Antara, Jakarta – The spokesman for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said the pandemic situation which is getting more controlled recently has led to rising economic growth.

"The COVID-19 pandemic that is getting more controlled followed by adaptive policies can improve the national economy. This improvement in the national economy must be continued in an effort to recover from the pandemic," said Wiku at an online press conference on the COVID-19 handling development, in Jakarta, Thursday, June 2, 2022.

He cited data based on Statistics Indonesia (BPS) that the Indonesian economy in the first quarter of 2022 grew by 5.01 percent, compared to the beginning of the 2020 pandemic which was only 2.97 percent year on year.

Additionally, the government continued to boost foreign cooperation through the tourism sector and the creative economy.

"On June 1, the Indonesian government through the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry along with the COVID-19 Task Force and the Singapore government held a meeting to discuss tourism policies, relaxed travel restrictions, and optimization of tourist destinations in Batam, Bintan, and Bali," Wiku said.

Other than helping economic recovery, the controlled pandemic situation could also open up wider job opportunities.

Thus, Wiku called on all parties to always work together, be disciplined in applying the health protocols, and immediately get vaccinations so that public restrictions could be further eased gradually which improve the national economic recovery.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1597813/economic-growth-improving-as-covid-19-more-controlled-task-forc