Pros And Cons Of Eliminating Mandatory Requirements For Antigen Tests And PCR, Must Stop If Cases Rise

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The revocation of the requirements for PCR and antigen tests for travelers signaled a bright spot for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic to shift to an endemic status.

However, the policy is still reaping the pros and cons. There are members of the DPR who welcome the abolition of antigen testing and PCR as a condition for traveling as a transitional step, but others still ask the government to continue to evaluate the policy.

Member of Commission IX of the DPR from the NasDem Party faction, Nurhadi, assessed that the abolition of the COVID-19 test requirement for travelers was in order to change the status from pandemic to endemic.

According to him, it is natural for a government or state to do this. However, he reminded that to realize the endemic status requires seriousness from all parties.

"The abolition of the COVID-19 test requirement is a natural step in the context of the transition to endemic," said Nurhadi when contacted, Tuesday, March 8.

The seriousness, he added, is especially not to be negligent in implementing health protocols, even though the COVID-19 test requirements have been relaxed.

"Even though the COVID-19 test requirements have been removed, the public still has to maintain health protocols. Because health protocols will be the community's habitat in the future," he explained.

Therefore, he invites the public to immediately receive the full dose of COVID-19 vaccination. This is to support the transition process from pandemic to endemic.

Meanwhile, Member of the House of Representatives Commission IX Rahmad Handoyo said, if the policy causes a spike in COVID-19 cases, then the government must stop this policy and re-establish antigen and PCR tests as travel requirements.

"When this policy in the next few days turns out to be followed by a significant spike in COVID-19 and the BOR (bed occupancy rate/occupancy rate) of hospitals as well as the death rate, I think it can be evaluated by re-implementing the policy (COVID-19 test as a requirement of travel)," said Rahmad when contacted, Tuesday, March 8.

According to the PDIP legislator, the evaluation is in line with the pandemic handling strategy implemented by the government so far, namely using the 'gas and brake' principle.

"I think the evaluation is one of the keys to whether or not the policy is not mandatory for testing for those who have complete vaccines for flights and other modes of transportation," said Rahmad.

It is known, the Government has again updated the rules for domestic travel by sea and land transportation. As of March 7, 2022, domestic travel provisions for fully vaccinated perpetrators no longer need to show evidence of negative antigen or PCR tests.

This was stated directly by the Java Bali PPKM Coordinator Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan at a ministerial press conference regarding the PPKM Evaluation Results, 7 March 2022.

"Today the government will implement the following policies. First, domestic travelers using sea or land transportation who have carried out the second and complete dose of vaccination, no longer need to show evidence of negative antigen or PCR tests," he said.

On the other hand, the government was also asked not to rush to revoke the mandatory mask rule as a result of the abolition of the mandatory requirements for antigen and PCR.

In this regard, the government has stated that it will not revoke the Prokes obligation.

"We will not rush to relax health protocols without assessing the existing situation or conditions," said the spokesperson for the COVID-19 vaccination of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, at a press conference Tuesday, March 8.

The government admits that it is currently preparing for the transition to endemic. However, according to Dr. Nadia, there are a number of indicators that must be achieved to get to that point, including the transmission rate below 1 percent and vaccination coverage of at least 70 percent.

But what is certain, Dr. Nadia said there is a possibility in the month of Ramadan this year there will be various adjustments in worship activities. For example, social distancing may have been reduced, but with a note that all congregants bring their own prayer mats.