TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has decided to extend the implementation of public activity restrictions (PPKM) outside of Java and Bali once more despite the fact that COVID-19 cases have started to decline.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto made the remarks at an online press conference following a PPKM evaluation meeting on Monday.

The PPKM will be extended by 14 days, he informed.

The extended PPKM will be imposed from January 4 to January 17, 2022, he said.

According to Hartarto, the effective case reproduction rate has remained at 0.98 on average. Then, in terms of COVID-19 handling, entire districts or cities are still at Level 1, he informed.

However, a number of districts or cities have had differing responses concerning vaccination, which remains below 70 percent.

"Districts or cities with PPKM Level 1 have increased from 191 to 227. Those with PPKM Level 2 have decreased from 169 to 148 districts or cities, and Level 3 have decreased from 26 to 11 districts or cities," he said.

The government is also preparing to administer booster shots or third vaccinations, he added. In the future, there will be a revision within the Health Ministerial Regulation and the Government Regulation, Hartarto noted.

This will be announced by the health minister on January 12, 2022, he said.

For COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (PC-PEN) in 2022, the government has allocated a budget of Rp414 trillion, he noted.

This is because the PC-PEN within the last two years has proven to be capable of serving as a cushion for the national economy, maintaining the Gini coefficient and unemployment rate, and creating jobs, he elaborated.

"We expect that the quarterly economic growth would be at 4.5–5 percent while the year-on-year growth would be at 3.7-4 percent," he explained.

"Hence, entering the year 2022, we could encourage frontloading from the budget," he added.

Read: Jakarta Deputy Gov Talks of Dilemma over PPKM on Year-End Holidays

ANTARA