Batam City Government Prepares Free Antigen Test For Its Residents

BATAM - The Batam City Government, Riau Islands, has prepared a free antigen swab test for its citizens to track the spread of COVID-19.

"We will carry out the inspection for free. The team has started to work", said Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi, quoted by Antara, Thursday, July 29.

He said the implementation of the free antigen test was an effort by the government to accelerate the handling of COVID-19.

With the examination of the antigen test, the government can comb through residents who are identified as positive for COVID-19 more cheaply and easily, to be handled more quickly.

"We will separate the positive residents, care for and finance them and provide basic necessities to those in need", he said explaining the government's plan.

The mayor hopes that the community will help the government to make this activity a success so that the pandemic will soon pass.

In addition, the mayor denied the concerns of residents who were afraid that their test results would be manipulated, being made positive for COVID-19.

"This is slander and fabrication", he said.

He emphasized his wish that the people who were exposed to it recovered quickly, and that there were no more new cases of COVID-19.

In addition to making a free antigen test program, he also asked the public to continue to apply health protocols to avoid COVID-19.

"These health protocols are mandatory, especially masks and social distancing", said the mayor.

Currently, cases of COVID-19 transmission in Batam are starting to decline. According to the mayor, it was thanks to the implementation of the insulation in the Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

"If we can maintain the downward trend in cases, in two weeks I'm sure it will slow down", said the mayor.