Bali Covid 19 Update

June 2nd, 2020 • uwt

 

The Bali Covid 19 situation is one that is constantly in flux, much like every other part of the world. With many countries starting to open up, we thought it’s a great time to give you a Bali Covid 19 update.

Bali Covid 19 Update Veggies

Bali Covid 19 Update – The Numbers

Bali hasn’t had a large amount of positive cases throughout the world crisis. Indonesia itself closed its borders in late March, so not many people have arrived on the island since then. According to the latest updates filed by Jackie Pomeroy on her “Bali Covid 19 Updates” page “Bali has a cumulative total of 482 cases of Covid 19. There were 5 new recoveries yesterday, leaving 334 total recovered and one new death in Badung, bring us to 5 deaths from Covid-19.” That means there are less than 150 cases on an island of over 4 million people. Jackie Pomeroy’s page is absolutely the best place to read daily updates with real facts and free of the typical Facebook speculation. You should subscribe to the page if you have an interest in Bali and Indonesia as a whole.

As you can see, there are have not been many cases in Bali and most people are recovering. The death count is very low which is a positive sign. The vast majority of positive cases have come from Balinese working abroad and then returning home during the crisis. All of these workers are required to do quarantine, first in a government facility and then at home. Therefore, they are to a certain degree a controlled group of cases. As stated above, there have only been 5 deaths to date.

How is Bali Coping with Covid 19?

During the last 2 months, Bali has been under social distancing rules. The island has not been shut down and most people are free to travel to other areas in the island. Certain communities have put more strict rules in place but the south is relatively open. The beaches have been closed for the most part and activities such as diving and surfing have not been allowed. Residents have been advised to avoid all unnecessary movement and remain at home other than shopping. The vast majority of stores have remained open and restaurants and cafes have adapted to take out/delivery menus. There are no issues with food supply and there certainly has been no shortage on toilet paper. 🙂

However, as this is an island that has a great reliance on tourism, many people and businesses are suffering. A large percentage of those who work in the tourism industry have lost their jobs. With lost jobs comes a loss of income and savings, therefore a lot of people are hurting financially. Thankfully there are many charities and N.G.Os in the area doing good work collecting donations and handing out food island wide. If you are interested in donating to such a charity then Solemen Bali is a good choice.

Are Things Changing in Bali Due to Covid 19?

As the worldwide grip of Covid 19 seems to be easing, many countries are starting to open up. Europe will allow tourism from a limited number of countries. Indonesia is also starting to ease the rules a little. Domestic travel will start to open soon but with many restrictions in place. Negative Covid tests are required to board planes or arrive in a different regency or province. Some areas that are deemed “Covid Free” may open to domestic tourism first, while others remain closed. In any case, any area that opens will still require social distancing and masks worn in public.At this point in time we don’t know which areas will open and which will not. On a positive note, a few areas of Bali are opening up their beaches to more activity, we expect Sanur to follow soon. Hopefully diving will be open soon after that.

When Will Tourism Open Up?

Overseas tourism is still closed. Indonesia is not issuing tourist, social, or business visas at this time. Foreigners in possession of valid Kitas and Kitap permits are allowed in the country with the correct medical requirements and must undertake quarantine on arrival. We don’t know when this will change and we won’t speculate on dates. Suffice it to say that we will let you know as soon as there is information available. As this will impact our group travel and Bali trips this year, we are keeping a sharp eye on all developments.

What Can You Do to Help?

Mount AgungAs mentioned above, Solemen Bali is a good choice if you would like to donate to an organization helping provide food at the grassroots level. If you have visit a particular dive centre or hotel often, most will have some sort of fund that you can donate to help their staff.

Here at the Underwater Tribe, we have been keeping busy with our Live Shows 3 times per week. We have been interviewing prominent people in the conservation, diving, underwater photography, and science world and sharing on our Facebook and YouTube channels. We enjoy creating these great shows and sharing them with our audience each week. If you have not watched any yet, please head over to our YouTube channel to watch. If you would like to support our efforts in bring these to you each week, or to help us support our staff during this time we have set up PayPal and Credit Card links to “Buy Us as Coffee”.



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