TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo officially extended the enforcement period of the emergency state of public mobility restrictions, known as the PPKM Level 4, until August 2, 2021.

The government had enforced the Covid-19 measure which was previously dubbed Emergency PPKM from July 3 until July 20. The policy was then extended until July 25.

“There will be a few adjustments to the community activities and mobility that will be carried out in stages,” said Jokowi in an online press conference on Sunday, July 25.

The rule adjustments are as follows;

1. Traditional markets selling basic daily needs are allowed to open as normal under strict health protocols.
2. Traditional markets selling other than basic needs are allowed to open until 15:00 with a maximum capacity of 50 percent and under strict health protocols predetermined by the regional government.
3. Street vendors, grocery stores, voucher agents/outlets, barbershops, laundromats, hawkers, small workshops, vehicle wash services, and other similar small businesses are allowed to open under strict health protocols until 21:00, which technical rules are regulated by the regional government.
4. Food stalls, street food vendors, and so on with open spaces are allowed to open under strict health protocols until 20:00. People are also allowed to dine in with a maximum visit time of 20 minutes.

Epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia (UI) Pandu Riono on Saturday argued that it was not possible to relax the Covid-19 restrictions at current conditions. “Referring to epidemiological indicators, there are not many changes from the emergency restrictions or [PPKM] level 4 that has been in effect since July 3,” he said.

The decline in daily Covid-19 cases was also due to lower testing, while the number of patients hospitalized continued to increase, he informed. Thus, he asked President Jokowi not to recklessly relax the PPKM Level 4.

Read: Introducing New Covid-19 Restriction Terms; PPKM Level 4, Level 3

DEWI NURITA