Ma'ruf Amin: We Do Need Foreign Tourists, But It Is More Important To Save The Community From The Third Wave Of COVID-19

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin / DOK VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said saving the Indonesian people from the potential transmission of the third wave of COVID-19 cases was more important than getting state income from foreign tourist visits.

"We do need foreign tourists. However, it is more important to save the nation's people from the possibility of the entry of new variants that could trigger a third wave," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin in Aceh, quoted by Antara from a written statement, Tuesday, November 16.

New variant of COVID-19, namely Delta AY.4.2. or Delta Plus, has been detected in Malaysia and Singapore. To prevent the new variant from spreading in Indonesia, the Vice President said that the Government had tightened the entrance to the territory of the Republic of Indonesia.

"For the new variant, we are tightening the entrance, both land, air and sea, and speeding up screening," he said.

The Government's efforts to anticipate the transmission of COVID-19 for the third wave and ahead of the 2021 Christmas and 2022 New Year holidays, the Vice President appealed to the public to tighten health protocols to speed up vaccinations.

"The first is of course vaccination, the second is the application of health protocols and the third is the application of PeduliLindung in all places of mobility, both tourist attractions, shopping places, and in the school environment," he said.

For Aceh, the Vice President advised the Aceh Provincial Government to accelerate the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination because it is included in a province with low vaccination achievements.

"Aceh is still the first (dose) at 38 percent, the second (dose) is only at 18 percent. Therefore, one of the strategies is to accelerate vaccination in the regions, including Aceh," he said.

Previously, as of October 25, 2021, the achievement of COVID-19 vaccination in Aceh Province was low, including in West Sumatra, West Sulawesi and Papua. The achievement of COVID-19 vaccination in the four provinces received special attention from President Joko Widodo because it was at the level of 24-33%.