Eid Al-Fitr 2022 Homecoming Is Not Prohibited, Epidemiologists Remind Potential New Variants Of Covid-19

Idul Fitri homecoming illustration. (Between)

JAKARTA - Griffith University Epidemiologist, Australia Dicky Budiman reminded the discipline of the COVID-19 health protocol following the prohibition of going home for Ramadan and Lebaran (Idul Fitri) 2022.

"If you have a booster, it's better, but of course this must be accompanied by early detection and 5M movement, and this becomes very important," he said through a voice message received in Jakarta, Thursday, March 24.

He also reminded that the mode of transportation for travelers must really strengthen the process, improve or improve the quality of air circulation or ventilation of vehicles better.

"We must be careful and vigilant, however we have to look at the global situation even though the current case in Indonesia is sloping, but we must know that COVID-19 is not over yet," he said, as reported by Antara.

According to him, in facing Ramadan and the homecoming flow, the government must build literacy from an early age to the public, namely building an understanding that the pandemic is not over and there is still potential for new variants of COVID-19 and the potential for the next wave.

"This means that we cannot neglect implementing mitigation, especially in 'tracing', surveillance and progress," he added.

He also reminded that the rules made must be clear from the start, for example people who are allowed to go home must be fully vaccinated, have no symptoms and have not been in contact with active cases.

Then it needs to be clarified whether it needs to be limited to areas that apply the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM) level 4, so that the community can prepare ahead of time. Likewise with the progress of each destination, infrastructure and the readiness of human resources.

"It is very important that we do easing, besides being gradual and measurable, it cannot be generalized. Look at the readiness of each region, each community in implementing behaviors that adopt more prevention. This should be a concern," he said.

Dicky Budiman also emphasized the importance of accelerating vaccination with the hope of reaching at least 80 percent before Eid for the second dose of vaccination and 20 percent for booster vaccines.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that going home or returning home during the 2022 Eid al-Fitr celebration was allowed as long as the travelers had received the first and second doses and a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.