They carry out surveillance in their respective region. Their duties start from prevention, campaigning for health protocols, identifying suspected COVID-19 patients, providing assistance to patients undergoing isolation, taking patients to the hospiJakarta (ANTARA) - Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian has said that regions can apply a micro lockdown if they detect COVID-19 transmission during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Micro lockdowns were, in fact, implemented during previous community mobility restriction (PPKM) periods, namely under the micro PPKM regulation, he informed.
"If the task force and local government find case transmission in their respective area, they can implement micro lockdowns in local neighborhoods (RT/RW)," he advised here on Monday.
People affected by micro lockdowns will receive assistance during the implementation of the lockdowns, Karnavian said.
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"Of course, we will help them with all kinds of social assistance while trying to curb the spread of COVID-19 in their area. We have conveyed this to all regional heads so they can re-activate the micro-lockdown regulation," the minister informed.
Karnavian explained that the implementation of micro lockdowns or micro PPKM will be supervised to the level of the smallest regional administration, including RT/RW (neighborhood).
"Previously, we only had task forces at the district level. We tried to provide COVID-19 task forces at the sub-district, village, and even RT/RW level," he said.
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The COVID-19 handling task force at the village level is supported by village supervision officers (Babinsa), Community Security and Order Enforcement (Babinkamtibmas) officers, and community leaders, he informed.
"They carry out surveillance in their respective region. Their duties start from prevention, campaigning for health protocols, identifying suspected COVID-19 patients, providing assistance to patients undergoing isolation, taking patients to the hospital, and if a case is found in the area, they can conduct a lockdown," Karnavian said.
Earlier, in response to the news of a patient escaping quarantine at Wisma Atlet Jakarta, deputy at the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), Abetnego Tarigan, had said that the government's plan to apply a micro-lockdown policy to slow down the potential spread of the Omicron variant in the country would be an effective strategy.
"Micro lockdown is considered as an effective policy," he noted.
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Translator: Boyke Ledy W, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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