TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the government will announce the status of the Public Activities Restriction (PPKM Darurat) on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

However, Budi was reluctant to mention whether the government will extend the PPKM Darurat or not. "Just wait tomorrow [today], will be announced by Mr. Pram [Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung]," Budi said in an interview with Tempo on July 20, 2021.

A number of sources previously mentioned that the government will extend the emergency mobility restriction period. Several government officials had mentioned that the announcement will be made yesterday (July 19, 2021), but was later canceled.

Budi said that the cabinet meeting has agreed that an announcement concerning the restriction will be made today.

Yesterday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had signaled that the government remains under the consideration that the restriction must be continued. Jokowi said that relaxation of the restriction can only be done if Covid-19 transmission rate can be curbed and if infection cases with severe symptoms recede.

"Imagine, if the restriction is to be relaxed, and then the case surges again, and hospitals cannot accommodate patients, this will cause our health facilities to collapse. We need to be careful of this, "Jokowi said in a Youtube video uploaded by the Cabinet Secretariat to address Regional Heads concerning the PPKM Darurat on Monday, 19 July 2021.

DEWI NURITA