Badung Regency Government Frees Antigen Test For Ogoh-ogoh Parade Participants Ahead Of Nyepi

Deputy Regent of Badung I Ketut Suiasa. ANTARA/HO-Badung Regency Government

BADUNG - The Badung Regency Government, Bali provides free COVID-19 antigen tests for participants and members of youth groups who take part in the Ogoh-ogoh parade or parade ahead of the 2022 Nyepi Day.

"I emphasize that for the implementation of the antigen swab later, it is clear that the community and our Sekeha Teruna Teruni (youth group) in Badung will not be charged any fees and we will prepare everything from the budget and infrastructure that we have", said the Deputy Regent Badung, I Ketut Suiasa, in Mangupura quoted by Antara on Friday, February 25.

For this reason, Suiasa asked each youth group to provide data, how many people will be parading the Ogoh-ogoh and their location points to determine the distribution of the antigen swab test team that will go to the field.

"In principle, we are ready to serve the community for antigen swabs and I have also ordered the Head of the Badung Health Service to make a pattern and deploy his team", said Suiasa.

Deputy Regent Suiasa explained that up to now, the recorded youth groups will carry out 167 Ogoh-ogoh parades.

According to him, this number may still increase so that the reporting limit for STT which will process the Ogoh-ogoh to obtain free antigen swab test services is still open until February 27.

"Later on, the time for the Ogoh-ogoh parade will be limited to 20.00 WITA, while for groups that do not make Ogoh-ogoh but are making creative art performances, it is agreed to be given a time limit of 21.00 WITA", he said.

The series of Nyepi celebrations must also continue to apply strict health protocols because they take place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Deputy Regent Suiasa, regulations from the center must continue to be implemented, especially the PPKM (Community Activity Restrictions) Level 3 rules, but do not reduce or eliminate the essence of religious and cultural values in the context of implementing this Nyepi Day.