"Homecoming is an important thing for the public, especially since they have not been able to go home for the past two years. Learning from the three previous spikes in cases that occurred after a long holiday, we must be very careful," Professor Wiku Adisasmito noted during a webinar on ‘2022 Healthy Homecoming, Safe Homecoming,’ which was accessed from Jakarta on Friday.
For the Eid homecoming, each rule made by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force must protect the community from virus transmission and keep them and their family safe, he added.
This intention has been evident in the Circular Letter (SE) 16 of the Task Force Number concerning provisions for domestic travelers regarding the 2022 homecoming to be carried out in a healthy and safe manner as well as the Circular Letter of the Task Force Number 17 of 2022 concerning Provisions for Overseas Travelers (PPLN), which became effective from April 19, 2022.
The two SEs regulate COVID-19 tests based on the vaccination doses obtained by travelers, new rules for children aged 6–17, and additional entry rules for foreign travelers.
The central COVID-19 task force and the regional task forces have also tightened health protocol implementation at homecoming destinations, rest areas, public facilities, as well as international routes and inter-regional borders.
Strict monitoring of health protocols is being carried out by distributing free masks and hand sanitizers to travelers who do not have the two protective equipment, Adisasmito informed.
"We want to make sure people are always healthy during the trip. We will accompany them to implement health protocols, to be safe, and healthy," he remarked.
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The COVID-19 Task Force, together with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), has also prepared disaster maps for homecoming routes and is planning to expand the monitoring team.
The task force will no longer impose sanctions like in the previous years. However, the security and conditions of the pandemic at this time of the year will depend on how well each individual fulfils the responsibility of protecting their families from COVID-19 transmission.
Everyone is responsible for protecting each other through the implementation of the health protocols, both by wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining social distance, mostly to protect the elderly and the children in their hometowns who do not have vaccination immunity.
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Penerjemah: Hreeloita Dharma S, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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