Ministry Of Health: Overseas Travelers Can Take Comparative Tests

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has allowed foreign travelers (PPLN) who are undergoing quarantine to perform an RT-PCR comparison test in a different laboratory.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said the policy was followed by quarantine actors who were dissatisfied with the results of the COVID-19 examination on the first day of quarantine and at the end of the quarantine period.

"There is already a Task Force Circular. For the location, we have appointed several hospitals and examining laboratories," said Siti Nadia in a written statement quoted by Antara, Monday, February 14.

The rules in question are contained in the Circular of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Number 4 of 2022 concerning Health Protocols for Overseas Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Nadia said the difference in the results between the entry test that was positive but turned negative towards the end of the quarantine period was something that might happen considering that until now it was not known exactly how long the incubation period of the Omicron variant was.

“This finding shows the importance of quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so we can prevent it beforehand. Because we don't know for sure how long the incubation period of Omicron will be, it could be negative on the first day but three or five days later the results will be positive," he said.

The regulation explains that comparative tests can only be carried out at the Ministry of Health's Balitbangkes, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, Bhayangkara Hospital or other government laboratories such as the Environmental Health Engineering Center, Regional Health Laboratory, or government reference laboratories.

The cost of the comparative test is borne by the Overseas Traveler himself. The policy only applies to foreign travelers entering Indonesian territory, said Nadia.

Meanwhile, for non-PPLNs whose RT-PCR results are positive, said Nadia, there is no need to carry out a comparison test, it is better to immediately self-isolate for those who have no symptoms or mild symptoms or isolation in a centralized isolation area if this is not possible.

"This applies to PPLN only, non-PPLN quarantine participants with positive results do not need to do comparison tests repeatedly to make sure they are negative. Just do self-isolation at home or centralized isolation for those without mild symptoms, or in hospital for those with moderate-critical symptoms," he said.