Delta Plus Variant Appears, Government Tightens Travel From Overseas

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JAKARTA - The government has tightened travel requirements for people from abroad entering Indonesia. This is to prevent the entry of a new variant of the corona virus, namely the AY.4.2 variant or called the Delta Plus variant by implementing mandatory vaccine regulations. The Director of Prevention and Control of Directly Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said the government was increasing awareness of the emergence of this new virus variant, especially in All entrances to Indonesia. Nadia explained that the Delta Plus variant of the corona virus caused an increase in cases again in other countries such as the UK.

Therefore, he said, the government implemented a mandatory vaccine policy for anyone who came to Indonesia from abroad.

"First, implement a vaccination policy. So people who come to Indonesia must have been vaccinated. At least the first vaccine, the best is the second dose," Nadia said when confirmed by Antara, Thursday, November 4. Foreign nationals are required to have the second dose vaccinated. Meanwhile, for Indonesian citizens who have just received the first dose when they come to Indonesia, they will be given a second dose of vaccine after undergoing a quarantine period. to Indonesia, and upon completion of the quarantine period. Everyone who comes to Indonesia is also required to undergo a five-day quarantine period for those who have been vaccinated with the first dose, and a three-day quarantine period for those who have been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Head of the Professional Development Division of the Indonesian Association of Epidemiologists (PAEI) Masdalina Pane is concerned about reducing the quarantine period from five days to three days for people who come to Indonesia from abroad. Corona virus new variant AY.4.2 or Delta Plus variant.

The Delta Plus AY.4.2 variant is a derivative virus variant of the Delta variant that already attacked Indonesia in mid-2021 and caused the highest spike in cases along the record of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. This Delta Plus variant is said to be more dangerous than the previous Delta variant.