PPLN Trial Without Quarantine, Government Believes Not To Trigger Cases Increase

COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito (Photo: BNPB doc)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) said that the government believes that the trial of the no-quarantine policy for foreign travelers (PPLN) in Bali on March 14, 2022, will not trigger an increase in cases.

"During this gradual relaxation period, the government believes that we are able to gradually return to activities under controlled conditions," said Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, at an online press conference in Jakarta, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, March 1.

Currently, the government continues to monitor the development of cases in each policy implementation in the hope that it can become the basis for effective policy-making according to current conditions.

Wiku said the consideration of the trial without quarantine for PPLN along with the arrival of foreign tourists to Bali in recent times did not cause a significant increase in cases.

"We all certainly hope that our efforts to be adaptive in dealing with COVID-19, which is still designated as a global emergency, can lead us to produce progressive policies towards Indonesia, which is increasingly able to live through the transition to a productive and safe society for COVID-19," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the government would implement a trial without quarantine for PPLN to Bali on March 14, 2022.

According to Luhut, the trial without quarantine can be implemented before March 14, 2022, if there are positive developments in the next week. The reason is, the government also sees an improving trend in cases in Bali in recent weeks.

"Our target is March 14, 2022, we can accelerate it by one week if in the evaluation next week, the trend of cases shows improving results," he added.

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said the government also intends to abolish the quarantine provisions for PPLN arriving in Indonesia as of April 1, 2022.

"On April 1, it is planned to carry out an implementation without quarantine to enter Indonesia. Further provisions will be regulated in the circular letter of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force," she said.