Kemenkes Urges Stricter Entry Procedures for International Travelers
The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has tightened the management of Indonesian borders for Indonesian citizens (WNI) and foreigners (WNA) arriving here. Overseas travelers are to be subjected to sequencing checks in anticipation of new variants of Covid-19, including the MU variant – the fifth "variant of interest" to be monitored by the World Health Organization since March 2020.
The government said it will focus on arrivals from five countries with high positive records of Covid-19: Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Japan. It also will conduct strict monitoring of those arriving from Columbia and Ecuador, along with other countries which have seen a spread of the MU variant.
According to Ministry of Health data, 2.24 percent of Indonesian citizens returning from overseas trips have tested positive, and 0.83 percent of foreign travelers entering Indonesia, even though the results of their previous tests in their country of origin were negative.
Kemenkes Spokesperson dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi has urged that ports of entry to the country, such as airports and seaports, continue to tighten screening and control procedures for international travelers.
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Thousands Refused Mall Entry Due to PeduliLindungi Black Status
Some 1,603 people have been refused entry to shopping centers/malls due to receiving a black notification from the PeduliLindungi tracing app, according to the Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI). If a person receives a black notification upon scanning the QR code at the mall, it means they are either Covid-19 positive or have been in contact with someone who is.
APPBI chairman Alphonzus Widjaja said the rejection of thousands of individuals with black notifications shows shopping centers are enforcing and implementing health protocols in a strict, disciplined, and consistent manner. He also said he hopes the government will soon allow visitors under the age of 12 to enter shopping centers, as they are safer due to the implementation of tight health protocols.
Related links:
- https://www.cnnindonesia.com/ekonomi/20210912133847-92-693154/ribuan-orang-ditolak-masuk-mal-karena-terdeteksi-covid
- https://voi.id/en/news/84311/thousands-of-covid-19-positive-people-refused-to-enter-shopping-centers-appbi-government-must-make-sure-they-dont-wander?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=pmd_pi3HfcH60eGBjjGhP2TrfGYtiJ7nIrb8CRoCSvvs4ew-1631517196-0-gqNtZGzNA2WjcnBszQeR
Java-Bali Covid Numbers Update
Regions in Java and Bali recorded 14,954 Covid-19 cases between Sept 7-12, some 43.88 percent of the 34,078 total national cases. The number of daily positive cases showed a decline, with 3,281 cases on Sept 7 and 1,760 on Sept 12. That said, daily testing rates have yet to reach the target of 215,306 tests per day, with the average number of tests conducted during the period only 134,502 tests per day. Some 1,439 deaths were recorded Sept 7-12, with West Java having the highest number.
On the bright side, vaccination and recovered cases are increasing. Recovered cases reached 27,392 during the period, with 6,755 in West Java and 5,718 in Central Java. The vaccination rate in Java and Bali also topped 50 percent of the national total, with 51,120,090 first doses out of 72,876,368 nationally. The bed occupancy rate (BOR) is also decreasing. Bali has the highest BOR with 12 percent, while Central Java and Banten have the lowest with 2 percent.
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AmCham Cares: Starbucks
Starbucks partners (employees), in partnership with the Planet Water Foundation, installed a new AquaTower filtration system at Pondok Pesantren Al-Ijtihad Danger Islamic boarding school in Danger village, East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara on Aug 14. The AquaTower, funded by The Starbucks Foundation, will support up to 1,000 liters of clean water per hour for the 3,900 residents. Starbucks continues to support the community by providing access to clean, safe drinking water and handwashing stations.
Starbucks and the Planet Water Foundation have joined together to provide clean water access across Indonesia since 2011, building AquaTower filtration systems in 14 communities located in Bali, Bekasi, Lombok, Medan, Surabaya, and Tangerang. This collaboration has provided over 25,000 people in Indonesia with clean water access, educating many children on life-saving hygiene practices with a focus on handwashing and protecting against germs. Starbucks partners volunteered to participate in the assembly and installation of the latest AquaTower in Danger village, and also led educational activities with the students and teachers.
“We are more than happy to once again support Planet Water Foundation in providing clean water access, creating positive social impact to Indonesian communities. At Starbucks, we believe that small actions will lead to a bigger impact if we do it together, and therefore we hope to contribute positivity in the way we do the business as we are part of the community,” said Anthony McEvoy, CEO of Starbucks at PT Sari Coffee Indonesia.
2.5m Jakarta Residents Unvaccinated
Some 2.5 million Jakarta residents have yet to be vaccinated, according to Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, while 10.3 million residents have been. This compares to 3 million unvaccinated in mid-August. Anies said most of the 2.5 million had refused to be vaccinated for a variety of reasons and will need to be persuaded. He also said some people had moved out of Jakarta but had not yet updated their residence status. Anies said one way to ramp up vaccination was by directly visiting neighborhoods to promote the jab.
Related link:
Industry Sector Vaccination Lowers Transmission Risk by 80%
High employee vaccination rates in the industrial sector may reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission by up to 80 percent, according to the Acting Director-General of Agro-Industry at the Ministry of Industry Putu Juli Ardika.
Putu said employees who have not been vaccinated have a 35 percent possibility of contracting the virus, but it is only around 7 percent for those who have been vaccinated. As a result, the Ministry of Industry has asked company management to carry out vaccinations for all personnel, either independently or in collaboration with others
Related links:
- https://katadata.co.id/annissa/berita/613db529027af/vaksinasi-di-industri-turunkan-risiko-penularan-covid-19-hingga-80
- https://en.tempo.co/read/1505309/vaccination-in-industrial-sector-reduces-covid-19-risk-by-80-says-official
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
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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!
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AmCham Office and Events
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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
