Urges Local Government To Intensify Testing And Tracing, Ministry Of Health Issues Circular

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JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) urges all Heads of Health Offices at the provincial and district/city levels in Indonesia to increase testing and tracing during the Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

This is stated in the Circular Number: HK02.02/II/1918/2021 concerning the Acceleration of Inspections and Tracking During the Implementation of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) dated July 23.

"This circular is intended to accelerate the response to the pandemic during the PPKM period through strengthening the detection pillar by increasing the number of examinations and contact tracing," said Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control Maxi Rein Rondonuwu in a written statement quoted on Sunday, July 25.

He explained that the issuance of this circular was an accelerated step to find positive cases of COVID-19 as well as close contacts. It is hoped that the sooner cases are found, the treatment can be carried out as early as possible in order to prevent a worsening of the case or death.

In the circular, it is detailed that areas that fall into the PPKM Level 3 and 4 categories are allowed to use the results of the Rapid Antigen Test (RDT-Ag) as a diagnosis for tracing close contacts or suspects, and can also be used as supporting data in submitting claims for COVID-19.

The use of RDT Antigen is prioritized for areas with limited diagnostic tools, so that the results can be known more quickly and tests can be carried out on a massive scale so as to speed up tracing.

Next, someone who is identified as a close contact with symptoms or asymptomatic must take an entry and exit test.

If the RDT-Ag examination on the first day is negative, it is followed by a PCR swab test on the fifth day (exit test). For areas that do not have PCR lab facilities, the exit test can use RDT-Ag.

In addition to strengthening testing, the Ministry of Health will tighten the handling of close contacts. All close contacts of confirmed cases must be quarantined until the test results are negative so that they do not become a source of transmission in the community.

"To improve contact tracing, all people who live in the same house and work in the same room are considered close contacts and must undergo examination (test entry) and quarantine," said Maxi.

Not only identifying all people who have a history of direct interaction with positive cases, tracking will also be carried out from activities where there are active cases. For example, takziah, recitation, worship services, marriage, and history of eating together.

If during the tracking process a positive confirmed case of COVID-19 is found, patients with mild and asymptomatic symptoms will be immediately isolated in the centralized isolation area provided. Meanwhile, patients with moderate and severe symptoms were taken to health facilities for further treatment.