Papua Restricts Citizens From Entering Its Area From All Directions

Assistant for the Economy and People's Welfare at the Regional Secretariat of the Papua Province Muhammad Musaad/ Antara

JAKARTA - The Papuan Provincial Government has restricted residents from entering its territory by tightening traffic control over air, sea, and river, lake, and crossing transportation to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Assistant for the Economy and People's Welfare at the Regional Secretariat of the Papua Province, Muhammad Musaad, said that for the time being only residents with special interests and urgent needs were allowed to enter Papua.

"These special interests are logistics and basic materials, fuel, health and medicine logistics, medical personnel, evacuation of patients and corpses, the banking sector, emergency (emergency) security, national and regionally strategic projects in Papua, logistics activities for PON XX and PEPARNAS XVI", he said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, August 4.

According to Musaad, people who are categorized as needing to visit Papua for special purposes are required to show a certificate proving that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

"At least the first dose of vaccination and include a letter of negative PCR test results for COVID-19 whose samples were taken within a maximum of five times 24 hours before departure", he said.

He said that the provincial government also limited the operation of public transportation modes. Public transportation facilities may only operate until 20.00 WIT by limiting passengers to a maximum of 50 percent of capacity and implementing health protocols.

"Public transportation such as motorcycle taxis can operate until 20.00 WIT and apply stricter health protocols", he said.

He added that the provisions regarding restrictions on the operation of public transportation facilities were contained in the Circular Letter of the Governor of Papua Number: 440/8936/SET concerning the Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) to control the transmission of COVID-19 in Papua Province.