New COVID-19 Variant Found, International Arrival Checks Are Tightened

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, stated that the COVID-19 Security Task Force had refined the regulations for travelers. This aims to anticipate the entry of a new variant of the COVID-19 that was recently discovered in the UK.

The new rules will be contained in the addendum to Circular Number 3 of 2020 concerning the Travel Health Protocol for People During Christmas and New Year Holidays During the 2019 Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic.

As is known in South Wales, England has found a new variant of COVID-19. The government hopes that this new virus will not worsen the development of handling COVID-19 in Indonesia. Currently, the new virus has also attacked neighboring countries, namely Singapore.

"In particular, it will tighten the arrival of travelers from Britain, Europe and Australia. Due to the discovery of a new variant, it will potentially be distributed to other countries," he said, through a written statement, Friday, December 25.

The circular regulates several stages for foreign citizens (WNA) and Indonesian citizens (WNI) from foreign countries. Especially for foreigners from the UK, either directly or transiting in a foreign country, cannot enter Indonesian territory for the time being.

Meanwhile, foreigners from Europe and Australia, both in person and in transit, must show a negative RT-PCR test result issued by a health facility in the country of origin that is valid a maximum of 2x24 hours before the date of departure.

Meanwhile, Indonesian citizens who come from European countries and Australia, either directly or transiting in foreign countries, must also show negative results of the RT-PCR test which is valid a maximum of 2x24 hours before departure time. Meanwhile, the provisions for the arrival of foreigners from other countries have also been regulated in Circular No. 3 of 2020.

The next stage, said Wiku, for foreigners or Indonesian citizens who passed the initial examination, they had to retest the first RT-PCR. "If the result is positive, then they have to undergo further treatment. And if the result is negative, then the migrant must carry out the next stage, namely isolation for 5 days (from the date of arrival)," he explained.

For foreigners or Indonesians who are negative for COVID-19 and have undergone isolation for 5 days, an RT-PCR re-test will be carried out stage 2. The consideration of this retest is the median incubation time for the COVID-19 virus, which is 5 days.

Wiku explained, if the second test result is negative, then the traveler will be allowed to enter Indonesia. However, if the second test result is positive for COVID-19, then further treatment is required.

The cost of treating foreigners is not borne by the government

For treatment costs, Wiku said, for Indonesian citizens it is borne by the Indonesian government. Meanwhile, foreigners will be independent or paid.

"In principle, this regulation is formed to limit mobility, which can increase the chance of transmission as well as be responsive to the phenomenon of virus mutations in several countries in the world," he explained.

In addition, the Indonesian government is also committed to surveillance of genetic changes to the new Sars-Cov2 virus and its distribution nationally and globally.

Wiku emphasized that the government is trying hard to prevent the entry of new variants of the virus to protect the safety and health of Indonesian citizens from the emergence of imported cases.

For your information, a new variant of the corona virus or SARS-CoV-2 has been identified in southeastern England. The new variant that causes COVID-19 is named "VUI-202012/01".

This new variant of the virus is said to be able to spread more rapidly in parts of the UK. As of December 13, 2020, at least 1,108 confirmed cases of this variant have been identified in the southern and eastern regions of England.

Although there is no evidence that this strain has any impact on disease severity, antibody response, or any effect on vaccine efficacy, cases due to new variants are on the rise.