Preventing New Variants Of COVID-19, Ministry Of Transportation Restricts International Entry

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JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) issued a policy to limit international entry through land, sea and air transportation to prevent the spread of the new variant of COVID-19.

"In general, the arrangements for international travel requirements both on land, sea and air are the same as the previous rules. For health requirements refer to SE Task Force Number 18 of 2021 and for the category of foreigners who can enter Indonesia refer to Permenkumham Number 27 of 2021," Spokesman for the Ministry of Transportation, Adita Irawati, was quoted as saying by Antara, Wednesday, September 15.

Adita revealed that the restrictions were regulated in a Circular Letter of the Ministry of Transportation concerning Instructions for Traveling People from Overseas by Land (SE Number 75 of 2021), Sea (SE Number 76 of 2021), and Air (SE Number 74 of 2021).

However, what distinguishes it from the previous regulation is Inmendagri No. 42, which states that there are restrictions on the arrival of international travelers at the National Border Post (PLBN), ports, and airports.

The airport is only opened at Soekarno Hatta and Sam Ratulangi Airports in Manado. Ports are only opened at Batam and Nunukan ports. Also, PLBN is only opened at Entikong and Aruk Terminals.

In addition, the PCR test, in addition to being carried out D-3 before arrival, will also be carried out at the arrival location, be it at ports, airports or cross-border border posts.

Adita said supervision would also be tightened in collaboration with related elements such as the Indonesian National Police, the Transportation Service, the Ministry of Health's Port Health Office (KKP), the Central and Regional Covid-19 Task Force, and others.

The targets of the restrictions are for Indonesian migrant workers (PMI), Indonesian citizens and foreigners, passenger and cargo ship crews, and flight personnel, who will enter Indonesia.

"This was done in order to follow up on the direction of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo to anticipate and prevent the spread of new virus variants of COVID-19 including Varian Mu (B.1.621) entering Indonesia, through transportation nodes that serve international routes," he said.

These are the health requirements as regulated in the SE Task Force, in general:

1. Every international traveler is required to use the PeduliLindung application as a condition for international travel to enter Indonesian territory;

2. Every operator of transportation modes at the entry point for international travel is required to use the PeduliLindung application;

3. Indonesian citizens and foreigners from abroad must show negative results through the Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) test from the country of origin of departure whose samples are taken within a maximum period of 3 x 24 hours before departure and attached at the time of the health examination and fill in the Indonesian International e-HAC through the PeduliLindung application or manually in the country of origin of departure.

4. Especially for foreign passengers, they are also required to show proof of ownership of health insurance/travel insurance which includes health financing in quarantine and Covid-19 treatment while in Indonesia.

5. Upon arrival, RT PCR retests are carried out for Indonesian citizens and foreigners from abroad and are required to undergo quarantine for 8x24 hours. For Indonesian citizens who are Indonesian Migrant Workers, students, or government employees returning from overseas official trips, the quarantine/treatment costs are borne by the government.

Meanwhile, for Indonesian passengers outside these criteria, and for foreigners including foreign diplomats, outside the head of the foreign representative and the family of the head of the foreign representative, undergo quarantine/treatment at all costs to be borne independently.

6. Indonesian citizens and foreigners will retest the RT-PCR on the 7th (seventh) day of quarantine. In the event that the results of the RT-PCR re-test show negative results, then after being quarantined for 8 x 24 hours, Indonesian citizens and foreigners can be declared finished undergoing quarantine, and allowed to continue the journey, and are encouraged to self-quarantine for 14 (fourteen) hours. ) days and implement Health protocols.

If it shows a positive result, then treatment is carried out at the hospital for Indonesian passengers at a cost to be borne by the Government, and for foreign passengers, all costs are borne independently;

7. In the event that the foreign passenger is unable to pay for the self-quarantine and/or treatment at the hospital, the sponsor, the Ministry/Institution/BUMN that provides consideration for the entry permit for the foreign passenger can be held responsible for the cost;

8. Quarantine obligations are excluded for foreign passengers holding diplomatic visas and service visas related to official/state visits of foreign officials at ministerial level and above and foreign passengers entering Indonesia through the Travel Corridor Arrangement scheme, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity while still implementing strict health protocols.

"This Circular will come into effect on September 16, 2021 for land and sea, and September 17, 2021 for air, until a later date and can be extended according to the needs and latest developments in the field," Adita concluded.