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A tourism worker gets vaccine jab in Senggigi, West Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara, on March 20, 2021

As many as 230 tourism operators in West Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, received COVID-19 vaccine shots as an effort to develop a herd immunity against the new type of corona virus in Indonesia.

The vaccination campaign was organized by the West Lombok Tourism Office in cooperation with the local health office in Killa Senggigi Resort area, here on Saturday.

"As many as 130 operators received their second dose, while 100 got their first vaccine jab," Head of the West Lombok Tourism Office Saepul Akhkam said.

The first dose of the vaccine aims to increase the antibodies, while the second dose amplifies the first dose so that the antibodies appear even stronger.

The vaccination campaign demonstrated that tourism in West Lombok Regency is ready to welcome guests, he remarked.

"With the government's plan to start opening international flights to Bali in June-July 2021, it will definitely affect tourism on the island of Lombok," he said.He said that the COVID-19 vaccination would continue to be carried out until all 4,230 tourism workers in the district, are inoculated.

The tourism operators work in hotels, restaurants, travel agents, tour guide service, creative economy businesses and others.

The next vaccination activity will be for 1,000 tourism workers who will receive their first vaccine dose .

The West Lombok Administration recently launched the West Lombok Calendar of Events (CoE) 2021, as an effort to attract tourists to return to NTB.

The CoE 2021 include various events organized to promote Senggigi, Sekotong, Narmada traditional villages, among others//ANT

Scuffles and arrests as anti-lockdown protesters march through London

Scuffles broke out as anti-lockdown protesters marched through central London on Saturday (Mar 20), defying police warnings for them to stay away due to coronavirus restrictions.

Police said they made 33 arrests, most for COVID-19 regulation breaches, after up to 10,000 people gathered holding banners with slogans such as "Stop Destroying Our Kids' Lives" and "Fake Pandemic". Crowded close to one another, protesters also set off flares.

Under England's coronavirus rules it is unlawful for groups to gather for the purpose of protest, but opposition to such measures has grown this week, not specifically related to anti-lockdown demonstrations.

Police were criticised for using heavy-handed tactics to break up an outdoor vigil for 33-year-old Sarah Everard on Mar 13. A police officer has been charged with her kidnap and murder.

More than 60 British lawmakers wrote to interior minister Priti Patel on Friday calling for protests to be allowed during lockdown and saying that attending a demonstration should not be a criminal offence.

"We call on you to expressly exempt protests from restrictions on gatherings," lawmakers, including Conservative Member of Parliament Steve Baker and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said in the letter, which was organised by campaign groups Liberty and Big Brother Watch.

There were three consecutive nights of protest in London earlier this week, fuelled by the police reaction to the vigil for Everard, and anger over government plans to tighten the law on demonstrations.

The interior ministry, known as the Home Office, said when asked about the letter that the COVID-19 stay-at-home order remains in place until Mar 29, and once it ends protests can resume subject to agreeing to respect social distancing.

"While we are still in a pandemic we continue to urge people to avoid mass gatherings, in line with wider coronavirus restrictions," a spokeswoman said.

Police said people breaching COVID-19 regulations could face fines or arrest//CNA

People take pictures at the Trocadero square near the Eiffel tower in Paris amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in France, March 2, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Nearly a third of French people entered a month-long lockdown on Saturday (Mar 20) with many expressing fatigue and confusion over the latest set of restrictions aimed at containing the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.

The government announced the new measures on Thursday after a jump in COVID-19 cases in Paris and parts of northern France.The new restrictions are less severe than those in place during the lockdowns of spring and November 2020, raising concerns that they may not be effective.

"It's exhausting, tiring, it's long. I hope it's going to end quite quickly, although I have questions on how efficient the measures are," Kasia Gluc, 57, a graphic editor said on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris.

The interior ministry said in the night between Friday and Saturday that people could leave home as often as they wanted within 30km, provided they fill in a declaration.

Later on Saturday, Castex's office said the rules had been simplified and that no paperwork was needed during the day within a 10km perimeter, only a proof of address.

"We have to have a permission slip but compared to previous lockdowns we're still a lot more free to go out. So are we locked down? Yes and no," Antonin Le Marechal, 21, said.

Good weather permitting, many Parisians went to the banks of the Seine river for a walk, a bike tour, or to gather with family and friends.

"As you can see, everyone is eating, taking off their masks," said 20-year-old student Rachel Chea. "It doesn't change anything for me."

The measures raised frustration among so-called non-essential shop owners forced to close down.

Stores allowed to stay open include those selling food, books, flowers and chocolate as well as hairdressers and shoemakers, but not clothes, furniture and beauty shops, according to a list released on Friday evening.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said a total of 90,000 shops would need to close down, defended the list of stores that could remain open, notably those selling chocolate and flowers just two weeks ahead of Easter.

"I do not at all say that this is ideal, but each time it is done with a simple logic: Guarantee the health of the French people while preserving economic activity and shops as much as possible," he told France Inter radio.

The government, which has avoided using the word lockdown to describe the latest restrictions, argues the measures are needed to relieve pressure on intensive care units which are close to overflowing.A large number of Parisians had left the city before the restrictions came into force at midnight//CNA

The first mass vaccination for community leaders and health workers was held at the Balikpapan City Hall yard. This weekend, vaccinations were moved to the wider Dome. (ANTARA / Novi Abdi)

A total of 5,124,948 Indonesians, comprising health workers, public service workers, and the elderly, have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

According to data provided by the Task Force for COVID-19 Handling, 165,885 additional people received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday compared to the previous day.

Meanwhile, 2,221,200 of the total recipients were administered their second dose, an increase of 152,800 compared to the previous day.

So far, 12.70 percent of the total 40,349,051 people targeted under phase I and stage II of the vaccination have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, only 5.50 percent of the targeted recipients have been administered the second vaccine dose.Providing more details, the task force said that 98.21 percent of the 1,468,764 targeted health workers have received the first dose. Meanwhile, 83.82 percent of the targeted recipients have received their second dose.

For public officials, 15.74 percent of the 17,327,169 targeted recipients have been given the first jab, while 5.67 percent have received their second dose.

Of the 21,553,118 elderly people targeted under the vaccination program, just 4.43 percent have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, only 0.04 percent of the targeted recipients have received their second jab.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) has stated that the use of the vaccine made by AstraZeneca, which was suspended, can now be resumed for the COVID-19 vaccination program.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has also cleared the South Korean SK Bioscience vaccine for use.Earlier, on a different occasion, the MUI had appealed to Muslims to not hesitate to get the COVID-19 jab during fasting as receiving the vaccination would not be considered as breaking fast, based on a fatwa//ANT