VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 9 - The Indonesian government will enforce restrictions on community activities (PPKM) using a micro-based approach, or at the local level, from 9 February to 22 February, 2021, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, said.

The PPKM would be implemented at the neighboring unit (RT), community unit (RW), village, and sub-district levels to curb positive coronavirus cases and tame the infection curve as a precondition for the successful handling of COVID-19 and national economic recovery, he informed.

"Of course, there needs to be a more micro approach, in accordance with the President's direction, namely up to the village or sub-district level," Hartarto said at an online press conference in Jakarta on Monday.

He explained that in order for COVID-19 cases to be well-controlled, it is necessary to establish a post or guard post at the village and sub-district level that performs four functions — prevention, handling, provision of guidance, and operational support for handling COVID-19.

He said handling functions will include the 3Ts of tracing, testing, and treatment, while prevention functions will include socializing the implementation of the 3Ms (using masks, keeping distance, and washing hands), as well as limiting mobility.

The function of guidance will include enforcing discipline, imposing sanctions, persuasion of crowd restrictions, and strengthening citizen solidarity, while supporting functions will cover data, logistics, communication, and administration, he added.

The COVID control measures at the guard post would comprise four tasks: maximizing 3Ts, isolating positive patients and close contacts, limiting mobility and movement, and providing basic necessities, such as rice and masks, he informed.

“(The measures would also involve) The formation of command posts at the village and sub-district levels, which will be headed by the village head and subdistrict head, respectively," he added.

In addition, the 3Ts will be ramped up along with fulfillment of community needs, he said.

For the purpose of testing, a free antigen swab test will be carried out for communities in villages and sub-districts by the Health Ministry using health facilities and puskesmas (community health centers) in their respective areas, he explained.

Tracing will be carried out more intensively in villages and sub-districts by using village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa) or village public order officers (Bhabinkamtibmas), who have been trained as tracers by the Ministry of Health, he informed.

For treatment, there will be provision for independent isolation and centralized care at health facilities, which will be coordinated by the village or sub-district guard post, he added.

Meanwhile, the fulfillment of basic needs in the form of rice provision will be carried out for people in the red zone, while cloth masks will be provided to all village communities, he said.

"The regulation to impose restrictions on various community activities at the district and city level, which is implemented by the Governor, is a regional priority that determines the restrictions on community activities (PPKM) with a micro-based approach, or at the local level," Hartarto stated. (Antaranews)