Trucks laden with coffins, hospitals turning away the desperately ill. The COVID-19 nightmare that every country fears has come to Indonesia.
Health workers wearing take a PCR swab test on a man inside the Wisma Atlet Covid-19 Emergency Hospital complex in Jakarta. The 7394-bed hospital reached 90 per cent capcity this week. Getty
Douglas Ramage invited a friend over to his Jakarta apartment last weeked for a socially distanced drink. It was the first time Ramage had entertained in nine months. Both men are fully vaccinated. A day later came the call. The friend wasn’t feeling well, and a COVID-19 test had come back positive.
“I am the most conservative person I know,” says Ramage, managing director of business advisory company BowerGroupAsia. “I’ve been hypervigilant and yet here I am, waiting the recommended few days before I get a PCR test. Basically the virus is rampant here.”
Emma ConnorsSenior editor and writerEmma Connors was South-east Asia correspondent from October 2019 until mid-2023, based in Jakarta and Singapore. She has previously edited Perspective and Opinion and has written extensively across the AFR and related titles. Connect with Emma on Twitter. Email Emma at emma.connors@nine.com.au
