Kasatgas COVID-19 Asks Batam-Bintan To Anticipate After Quarantine Is Abolished

JAKARTA - Head of the BNPB and Head of the Task Force (Satgas) for Handling COVID-19, Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, asked the Batam City Government and Bintan Regency, Riau Islands, to anticipate a potential spike in cases, after the quarantine for overseas travelers (PPLN) was removed.

In the agenda of the Coordination Meeting for the Handling of COVID-19 with the Batam City and Riau Islands Government, in Batam, Suharyanto asked for this to be handled wisely.

"Don't let this open for a while, the cases will immediately jump. So, with these concessions, let's act wisely," said Suharyanto in a written statement quoted by Antara, Thursday, March 24.

As stipulated in Circular Letter (SE) Number 15 of 2022 concerning Health Protocols for Overseas Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the government no longer enforces quarantine for PPLN.

However, a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test result is still the main requirement plus a second dose of vaccine certificate.

"Make sure that the PCR test is carried out properly," said Suharyanto.

Batam City and Bintan Regency are the entrances to Indonesian territory from Singapore and Malaysia. Batam as an economic industrial city and Bintan which is full of tourist objects become a magnet for tourists to enter the area by sea.

With the regulation of SE No. 15 of 2022, Batam and Bintan will be even more open to tourists and newcomers in an economic context. Of course, with the relaxation of the PPLN rules, health protocols must also be prepared, including the acceleration of the vaccination program with a target of 30 percent for Batam City.

"We must continue to encourage this vaccination, so that the achievement of the 30 percent target can be carried out properly and we are all safe," said Suharyanto.

In 2021, Batam City has received 36,484 Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), while during that period there were 3,493 positive cases or 9.57 percent.

Then in 2022, the arrival of PMIs from January to March has reached 11,561 people and within three months there were 1,590 positive cases or 13.75 percent.