Spokesperson: PPLN Booster Quarantine Reduced Due To Small Contagion Risk

ILLUSTRATION/BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Reduction of the quarantine period for foreign travelers (PPLN) who have received the third dose of vaccine to three days due to the reason that the number of viruses decreases faster with a faster recovery period and a smaller risk of transmission.

Government Spokesperson for Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito explained that the plan to reduce the quarantine period for PPLN who had received the booster vaccine was based on a study that found the number of viruses fell faster for those who had been vaccinated compared to those who had not.

"Thus, the recovery period for that person tends to be faster and the risk of infecting others tends to be smaller," he said, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, February 15.

However, the Coordinator of the Expert Team for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force emphasized that every traveler, including those who have been vaccinated, must still follow the precautionary principle and health protocol after undergoing quarantine.

"In a disaster situation, we must be able to adapt to dynamic and careful policies," said Wiku.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said in a press conference on Monday, February 14 that the government would reduce the duration of quarantine for both foreign and Indonesian PPLNs from five days to three days.

The quarantine reduction applies to Indonesian citizens and foreigners who have undergone booster or booster vaccinations. They are required to perform a PCR test upon entry and completion of quarantine.

If the situation continues to improve, said Luhut, the government plans to reduce the duration of quarantine to three days for all PPLNs on March 1, 2022.