Jokowi’s tough coronavirus choice: lock down Indonesia or let millions earn a living

Indonesia announced its first Covid-19 case on March 2, more than a month after its neighbours Singapore and Malaysia reported their first infections, and subsequently, President Joko Widodo admitted that some information had been withheld from the public to avoid causing alarm. With Indonesia now having 6,760 infections and 590 deaths, the highest number of fatalities in Southeast Asia, there are worries about whether the health care sector can handle the expected continued surge in cases.