Preventing COVID-19 Cases, Government Evaluates Mechanism For Returning Papua PON Athletes

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto as Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN) said the government is evaluating the mechanism for the return of PON XX Papua Athletes to prevent an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Airlangga specifically asked the Minister of Health (Menkes), Minister of Transportation (Menhub), Minister of Youth and Sports, and the Chair of the COVID-19 Task Force to keep an eye on PON participants who are still in Papua until D+5 after the PON Closing event on October 15 .

"The Minister of Health should assign the team to continue to monitor athletes who are still in Papua, and to continue to care for athletes who are exposed to COVID-19, must first be isolated in Papua and carry out tests until the 5th day. This will be valid until D+5 after the closing of the PON, including for Isoter Ships in Papua. The Minister of Transportation should keep the assignment until D+5," said Airlangga, quoted by Antara, Sunday, October 10.

Airlangga explained that the mechanism for the return of athletes and officials that had been determined by the government was that they had to carry out a PCR test before the flight from Papua and carry out another PCR test after arriving at the airport in their area.

They also have to self-quarantine for five days in locations that have been prepared by their respective regional governments, but if the regional governments do not provide them.

The Central COVID-19 Task Force will work closely with the Regional COVID-19 Task Force and Regional KONI, to prepare the centralized isolation place.

To clarify and reaffirm the arrangements and mechanisms for the return of the PON participants, the COVID-19 Task Force will immediately review and revise the Circular (SE) of the Head of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, so that it can be implemented starting Tuesday, October 12.

Airlangga emphasized that the Minister of Youth and Sports, the Head of the COVID-19 Task Force, Asops TNI/Polri, and the General Chairperson of KONI as Panwasrah (Supervisory and Steering Committee), to continue to closely monitor the implementation of the prokes for the remaining PON matches which will still take place until October 15.

Especially, for matches that have the potential to cause crowds of spectators or supporters, such as football, basketball, boxing, and volleyball, especially the final match of the sport (sports) soccer.

"Regarding the remaining matches, the implementation and implementation of health protocols must be strictly observed. Then, the residences of the athletes must also be monitored because in one room there are several athletes," said Airlangga.

As of October 9, the number of athletes who were confirmed to have COVID-19 at PON XX was 43 athletes with two additional cases on October 9, so there were 45 athletes or around 0.45 percent of the total 10,066 athletes and officials.

There are 16 sports out of a total of 37 sports that have COVID-19 cases from athletes or their officials, namely rollerblading, motorcycling, cricket, archery, chess, taekwondo, tennis, judo, softball, soccer, sepak takraw, basketball, futsal, wushu, and fencing.

Meanwhile, in terms of regional origin, there were 15 provinces from which athletes and officials were exposed to cases from 34 provinces, namely Central Java, Bali, Jambi, Yogyakarta, DKI Jakarta, Papua, East Java, North Maluku, East Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). , North Sumatra, North Kalimantan, Riau, Central Kalimantan, and West Java.