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

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria claimed the government faced difficulties to determine the public mobility restrictions or PPKM policy during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays. According to him, long holidays are always followed by a surge in COVID-19 infections according to past experience.

“It is not easy for the government to find a formula this year because, in the previous year, it (the number of cases) always increases. Whether the government should tighten or relax [the policy],” said Riza in Jakarta, Monday night, December 13.

Riza explained the government had two choices; tighten or loosen the policy. The number of positive cases had indeed dropped and the vaccination rate was high. But on the other hand, there was an emergence of a new coronavirus variant, Omicron.

The central government initially planned to tighten the restrictions by elevating the PPKM status to Level 3 for all regions of Java and Bali starting December 24. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had even inked the derivative rule. However, the government must follow WHO’s standards and rules.

“In the end, the government decided to cancel the PPKM,” Riza said. 

The government instead issued a number of restrictions during the Christmas and New Year holidays that did not refer to the PPKM status.

Read: Jakarta Allows Karaoke Venues to Open with Level 2 PPKM

LANI DIANA WIJAYA