Luhut Pandjaitan Affirms That PCR Tests In Airport And Bus Station Is Abolished, Will It Change Again During Eid Homecoming?

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan/PHOTO via Antara

JAKARTA - The central government's decision announced through Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan regarding the abolition of the antigen-PCR requirement for domestic land, sea, and air travel has relieved many people.

The government's decision is indeed welcomed even though a number of countries have implemented the same thing earlier than Indonesia. Removing PCR until quarantine of foreign travelers (PPLN). Even in a number of European countries, removing the COVID-19 health protocol has 'knocked on the hammer'.

But many on social media timelines, netizens or netizens are wondering, is the policy of removing PCR for airplane passengers, ships, and buses really consistent, at least until the homecoming season arrives ahead of Eid al-Fitr in May next?

Luhut Pandjaitan in his press statement, Monday, March 7, revealed that the abolition of the obligation to show a negative COVID-19 test result for travel and the date of its implementation will be ratified in a circular issued in the future.

"Domestic travelers using air, sea, or land transportation who have carried out a second or complete dose of vaccination no longer need to show evidence of a negative antigen or PCR test. This will be stipulated in a circular letter to be issued by the relevant ministries and institutions that will be published in the near future," Luhut said in a virtual press conference.

Luhut said the government was easing the travel requirements in order to transition to normal activities. Then, the current pandemic condition also continues to improve.

However, at this time the mobility of the community has also increased quite high. This can be seen in the movement of Google Mobility data which was monitored by the government in the past week.

Therefore, to suppress the spread of the coronavirus in the midst of high mobility and easing restrictions, Luhut encourages the level of community immunity by accelerating the achievement of the second dose of vaccination, especially for the elderly.

Luhut Pandjaitan emphasized that the issue of removing the PCR test as a domestic travel requirement was taken by the central government on the basis of input from experts in their fields.

"Besides that, all the roadmaps that have been made to date are still being implemented with the precautionary principle and still upholding the stages that we often convey, gradually, and continuously to mitigate unwanted things," he added.

The question of the consistency of the central government's policies is a natural one. Back and forth, the central government changed its policies regarding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes in 'instant' time which often confuses many people, even on social media timelines, these netizens are 'confused', 'tired' with the policies of the central government which are commanded by President Jokowi. Starting from antigens, PCR to vaccination requirements related to domestic travel.

Are you sure you're no longer 'shaking', aka changing decisions in a matter of days?

Spokesman for Luhut, Jodi Mahardi, spoke about the central government's decision to adjust the conditions for the COVID-19 pandemic and the direction of the transition from pandemic to endemic.

"It will still be evaluated according to conditions," said Jodi Mahardi confirmed by VOI, Monday, March 7 evening.