Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the COVID-19 Czar who serves as the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, has announced the Government will test the reopening of shopping centers and malls during the latest extension of the Emergency Limitations on Public Movement Policy (PPKM) that commenced on Tuesday, 10 August 2021 and will last until 16 August 2021.
Quoted in NusaBali.com, Luhut said during a virtual press conference: “The Government will trial a phased and gradual reopening of malls and shopping centers in areas with a ‘level 4’ PPKM status while enforcing the implementation of health protocols.”
A “Level 4” is the highest level of contagion danger alert for any area of Indonesia.
Luhut explained the extension of PPKM measures starting on 10 August 2021 has two “road maps” that will be trialed. One plan will be applied for malls and shopping centers, while the other will focus on essential industries and supporting elements involved in export.
Access to Malls
“Only those that have been vaccinated, I repeat, only those that have been vaccinated will be allowed to enter into shopping malls, and they must have downloaded and use the ‘Peduli Lindungi’ application. Children under the age of 12 years and people older than 70 are temporarily banned from visiting malls and shopping centers,” announced Pandjaitan.
The reopening of malls is being undertaken on a trial basis in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and Semarang with limitations of crowd size put at 25% of standard visitor capacity.
Essential Industries
Guidelines or standard-operating-procedures (SOP) are being compiled to be announced on 17 August 2021 for essential industries and supporting elements that will be allowed to operate in PPKM Level 4 areas. 100% of the staff will be allowed to return to work, providing work schedules are spread across a minimum of two shifts.
Extension of PPKM
The Government has extended PPKM policies for Level 4, 3, and 2 regions on Java and Bali from 10 -16 August to maintain the momentum to reduce new COVID-19 infections achieved in the most recent lockdown on 2-9 August. Luhut said that a 59.6% decline in new cases had been recorded compared to the peak period of infections on 15 July 2021.
