Jayapura, Jubi – As COVID-19 cases in Jayapura City continue to decrease that the city is now considered at level 2 of the public activity restrictions (PPKM), the administration decides to continue learning activities at schools, which has been started on Oct. 25, 2021.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PPKM level 2 means the number of COVID-19 cases in the area is between 20 and 50 people per 100,000 population per week.
“Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are less than 10 people per 100,000 population per week. Meanwhile, the mortality rate is less than 2 people per 100,000 residents,” Jayapura mayor Benhur Tomi Mano said at his office on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.
Mano said that even though schools were open, the number of students was still limited, as well as learning hours.
“Students attendance is 50 percent, study hours are shortened or only core subjects being studied. That way, students will not be in school for too long. It will minimize the risk of creating a new COVID-19 cluster,” said Mano.
Mano further asked school principals, teachers, and parents of both elementary and junior high students to support the implementation of learning at schools so that it runs smoothly and the students do not catch COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Jayapura deputy mayor Rustan Saru said that from a number of inspections he carried out in several elementary and junior high schools, he could say that these schools were eligible to implement offline learning as they had complied with the health protocols.
“The facilities are complete, from handwashing facilities to measuring body temperature. Besides, there are no street food vendors outside schools,” said Saru.
Furthermore, Saru said, study hours were divided into two, some students started at 8.30 a.m. and some others at 10.30 a.m. There is already a school task force and room for COVID-19 isolation in some schools. Wearing masks, maintaining distance, and avoiding making a crowd is a must.
“The face-to-face learning has been running safely, no one has been exposed [to the virus] so far. Schools must be monitored continuously at all levels of education so that there are no new clusters [of COVID-19],” he said.
Saru asked both teachers, students, and parents to maintain health protocols even outside schools.
“PPKM level 2 is implemented because vaccination has reached 70 percent, the bed occupancy rate of COVID-19 reference hospitals is at 4 percent,” he added. (*)
Reporter: Ramah
Editor: Dewi Wulandari
