Indonesian president announces easing of Covid-19 restrictions

[JAKARTA]

INDONESIA'S President Joko Widodo said on Monday that the government would adjust Covid-19 restrictions over the week Aug 31 to Sept 6, including for shopping malls and factories, in response to a lower infection rate in more areas, officials said.

More parts of densely populated Java island have been lowered from the most severe Level 4 category, said Mr Widodo, noting that hospital beds occupancy rates in those areas have dropped over the last week.

Curbs on businesses such as restaurants and non-essential industries will be eased, while the government ramps up the use of a smartphone application for tracing, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan told a separate media briefing on Monday.

Restaurants in shopping malls will be allowed to serve dine-in customers to up to 50 per cent capacity, up from 25 per cent now, and shopping malls can stay open until 9 pm, an hour later than currently permitted, Mr Luhut said.

The government will also run trials for indoor dining for restaurants in major cities that operate outside shopping malls.

All factories can operate with 100 per cent workers, divided into shifts, provided they have secured certain documents from the government, he added.

"We must be grateful for the various developments that we have achieved together. But we still have to be vigilant," Mr Luhut said. "If we are not careful, we could face another increase in cases."

The government updates the situation every week and may change the restrictions from Sept 7 if it sees the need. Indonesia tightened its Covid-19 restrictions in early July after the Delta variant triggered a surge in infections and put the country's hospitals under strain.

The number of daily cases has since fallen, reaching 5,436 on Monday, the lowest since June, and compared to a peak of 56,757 daily infections in mid-July.

In total, the world's fourth most populous country has recorded over four million Covid-19 cases and more than 132,000 deaths.

The tourist island of Bali is still categorised as Level 4, although Mr Luhut said he expects conditions there will improve soon.

REUTERS