of the 8,890 beds and ICU beds were filled. Ahmad Riza Patria, Deputy Governor of Jakarta, hopes to coordinate a buffer zone to increase the capacity of referral hospitals to ease the pressure on those in Jakarta.
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State Department Travel Health Alert
The US Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs, on Jan 15, announced the following health alert.
Location:
Worldwide: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director has signed an order requiring all airline passengers traveling to the United States, including US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test or recovery from COVID-19.
Event:
Effective January 26, all airline passengers to the United States aged two years and older must provide either a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel or provide a positive test result and documentation from a licensed health care provider or public health official of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel. Passengers must also attest, under penalty of law, to have received a negative qualifying test result or to recovery from COVID-19 and medical clearance to travel.
See the CDC Proof of Negative Test Result page to view the order, complete the attestation, and to see FAQs.
Airlines must deny boarding to passengers who do not meet these requirements.
US citizens in countries where adequate COVID-19 testing is not available or may not be able to satisfy the requirements, should depart immediately or prepare to be unable to return to the United States until such time as they can meet the requirements.
Actions to Take:
- Monitor the CDC website for the latest guidance regarding testing requirements.
- Check with your air carriers or travel representative prior to departure for the United States.
- Check COVID-19 Country Specific Information updated information on COVID-19 related information including availability of testing.
- Visit travel.state.gov to view individual Travel Advisories for the most urgent threats to safety and security.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security's website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
- Click here for our COVID FAQs Search Tool.
Assistance:
State Department - Consular Affairs 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
USAID Grants: Pathway to a More Self-reliant Indonesia
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Private Sector Engagement Accelerator Platform (PSE-AP), is offering grants to Indonesian and multinational organizations which leverage private sector investment and solutions to create long-term development impacts. USAID’s mission aims to support Indonesia in becoming more self-reliant and capable of facing its own development challenges. Private sector participation will be crucial in achieving this goal, given its expertise, capabilities, and resources.
The total (estimated) funding for the program is $12 million, with various provinces in Indonesia being allocated as priority geographical locations for proposals. Grant submissions must be made in the following areas: economic growth, democracy and governance, environment and health. Within these areas there are various criteria and sub-sectors that organizations are encouraged to focus on.
Each area has been allocated an initial funding amount to be provided by USAID. In order to successfully receive the grant, organizations must leverage private sector resources that equal, or preferably exceed the level of funding provided by USAID. It is expected that organizations incorporate development objectives of the USAID/Indonesian five-year (2020-2025) strategy within their proposals and consider a sustainable approach that will endure once USAID participation ends.
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COVID-19 Vaccination Criteria
The Committee on Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) has outlined health conditions for people who cannot be vaccinated:
- History of disease including but not limited to; COVID-19, symptoms of upper respiratory infection, heart or coronary heart failure, seismic autoimmune diseases, chronic kidney disease, cancer, blood disorders, etc
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- No close contact; patients being vaccinated must not come into contact with anyone who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19
- Have a temperature below 37.5; vaccination is postponed until the patient has recovered
- Have a blood pressure reading equal to or below 140/90
- Type 2 Diabetic Mellitus patients
- HIV patients
- Pulmonary disease
- Other non-screening diseases.
Given that it takes time for the body to form antibodies/immunity, it is advised that patients who are vaccinated continue to practice health protocols: wearing a mask, social distancing, and hand washing.
Related link:
25 Vaccine Trial Volunteers Infected by COVID-19
Some 25 volunteers for the Sinovac vaccine trial in Indonesia have tested positive for COVID-19. However, researchers concluded that this is normal and necessary for determining the effectiveness of the vaccine. The volunteers themselves were allowed to return to their daily activities after the vaccine trial. Of the 25, a total of 18 volunteers were given placebo injections, while seven others received the vaccine.
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AmCham Cares: Starbucks
Starbucks in Indonesia marked Global Handwashing Day on Oct 20, 2020, by building an AquaTower at SDN 6 Pemenang Barat in North Lombok and distributing liquid hand soap to the other 12 AquaTower locations across Indonesia. This initiative was an implementation of the company’s commitment to supporting the importance of clean hands, and the project aims to provide a positive social impact for the community.
OJK Announces Plans for 2021 Economic Recovery
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has announced five policies for economic recovery in 2021.
The first policy focuses on Indonesia’s economic recovery and includes credit restructuring and provides a grace period for debtors until March 2022, handing incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund and credit relaxations.
The second policy aims to strengthen Indonesia’s financial services sector by relaxing regulations on acquisitions and mergers. The third revolves around improving the existing financial services ecosystem, by developing the digital capital market infrastructure, security crowdfunding, issuing local bonds, and supporting the digitalization process of financial services enterprises.
The fourth is to accelerate the digitalization of the entire financial sector, with the OJK encouraging financial service companies to carry out digital transformation in business processes, distribution channels, and institutional structures. The fifth is to improve its own internal capabilities, notably through increasing efficiency and expanding the use of technology.
Related Link:
Government-Approved Isolation Hotels
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released Circular Letter No. D/00072/01/2021/64 addressed to all diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations in Indonesia. The letter contains the details of 67 government-appointed hotels (12 for foreigners and 55 for Indonesians) for five-day self-isolation. This letter is in effect from Jan 14 to Jan 25. Any inquiries can be sent to [email protected]
The Jakarta Provincial Government has also published the list of appointed hospitals for COVID-19 treatment (13 in West Jakarta, 15 in Central Jakarta, 14 in South Jakarta, 14 in East Jakarta, and 11 in North Jakarta).
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CIRCULAR LETTER
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF HOSPITALS
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
We Still Need Your Support to Shelter the Front Line
AmCham Indonesia and Habitat for Humanity have joined forces in an initiative called Sheltering Those Who Care for Us, a program to provide temporary quarters in hotels for Indonesian medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our program has helped not only medical workers in Jakarta, but also Tangerang and Surabaya; we are now planning to expand to Sulawesi.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still spreading, medical workers are working a lot harder than before. In these difficult times, they often cannot go back home for fear of infecting family members or being rejected by their local communities. As a result, they are forced to sleep in hospitals without a proper bed, also increasing the possibility of getting infected.
By donating, we will increase the overall capability of Indonesia to treat COVID-19. Habitat will match individual hospitals with hotels on an as-needed basis.
Your support is needed more than ever.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FLYER ON HOW TO DONATE
Now is the Time to Join AmCham!
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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
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The AmCham Office is on 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 a 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.
