PCR Results Deleted As Travel Requirements, Epidemiologist Asks Government To Keep Reminding People The Pandemic Is Not Over

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JAKARTA - Epidemiologist from Australia's Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, asked the government to continue to prioritize risk communication strategies to the public. The goal is to prevent the assumption that the COVID-19 pandemic is over so that health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus are ignored.

This was conveyed by Dicky in response to a number of easing by the government. One of them is that there is no need for negative swab antigen results or PCR tests for travelers who have received a complete COVID-19 vaccine.

"This risk communication strategy must be sustainable as well. Don't let people think, 'oh, we're done with the pandemic, so we're free'," said Dicky to VOI, Wednesday, March 9.

He said if the community was then free without implementing health protocols, it is not impossible that the number of cases would increase. Moreover, it can be said that Indonesia has not yet fully passed the critical period of the spread of COVID-19.

"That the situation is improving, yes, there are changes. However, that the critical situation has not passed yet. This must be understood. What is the fact, that the first, the trend of death rates is still increasing," explained Dicky.

"Also remember, when COVID-19 is sloping, the cases are small or down, it doesn't mean the virus is gone. Moreover, with limited testing and tracing capacity, this is dangerous," he added.

Thus, the government is asked to continue to remind the public to apply health protocols in a disciplined manner. "The principle is that prevention is better and all aspects of intervention must be strengthened," said Dicky. It was previously reported that the abolition of the requirements for antigen and PCR tests for train and plane travel was no longer needed, stemming from the results of the Limited Meeting held on Monday, March 7 delivered by Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan.

Luhut revealed, the abolition of the obligation to show a negative COVID-19 test result for travel and the effective date 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 which will be published in in the near future," Luhut said in a virtual press conference, Monday, March 7.