Starting July 12, Only PCR/Antigen From 742 Labs Recognized When Traveling By Air

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION / DOC BETWEEN

JAKARTA - During the implementation of the emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM), the government requires everyone who travels by air to show negative PCR/antigen results and proof that they have been vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health has opened access for air transportation operators to carry out passenger health checks automatically by showing the QR code in the Pedulilindungi application or showing the NIK number at the check-in counter, so that passengers no longer need to show hardcopy documents.

Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said that with this mechanism, it was ensured that only healthy passengers could enter the plane.

All data on passengers who have been vaccinated and the results of the PCR/antigen examination are stored safely in the Ministry of Health's big data named New All Record or NAR. All NAR big data is connected to the Pedulilindungi application so that the e-HAC filling process that has been running so far is carried out through the Pedulilindungi application, said Budi.

"'We want the Ministry of Health to integrate applications related to COVID-19 and vaccination into the Pedulilindungi application", Budi said as quoted from the Ministry of Health's website, Tuesday, July 6.

Currently, there are 742 Labs affiliated with the Ministry of Health and entering data into the NAR. So that only PCR/Antigen swab results from affiliated labs can be used as flight requirements.

With this new mechanism, passenger health checks are carried out at the time of departure and not at the time of arrival to make passengers feel more secure and comfortable", said the Minister of Health.

The check-in process with the Pedulilindungi application will be tested for flights on the Jakarta-Bali and Bali-Jakarta routes, starting on Monday, July 5, 2021, until July 12, 2021.

For laboratories that have not entered data into NAR, starting Monday, July 12, the results of the PCR/antigen swab are not valid for flights.

The checking mechanism with NAR big data will later be carried out also when booking tickets on airlines and online, and will be expanded to land and sea transportation modes in the near future.

On July 1, a pilot project was launched using the QR Code for the Care for Protection Application in Bali in public places, especially hotels and restaurants. The use of this application is expected to strengthen the tracking and testing mechanism that aims to protect the public and tourists from the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

SOE Minister, Erick Tohir, supports the integration of health data and the Pedulilindungi application. He believes this integration is very important to ensure the government is right on target in dealing with COVID-19.

"How will the vaccine card and other documents become a single unit so that we can monitor or ensure the accuracy of passenger data so that we prevent the transmission of COVID-19", said Erick.

Meanwhile, Angkasa Pura Airports Operations Director, Wendo Asrul Rose, assessed that the integration of passenger health data with the Pedulilindungi application is an anticipation of an increase in aircraft passenger traffic in order to minimize the transmission of COVID-19.

As a first step, airplane passengers before traveling by air are required to install the Pedulilindungi application. Furthermore, the passenger performs the registration process and the passenger gets a user account.

"When carrying out the testing process to a health service place, or clinic, or this hospital, it is hoped that this hospital, as has been issued by the Minister of Health, must be affiliated with the system. So later all the results will be uploaded and entered into the New All Record whose data is managed by the Ministry of Health", said Wendo.

Check the list of 742 labs whose PCR/Antigen results are recognized for flight requirements at this link.