The Government Prepares To Arrange A Mobility Control Scheme For The Christmas-New Year Holiday

JAKARTA - Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi said the government was preparing to control community mobility and tighten health protocols to prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases, after the 2021 Christmas and 2022 New Year holidays.

In the Coordination Meeting (Rakor) for the Preparation for the Anticipation of the 2022 Christmas and New Year Holidays, the Minister of Transportation explained that anticipation needed to be carried out considering that the government's efforts to control COVID-19 cases had been going well so far, so there should not be an increase in cases after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

"All parties must learn from other countries, namely China, Britain, Germany and several other countries, which are experiencing the third wave of COVID-19 cases. I hope that all stakeholders can work together to maintain the condition that has started to improve," said Budi Karya, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, October 26.

In addition to efforts to control mobility and tighten health protocols, the Minister of Transportation also instructed transportation operators to ensure the readiness of mass transportation facilities, both from the aspect of safety, feasibility, health condition of transportation human resources and other important aspects.

“I encourage ramp checks on all modes to be carried out. Not only checking the feasibility of the facilities, but also checking the health condition of the transportation crew," he said.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy conveyed the government's basis for tightening mobility and health protocols during the Christmas and New Year holidays, namely President Joko Widodo's direction.

Jokowi continued, saying that the downward trend in COVID-19 cases should not make all parties careless about the transmission of cases of the disease that is now engulfing almost the entire world.

"Large and wide-scale activities, such as national holidays and religious holidays, usually cause crowds and often lead to spikes in COVID-19 cases," he said.

Muhadjir said that through a Joint Decree the 3 Ministers had abolished the collective leave on December 24, 2021, there were only regular Saturday-Sunday holidays because December 25, 2021 and January 1, 2022 fell on Saturdays.

Muhadjir revealed that his party had coordinated related ministries/institutions, including the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Religion, Ministry of Home Affairs, KemenPAN-RB, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Technology, Ministry of Manpower, Communication and Information Technology and the Indonesian National Armed Forces/Polri, to prepare policies and anticipatory steps for the Christmas and New Year holidays, in particular. on a date range that is considered crucial, starting from December 23, 2021 to January 3, 2022.