Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya: Random Use Of GeNose In Bus Transportation Starting February 5

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya tests the GeNose C19 tool at Kampung Rambutan Terminal, Jakarta, Sunday, January 24. (Photo: Doc. Kemenhub)

JAKARTA - The use of the nation's child COVID-19 detection tool, GeNose, will begin to be applied to random bus transportation modes on February 5, 2021.

"GeNose is a COVID-19 detection tool made in Indonesia, which was initiated by a team of researchers from UGM. Currently it has received distribution approval from the Ministry of Health and the Covid-19 Handling Task Force. For this reason, the train mode will be applied compulsorily (mandatory) on the following date. February 5, 2021. While bus transportation is not mandatory, it will be checked randomly using GeNose starting February 5, 2021, which will start from Java Island first, "said Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, quoted from Antara, Sunday, January 24.

The Minister of Transportation has asked the Director General of Land Transportation to coordinate with Kadishub throughout Indonesia. If later it is time for a random check (random) and someone is tested positive then the person concerned is not allowed to leave.

He appealed to people who would travel using bus transportation not to force themselves to leave if they felt unwell or sick, because the bus terminals were checked randomly.

"The wish of the President is to ensure that connectivity continues, but health protocols are also carried out well. We want all people to be orderly and help the government to maintain proper health protocols," he said.

Budi Karya further revealed the reason why rail and bus transportation modes were the first to check for COVID-19 using GeNose, because ticket prices on certain routes are cheaper than checking COVID-19 tests through rapid antigen or PCR tests.

"Because the trains have a certain distance, say Jakarta-Bandung Rp. 100,000, if you have to antigen Rp. 100,000 more, that's expensive. Moreover, bus fares are even cheaper, some are only Rp. 40-50 thousand. But with GeNose this is the price. only Rp. 20 thousand (one check). Especially if later on a large scale it can be cheaper to Rp. 15 thousand, so it is more affordable. We have ordered 200 units for 44 station points throughout Java and Sumatra, "said the Minister of Transportation.

Meanwhile, Director General of Land Transportation Budi Setiyadi said that the first terminal to use GeNose is the Pulo Gebang Terminal.

"Referring to the Covid-19 Handling Task Force SE, we still agree that people who travel by bus are only random sampling. For Jakarta, the first thing to be implemented is at the Pulo Gebang Terminal, and gradually we have ordered 100 GeNose tools which we will soon receive. distribute to the regions, "he said.