COVID-19 Task Force: PCR To Anticipate The Spike Of COVID-19 Christmas And New Year Holidays

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Head of the Health Handling Division of the COVID-19 Task Force, dr. Alexander K Ginting said the government's policy, which required airplane passengers to carry out polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, was to anticipate a spike in COVID-19 cases. As stated in Inmendagri 53/2021 regarding the obligation of PCR tests for people who use air transportation modes.

"So if we look at the Ministry of Home Affairs 53 and 54, the point is to maintain the safety and security of the community from the dangers of a pandemic, in the midst of a pandemic situation descending. The spirit is controlling control so that we anticipate the Christmas-New Year holidays," said Alex Monday, October 25.

Moreover, according to him, currently Indonesia is in a situation where the level of implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) is improving. In fact, said Alex, COVID-19 cases also continued to decline compared to the spike in cases last July-August.

"We are now at an improving PPKM level. Active cases are smaller than in July-August, the positivity rate is also below 2 percent, mortality is also reported at only 40-50 per day. Then, BOR (bed occupancy ratio) in hospitals down," he explained. Therefore, Alex said, the PCR policy for airplane passengers is in line with the economic recovery. Where air transportation is allowed to increase capacity up to 100 percent.

"Then this is also an economic recovery, so the capacity of passengers on the plane will also increase. So if in the past it was far apart, the seats in the back were empty, this capacity was increased. So that there was no seat distancing," he explained.

Alex added that the trial was certainly made in order to protect the country from the spike in COVID-19. "Maintaining the safety of the people, we know that it will not be like other countries. So that we can anticipate the third spike in such a way," concluded Alex.