Omicron Variant Increases, Tourists From Outside Are Prohibited From Entering Kudus, If Desperately Forced To Turn Back

KUDUS - The government of Kudus Regency, Central Java, has banned tourists from entering Kudus and threatened to ask for buses or other public transportation transporting tourists to turn back if they dare to enter on the New Year's holiday January 1-2, 2022.

"This policy is in order to suppress the mobility of residents from outside the city and avoid crowds, in order to avoid the transmission of COVID-19," said Kudus Regent Hartopo in Kudus, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 29.

He admitted that the Central Government did not have an order to block road access, but the Kudus Regency Government carried out its own study and decided to take the New Year's holiday forbidding residents from outside the area from entering Kudus City.

If a cluster of COVID-19 transmission occurs, he confirmed, the Kudus Regency Government will also have difficulties because Central Java is predicted to have the highest percentage of homecomers.

Meanwhile, a new variant of the virus, he said, has been detected a lot, so the policy of turning back buses outside the city can at least reduce crowds from outside the city.

"Moreover, we also don't know the background of his contact with anyone, and the health protocol may also be undisciplined. That's why crowds are anticipated from an early age and actually do a filter on residents outside the area," he said.

Despite this policy, he admitted, not closing all tourist attractions in Kudus because local residents are still allowed to travel while adhering to health protocols, starting from wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining distance and avoiding crowds. Head of Highway Traffic and Transportation The Transportation Service of Kudus Regency, Adji Setiawan, added that there are four turning points, including the junction or intersection of the Mardi Rahayu Hospital, the intersection of the Jetak Ring Road, Dawe, and the Ngembal Ring Road intersection.

"Each post has two officers from the Transportation Agency, one personnel from the Satpol PP, and a member of the Kudus Police. Meanwhile, the focus of the vehicles that will be asked to turn around, namely tour buses and elves," he said.

The main focus is turning vehicles around, namely tourist buses and elves from outside the city, while to anticipate traffic buildup, we will cooperate with the Kudus Police.

During the Christmas holidays on Saturday, December 25 and Sunday, December 26, 80 vehicles from outside the city were asked to turn back. On Saturday, December 25 there were 28 vehicles and Sunday, December 26 there were 52 vehicles.