Could Even-Odd Traffic Policy Suppress COVID-19 Infection?

The Jakarta Provincial Government re-imposed an odd-even license plate number policy to limit vehicle traffic and citizen mobility. Head of the Jakarta Transportation Agency Syafrin Liputo, the policy that took effect on Monday (8/3), was an 'emergency brake' policy to prevent the COVID-19 transmission cluster in offices.

Syafrin said that the odd-even policy is regulated in Governor Regulation No. 51/2020 on Transitional Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB). The ultimate goal is to limit mobility and apply the physical distance principle, both in the office environment and at the center of public activity. Syafrin said during the transitional PSBB, the traffic volume in Jakarta had increasingly congested. "Even at some point, it has exceeded the pre-pandemic level," he said.