Companies In Depok Is Obliged To Perform Antigen Tests On Employees To Prevent COVID Spread After Eid Holidays

JAKARTA - Companies in Depok City, West Java, are required to carry out antigen swab tests on their employees, as a step to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in office environments after the Eid Al-Fitr 2021 holiday.

"Companies in Depok City are required to carry out rapid antigen tests for their employees. These tests are carried out at local offices at the company or personal expense. This means that when employees enter, they carry a COVID-19 free certificate," said Head of Depok City Manpower Office, Manto, in a statement on Depok, Wednesday.

He said this activity was a follow-up to the Depok Mayor's Letter Number: 8.02/401/SATGAS/2021 concerning Rapid Antigen Test for Residents on Backflow for Homecoming. Previously this letter had also been sent to the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) and other companies.

"Alhamdulillah, if seen from Apindo members, almost all of them have carried out this test. However, there are also some who have not carried out a rapid antigen test because the company is not yet operating or is still in operation," he said.

Manto hopes that this preventive measure will prevent the formation of the COVID-19 cluster, especially in companies or offices.

"Hopefully we will all avoid the dangers of the COVID-19 virus, especially in office clusters," he said.

It is stated that his party has conducted monitoring to several companies. From that visit, he received a report that at PT Medifarma, from 370 people who underwent the test, one of them tested positive.

"Meanwhile, PT Yanmar, from 452 people tested, two positive people were found with the status of People Without Symptoms (OTG). At PT Bayer, a PCR swab was carried out, where the results would come out in the next two to three days," he said.

Manto hopes that the company can provide the right policies for employees who have a positive indication of COVID-19. That way, transmission can be prevented.

"This rapid test is one of the filters so that there is no transmission of COVID-19 in office clusters. We hope that health protocols in companies will continue to be improved so that transmission of COVID-19 can be suppressed," he said.