Covid-19: 5.5 million Indonesians will lose their jobs. 4 million are at risk of poverty

Fears over growth of infections. A "partial" lockdown favoured the spread of the coronavirus. Business leaders: solve the health crisis first and then restart production. Doctors: The population must stay at home. The pandemic lays bare the social and economic gaps in the country. The poor are the most affected by the emergency. Subsidies to households and businesses to help recovery.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - About 5.5 million Indonesians will lose their jobs this year and 4 million are at risk of ending up in poverty as a result of the pandemic. As of September 6, the deaths in the country stand at 8,025, with 194,109 cases of contagion and 138,575 healings. Given the lack of capacity to carry out tests with swabs, and to trace the contacts of infected people, the authorities fear a growth in infections.

Fearing social unrest, the government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has avoided imposing a full lockdown. Instead, it introduced "large-scale social restrictions" or a series of restrictions on mobility.

Speaking of "new normal", the executive has loosened controls. In compliance with strict protocols, essential activities are permitted; even businesses can operate. But many citizens did not comply with containment measures in the workplace, and participated in social gatherings and weekly prayers.

Analysts blame the confusion on national and local bureaucracies of prioritizing public health or the economy. Even business leaders have said the health crisis must be first overcome for the economy to recover.

Emerging and potential Covid-19 clusters include factories, dormitories and extended families— and big entourages of at least 141 candidates who registered themselves last week for the December local elections, election supervisors said.

At the moment, according to reports from national trade associations, 104 doctors and 70 nurses have died from the coronavirus. In the midst of mourning, and despite the praise for their "heroic" service, health workers keep repeating: "Please stay home".

The pandemic has laid bare the social and economic void in the populous country (almost 270 million inhabitants). Motorcycle taxi drivers are among those who cannot stay at home; they must seek alternative income or face heavy fines for not respecting physical distancing requirements.

Poor access to the internet, health and hygiene facilities is now increasingly evident in areas chronically lacking such access. In far-flung Papua 90 percent hospital beds have filled up. Even less infants are receiving basic vaccination for preventable diseases.

For remote learning, online coaching is available for parents who must tutor children, but most are preoccupied with meeting telecommunication expenses despite government subsidies.

Guidelines to stay home, distancing and frequently washing hands, experts say, hardly address realities of the poor, where three-generation families occupy cramped spaces. Community groups and activists are helping marginalized groups, through promoting healthy nutrition, efforts to counter fake news and health campaigns — as many among rich or poor dismiss the dangers of the coronavirus.

The Minister of Industry notes that while small and medium-sized enterprises supported the economy during the 1998 Asian financial crisis, they are now among the hardest hit. The government helped them with a monthly allowance of 2.4 million Indonesian rupiah (137 euros).

To increase household spending, the executive also allocated wage subsidies for 15.7 million workers. Other efforts are aimed at reducing bureaucracy, and at correcting the disparity in population data, which has caused frustrating errors in aid distribution.

• indonesia
• coronavirus
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• pandemic
• covid-19
• crisis
• unemployed
• economy
• poverty
• sick
• infected
• lockdown