Challenging Confusing Rules For The Rapid Test As A Condition Of Traveling Out Of Town

Illustrated photo (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Government policies regarding social restrictions in handling COVID-19 are considered confusing. Especially the rules for traveling outside the city in times of social restrictions.

The policy of the Ministry of Health is that everyone who wants to travel only needs to use personal protective equipment (PPE) and maintain physical distance. However, the task force for handling COVID-19 requires people using planes, trains and ships to carry out rapid tests.

Singgih Tomi Gumilang, one of the applicants for the judicial review of Article 55 paragraph (1) of Law Number 6 of 2018 concerning Health Quarantine, questioned the obligation of a rapid test. Because, rapid tests are only an indicator of endurance, not a guarantee that people will not be infected with COVID-19.

"Rapid testing is not a vaccine, only knowing that someone is infected with the COVID-19 virus or not. It could be that people with reactive results due to influenza or others are not certain to have COVID-19," said Singgih, who also works as a lawyer, in a press release, Thursday, June 25.

Then, regarding the test period which is valid for three days. Singgih asked, is there any guarantee if on the second day after the examination someone is not infected?

Thus, the suspicion arises that the requirements for rapid test examinations for parties traveling outside the city only benefit the hospital as a provider of examination services. Because, it is undeniable that in just one day, the number of people who applied for a rapid test for requirements to leave the city reached tens of thousands of people.

Furthermore, regarding the injustice of implementing the policy. Those who are required to carry out a rapid test are only passengers in three modes of transportation. Meanwhile, people traveling using private cars and buses out of town are not required.

In fact, the potential for transmission is just as great. Moreover, those who work as truck drivers who carry goods. Of course, the risk will be even greater because you always travel from city to city.

Then, about the alleged game results of the rapid test. At some stations or airports, all prospective passengers must have their body temperature measured using a thermogun. If it shows 38 degrees Celsius, the prospective passenger may not continue the journey, even though he has a COVID-19 free letter based on the results of the rapid test.

"It is reasonable to suspect that there was cooperation between the respondent and the hospital in implementing the mandatory rapid test," said Singgih.

Another highlight is the rapid test costs that are not borne by the government. The community must independently pay the examination bill as a condition for conducting a rapid test. This is considered burdensome to prospective passengers. In the marine transportation mode, especially, which is mostly used by prospective passengers with middle to lower economy.

It's not just a pretty expensive price. The results of the rapid test were also not immediately known at that time. It took eight hours to finally find out whether a potential passenger was reactive or not. It will also burden prospective passengers who are in a hurry to go somewhere.

"The test results cannot be brought directly by prospective passengers. If the blood sample is taken at 10.00 WIB in the morning, at 18.00 WIB the results will just come out. And this long time is certainly detrimental to prospective passengers who want to suddenly go out of town," said Singgih.