Expensive PCR, Menhub Allows Enough Travel Conditions Rapid Test

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi (Photo: Dephub.go.id)

JAKARTA - All people are allowed to travel long distances using private vehicles or public transportation. This is stated in the Task Force Circular Letter Number 7 of 2020.

However, there are conditions that must be met if people want to travel long distances. They are required to check for COVID-19 and show negative results before traveling.

However, the price of the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test which is carried out independently reaches IDR 1 million to IDR 2 million. Of course, this fee is more expensive than some ticket prices for the trip itself.

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi views that the high cost of the PCR test will discourage people from traveling and make economic income from the transportation sector not run optimally.

Therefore, Budi said that people who are going to travel, whether by land, sea, air, and private vehicles can simply do a rapid test as a condition of travel.

"We don't want the conditions to be too strict, let alone the price of expensive PCR tests. Therefore, the travel requirements are just rapid tests, no PCR is needed," Budi said in a teleconference with reporters, Tuesday, June 9.

The cost of examining COVID-19 through rapid tests is indeed cheaper. On average, it costs around Rp. 200 thousand to Rp. 500 thousand per person per examination.

"People who are allowed to attach the requirements for rapid test checks are only for domestic travel. Meanwhile, trips from abroad are still required to carry out the PCR test," he said.

Overall, there are some conditions for people going to travel. The requirements that must be met by individuals to be able to travel are that they must show their KTP or other valid identification.

Then, you must show a PCR test certificate with a negative result that is valid for 7 days or a certificate for a rapid test with non-reactive results that is valid for 3 days at the time of departure.

If an area does not yet have an examination facility, the passenger shall arrange for an influenza symptom-free certificate issued by the Hospital Doctor / Puskesmas.

With a note, all domestic travel requirements are exempted for commuting trips and people traveling within agglomeration areas / areas.

Passengers and operators of transportation facilities and infrastructure are also required to implement health protocols, impose restrictions on the number of passengers from the number of seating capacity and apply physical distancing from the time of travel preparation, during the trip, and the time of arrival or arrival.