Jakarta Lockdown or Weekend Lockdown; Deputy Governor Explains

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria said the city government has not yet decided as to whether to enforce a policy of Jakarta lockdown or weekend lockdown.

According to Riza, the provincial government is still enforcing the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) in keeping with the second phase of the central government’s community activity restrictions or PPKM until February 8, 2021.

“(In the regulation), there is no policy of lockdown on weekends,” Riza told reporters on Friday, February 5.

However, Riza said the city was open to suggestions from the community in any form. Jakarta, along with the central government, will then study and analyze the proposal.

Riza said Governor Anies Baswedan in the next few days planned to chair a joint meeting with the province’s Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, epidemiologists, and other relevant officials. They will coordinate with the central Covid-19 Handling Task Force.

“We will later decide what policy to take at the next PPKM or PSBB on February 8,” said Riza.

Previously, a legislator from the National Mandate Party (PAN), Ahmad Daulay, suggested the Jakarta administration adopt a local quarantine as applied by Turkey orweekend lockdown.

An epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, meanwhile, assessed that the enforcement of lockdown during weekends would not be effective to curb COVID-19 transmission.

Read: Jakarta Deputy Governor Clarifies Weekend Lockdown Issues

ADAM PRIREZA | IMAM HAMDI