"This is because we were earlier able to reduce the number of cases in three weeks, from the peak of the Delta variant (spread) and continue to curb positive cases with the implementation of the PPKM policy," Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Siti Nadia Tarmizi remarked here on Friday.
Tarmizi noted that the government had decided to increase the level of PPKM in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Yogyakarta, Bali, and Greater Bandung to level 3 until February 14, 2022.
Tarmizi, concurrently serving as secretary of the Directorate General of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, expressed optimism that if people were to comply with the PPKM policy, then the spike in COVID-19 cases would be brought under control.
The spokesperson highlighted that the key to success for PPKM is the community's cooperation, understanding, and compliance with the PPKM policy.
Related news: National Police chief seeks reimplementation of micro-PPKM
Epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Public Health (FKM UI) Iwan Ariawan affirmed that the PPKM policy and vaccination would be able to curb transmission, the hospital bed occupancy rate, and deaths due to COVID-19.
"The key to success is the consistent implementation of PPKM," he stressed.
Ariawan has forecast that the current COVID-19 transmission would peak in late February or early March of 2022.
"Thereafter, the number of new cases will decrease, and the outbreak will be under control," he remarked.
Earlier, epidemiologist from Airlangga University's Faculty of Public Health Laura Navika Yamani stated that the PPKM should be followed by the government's efforts to accelerate vaccinations, both primary and booster vaccines.
According to Yamani, expediting vaccinations will lower the risk of people experiencing severe symptoms or also deaths due to COVID-19.
The epidemiologist also drew attention to the importance of implementing health protocols and conducting testing, tracing, and treatment efforts amid the spike in COVID-19 cases.
Related news: Riau Islands boosts tracing to prevent increase in PPKM level
Translator: Andi Firdaus, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
