Govt Lifts Coronavirus Restriction; How a Pandemic is Considered Endemic
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2 January 2023 08:45 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Friday, December 30th, officially revoked the coronavirus social restriction policy known as PPKM, following a 10-month evaluation by the government.
The revoked policy is mentioned under the Home Affairs Ministry’s Instructions No.50 and 51, which was taken sooner than the initial prediction of the third week of January this year.
"Today the government has decided to lift the PPKM," said Jokowi in a press conference at the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday, December 30. "There are no more restrictions on crowds and community activities."
Jokowi also said that the lifting was taken because all indicators regarding the coronavirus pandemic were below WHO standards. This is a strong sign that Indonesia’s pandemic status will soon change to an endemic.
Conditions where disease outbreaks can be considered an endemic
Citing the Columbia Public Health, disease outbreaks are endemic if they occur consistently but are limited to certain areas. This makes disease spread and rates predictable. Malaria, for example, is considered endemic in certain countries and regions.
Meanwhile, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is stated that endemic is the constant presence or prevalence of a disease or infectious agent that is common in a population within a geographic area. In short, endemic diseases are always present but spread at a predictable rate that society can manage.
Sometimes this level may be higher than desired. Currently, infection with SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting Covid-19 disease remains very high worldwide. However, the number of new cases each day is starting to stabilize, which is one sign the pandemic may be transitioning to endemic status.
5 Requirements to Reduce a Pandemic Status
- The transmission rate in the community is less than one percent.
- According to the threshold set by the World Health Organization or WHO, the case ratio or positivity rate is less than five percent.
- The hospitalization rate is less than five percent
- The death rate or fatality rate is less than three percent.
- The Level of Enforcement of Community Activity Restrictions or PPKM is at level one local transmission.
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