Gorontalo Implements Entry Permits During The COVID-19 Pandemic Like Jakarta

Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie in white clothes during a press conference with the COVID-19 task force (Photo: Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Gorontalo Province has entered a period of transition to a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Gorontalo has completed Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) for the third time on 15 June.

Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie said, during the transition period to a new normal, a number of places and activities had been reopened by implementing the COVID-19 prevention protocol.

There is one thing that has become a new policy in Gorontalo. Now, the Gorontalo Provincial Government enforces an entry permit (SIM) for all people who enter the province. This aims to minimize the transmission of the corona virus.

"Now, with this new normal period, we impose a SIM or entry permit. So, our access to entry is tight. But, if you leave, you don't use a SIM," said Rusli in a discussion with the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, Wednesday, June 24. .

Conceptually, the application of a SIM in Gorontalo is similar to the entry and exit permit (SIKM) that has been enforced in Jakarta. Rusli explained, everyone who will enter Gorontalo must initially carry out a rapid test or a COVID-19 swab test.

The next step is to download the application "Around Us". This application is available on the official website covid-19.gorontaloprov.go.id. Then, the public is asked to enter data on the COVID-19 test results and their respective KTP numbers.

"As soon as we entered our border, we typed in his KTP number, then information came out stating that the test he had done was genuine or not, and had expired or was still valid," said Rusli.

He said, this was done as an effort to protect the people of Gorontalo. "We have to protect our people. Because, many of our neighboring provinces have also been exposed," he continued.

The people of Gorontalo have underestimated COVID-19

As of today, there have been 237 positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Gorontalo, with 174 recovered cases and 7 deaths. Rusli said that currently the people of Gorontalo have been aware of the transmission of the corona virus and are carrying out health protocols.

Even so, Rusli admitted that his citizens had underestimated the spread of the virus when COVID-19 began to enter Indonesia in early March. In fact, all Gorontalo regional organizations (OPD) have disseminated all information related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

"This has faced obstacles from the community, because when there were no cases in Gorontalo, there were still 0 cases, the people were indifferent, they thought they would die because of death," said Rusli.

Until April 10, Gorontalo residents began to be confirmed positive for COVID-19. The first case in Gorontalo was caused by transmission from the worldwide cluster of tabligh akbar ijtima ulama congregations in Gowa, South Sulawesi.

At that time, Rusli gathered the ranks of the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) throughout Gorontalo, along with community and religious leaders to move more aggressively to educate the public about the corona virus.

"After that, the people of Gorontalo began to be worried and afraid of this corona. I, the regent and mayor, went directly to each village and sub-district to say this was the danger of corona. But, the community remains vigilant, does not panic and we must face it," he concluded.