Ministry of Transportation Records 1.5 Million People Out Of Jabodetabek Areas, COVID-19 Task Force Anticipates Backflow

ILLUSTRATION/BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation released data related to the outflow of people from Jabodetabek during the tightening and prohibition of homecoming. The number of people coming out of Jabodetabek reached 1.5 million people.

"From the records, we have obtained, more than 1.5 million people have come out of Jabodetabek to several main areas such as Central Java, West Java, East Java and also to Sumatra through its doors in Lampung", said Ministry of Transportation Spokeswoman Adita Irawati through a press conference on BNPB Indonesia's Youtube channel, Thursday, May 13.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Transportation also recorded a decrease in the use of transportation in all modes by the community during the homecoming period so far.

"Our record until May 11, 2021, recorded in this homecoming period there was a significant decrease in travel activity using public transportation", she continued.

Road transport is down about to 86 percent compared to the tightening of travel conditions. Meanwhile, crossings decreased by about 62 percent, sea freight by 30 percent, and trains by 88 percent in the period May 6-11. The homecoming period itself is enforced on May 6-17.

"The most significant thing is that air transportation dropped by 93 percent compared to the tightening of travel conditions", Adita said.

The decline in all modes of transportation indicates that the community is complying with existing regulations to prevent greater transmission of COVID-19.

The government is currently anticipating the mobilization of the community after Eid al-Fitr. Therefore, the Task Force on Handling COVID-19 has anticipated a surge in backflow travel after Lebaran with the release of the Letter of the Head of the Task Force handling COVID-19 on Anticipation of People's Travel in the Backflow of Eid al-Fitr 2021.

In the letter, the local government, especially in Sumatra which has experienced an increase in cases, must conduct a thorough examination of travel documents such as PCR test results or rapid tests or rapid tests of antigens and GeNose from travelers in the backflow period.

Spokesman Task Force for Handling COVID-19, Wiku Adisasmito, said any unwell travelers who are unable to show the necessary documents are required to turn around and should not continue the journey.

"To ensure maximum screening through free screening, additional testing mechanisms are applied with the rapid antigen test method at Bakauheni Port as the border of Sumatra and Java", said Wiku.