"Along the cosmological axis of Malioboro, we will continue to monitor the use of masks, especially if there are crowds of visitors," coordinator of law enforcement at the task force, Noviar Rahmad, said in Yogyakarta on Thursday.
The task force is paying attention to mask compliance in the region because crowds could trigger a spike in coronavirus cases in the province, he added.
Rahmad said that the rate of mask violations is still quite high.
Task force personnel will reprimand violators who are found not using masks, he added.
Imposing sanctions is no longer relevant given that Yogyakarta is currently implementing Level 1 community activities restrictions, which means that the virus spread is not severe, he said. Thus, people are being allowed to conduct public activities at full capacity.
Outside the Malioboro and Yogyakarta monument areas, public order officers are no longer conducting surveillance. Therefore, the use of masks or compliance with the health protocols depends on the people’s own initiative.
Rahmad said he expects people and tourists in Yogyakarta to continue to follow the health protocols because the region is still recording additional daily cases of COVID-19.
Despite the relaxation in regulations, people are only being allowed to remove their masks in open spaces and where there are no crowds, he added.
"We ask for individual or group awareness to continue to follow the health protocols in every activity conducted, without having to be monitored by authorities," he said.
He urged hotel business managers in Yogyakarta to remain disciplined in imposing the requirement of the PeduliLindungi application for every guest.
"We expect that hotel managers' awareness, for example, regarding the use of PeduliLindungi. If you are in a closed room like in a hotel, visitors must wear masks," he said.
Head of public relations of the Yogyakarta provincial government, Ditya Nanaryo Aji, said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yogyakarta increased by 11 to reach 220,884 as of Thursday.
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Translator: Luqman Hakim, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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