Government Adjusts New Rules For Preventing The Third Wave Of COVID-19, Bali Becomes Attention To Year-End Holidays

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - The government has adjusted a number of new rules related to public health protocols following the COVID-19 pandemic situation which is experiencing an increasing trend in 131 regencies/cities.

"Some of these regulations include the movement of people, tourist sites, shops, and others. This step is still strengthened by vaccination and the application of health protocols (prokes) and 3T (tracing, tracking, treatment)," said the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture. (Coordinating Minister for PMK) Muhadjir Effendy quoted by Antara, Monday, November 1.

Muhadjir said that the momentum of the Christmas and New Year celebrations must be anticipated by all relevant ministries and institutions so that there is no spike in COVID-19 cases.

According to Muhadjir, the current condition in the national aggregate has decreased the number of COVID-19 transmissions. However, the government and the public must remain vigilant because there are 131 districts/cities that are experiencing an increasing trend of cases.

"Prokes is maintained to prevent transmission. Detection of foreign and domestic travel, then PPKM must also be fully detected and as much as possible avoid blocking," he said.

Muhadjir said Bali was a province that received special attention from the government. In addition to often being one of the tourist destinations during holidays, Muhadjir said there will be a large international event that invites many leaders of friendly countries in March, May, and throughout 2022.

"For this reason, there will be a trial for international events in Bali by the Ministry of Health. So that regional leaders anticipate the necessary steps if international events are to be held in their regions,” he said.

In addition to anticipating the approaching Christmas and New Year, said Muhadjir, the government is also anticipating the impact of the implementation of Face-to-face Learning (PTM). The Ministry of Health is working with the Ministry of Education and Culture to create applications and SOPs (pro-active tracing) that will be implemented in Indonesia and integrated with the PeduliLindung application.

In addition, the implementation of vaccination for the elderly also remains focused. As for the vaccination of children, it will be carried out after obtaining a permit and applied at an early stage in areas with high vaccination rates for the elderly.

"Vaccination will be accelerated with a target in December 2021 for doses of 2 above 60 percent," he said.

Another thing, related to the conditions for changing the Java-Bali trip, will only use an antigen test or the same as the conditions for travel outside Java-Bali.