DIY Local Government Tightens Screening At YIA Kulon Progo Airport To Prevent New Variants Of COVID-19

Condition of Yogyakarta International Airport in Kulon Progo. (Photo ANTARA/Sutarmi)

YOGYAKARTA - The Yogyakarta Special Region Government will again tighten the screening of foreign arrivals at Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 variants of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5.

"Of the eight new variant cases in Indonesia, some of the causes are from overseas travel. So now we have to tighten the gates for overseas arrivals at YIA," said Head of the DIY Health Office, Pembajun Setyaningastutie, after attending the Java-Bali PPKM Evaluation video conference at the Kepatihan complex. , Yogyakarta quoted by Antara, Saturday, June 11.

DIY Health Office, he said, would cooperate with the Port Health Office (KKP) for the implementation of screening or screening.

Travelers who have passed in their country of origin, said Pembajun, will still be screened if their bodies show any of the symptoms.

Pembajoen added that the new BA4 and BA5 variants are still included in the Omicron family with a low level of severity.

"The transmission can be asymptomatic. Of the eight existing cases in Indonesia, one case is of moderate status, one is mild, the other is asymptomatic. These were found in Bali and DKI Jakarta," he said.

According to Pembajoen, although until now no new variant cases have been found in DIY, the DIY Health Office will intensify the socialization of health protocols while preparing laboratories that have Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) capabilities.

"We have netted them (WGS), such as BBTKLPP, FKKMK-UGM, Sardjito Hospital, ready to do that. We are also coordinating with districts/cities to send samples from those who have symptoms similar to Omicron. The samples will be sent to the laboratory earlier, "said the Plaintiff.

In addition to screening, other anticipatory measures that can be taken are the acceleration of the third dose or booster vaccination in coordination with educational institutions.

"Especially UGM, many students are starting to come for face-to-face meetings, but those who haven't got a booster, we will do a booster. The DIY Dikpora Office has also coordinated to start with junior and senior high school educational institutions that have entered school, including collaboration with regional BIN," he said.