GeNose Plans To Be Used In Theaters

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy said the government plans to implement COVID-19 testing through breath or use a GeNose device in theaters. GeNose was previously used at a number of train stations in the country.

GeNose, said Muhadjir, was provided as a step taken to revive the film industry which was sluggish due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As for the technical implementation, until now it is still being discussed with the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno.

"For the security of cinemas, GeNose will be installed for cinema buildings. Technical matters will still be discussed with the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy", Muhadjir said in a written statement to reporters, Wednesday, March 10.

With the implementation of the test using GeNose, it is hoped that film lovers will no longer hesitate to come to the cinema and return to enjoy films produced by Indonesian filmmakers. Moreover, Muhadjir wanted the public to be more confident about returning to the cinema after the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in Indonesia.

"We mean that people can immediately feel confident and safe to go to the cinema. So that the film industry as well as artists, film crews can also work safer, more comfortably, so that our production can run smoothly like before", he said.

Muhadjir has visited and directly monitored the activity of providing COVID-19 vaccination for the elderly in the DKI Jakarta area. This vaccine also targets Indonesian film industry players who are in the elderly category.

The vaccination activity was given at the Jakarta Center for Health Training (BBPK), Hang Jebat Campus, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. The vaccination is carried out by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Health Office.

There were also film industry players who attended the event, namely actor Anwar Fuady, actresses Meriam Bellina and Christine Hakim, and film producer Raam Punjabi.

Muhadjir explained that vaccination for senior actors and actresses is one of the government's efforts to revive the national film industry which was stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the future, he also said, the government will strive to provide vaccines for all film workers.

"Of course this does not stop here. Because after this, we will try to give priority to the younger people as well as public servants. That way we hope that film production and cinema can be active again soon", he concluded.