Residents Of Sawah Besar Put Banner That Says They Are Rejecting Travelers To Go Home Without COVID-19 Test

JAKARTA - A number of villages in Sawah Besar Subdistrict, Central Jakarta are decorated with rejection banners to travelers who return to Jakarta without having negative COVID-19 test results.

This banner was installed by local residents, placed on a fence until it was tied over the gate so that it could be easily seen. The banners were installed in Mangga Dua, Gunung Sahari Utara, and Kartini villages.

"We, the people of Mangga Dua strongly reject travelers who return without a letter of free from COVID-19", wrote a banner posted in Mangga Dua Village.

Sawah Besar Police Chief Maulana Mukarom confirmed the installation of the banner. Maulana said that there are a number of citizens who took the initiative to put up banners in support of government programs related to the ban on Eid homecoming.

If you have already returned home, then the travelers are required to undergo the COVID-19 test before entering Jakarta.

"This is the core of participation of the community to support government programs. They want their village to be free from COVID-19. Because, especially in the Central Jakarta area as a whole it is already a yellow zone and a green zone", Maulana told VOI, Sunday, May 16.

Maulana said that if the travelers return to their homes without carrying COVID-19-free letters, they can do a free antigen swab at the monitoring post prepared by the local government, the National Army (TNI), and the Police.

"We have prepared a free swab post. If there are travelers who return to Jakarta but there is no free letter of COVID-19, we will do a free swab", said Maulana.

"So, before entering the village, they must be sure negative from COVID-19 first, and then they can do activities. If the test result is reactive, we will immediately refer to isolation, either in the referral hospital, Wisma Atlet, or at home", he added.