Although The Quarantine Period From Overseas Is Cut To 3 Days, The Ministry Of Health Guarantees That COVID-19 Will Still Be Detected

ILLUSTRATION/NGURAH RAI AIRPORT BALI/DOK AP I

JAKARTA - The government has reduced the quarantine period for travelers from abroad from five days to three days.

Although the duration of the quarantine has been reduced, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, guarantees that imported COVID-19 cases will still be detected, especially the new variant of the corona virus.

"We consider that this reduction in the quarantine period does not reduce the quality of our detection of the COVID-19 variant," said Nadia in a virtual discussion, Thursday, November 4.

Why can the Ministry of Health guarantee this? Nadia calculated that international travelers are required to bring a negative PCR test result from their country of origin with a time limit of 3x24 hours.

After arriving in Indonesia, the Indonesian citizens and foreigners from abroad again underwent PCR tests upon arrival at the entrance to Indonesia, before undergoing quarantine.

Then quarantine is carried out for 3x24 hours for travelers who have been vaccinated with two doses and 5x24 hours who have just been vaccinated with 1 dose. Before ending the quarantine period, they were again carried out with a PCR test to detect corona virus infection.

"Why do we calculate this enough? Because they have a maximum of 3 days before they have to use PCR. That means there are 3 days for us to detect. Then, 3 days of quarantine," explained Nadia.

"So, approximately 5-6 days. 5 to 6 days is enough to see the incubation period of the virus because the incubation of the virus is approximately 4 to 6 days until we are detected," he continued.

For information, this reduction in the quarantine period is stated in the Addendum to Circular Letter (SE) Number 20 of 2021 concerning International Travel Health Protocols During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Quarantine is carried out for 5 x 24 hours for international travelers who have just received the first dose of vaccine, or for 3 x 24 hours for international travelers who have received the full dose of vaccine.

For Indonesian citizens who are Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), students, or government employees who return from an overseas official trip, they will undergo quarantine at a cost borne by the government.

For Indonesian citizens outside of that, as well as foreigners, including foreign diplomats outside the head of the foreign representative and the family of the head of the foreign representative, undergo paid quarantine in quarantine accommodation.

Meanwhile, the heads of foreign representatives and their families serving in Indonesia can self-quarantine at their respective residences.