Weak Quarantine System, the Spread of Covid-19 is Increasingly Dangerous
JAKARTA The quarantine system during the Covid-19 pandemic for foreign citizens entering Indonesia is still weak. This, among other things, can be seen in cases of foreigners wandering around quarantine hotels and charging foreigners money to avoid quarantine. The loosening of the quarantine system could endanger society as new variants of Covid-19 emerge.
PRESS RELEASE
Weak Quarantine System, the Spread of Covid-19 is Increasingly Dangerous
JAKARTA The quarantine system during the Covid-19 pandemic for foreign citizens entering Indonesia was still weak. This, among other things, can be seen in cases of foreigners wandering around quarantine hotels and charging foreigners money to avoid quarantine. The loosening of the quarantine system could endanger society as new variants of Covid-19 emerge.
Citizen Reports submitted to chatbots LaporCovid-19 stated that a number of foreigners were roaming around without complying with health protocols during quarantine. This is very disturbing to the community. What's worse, illegal levies have been discovered that take advantage of the weakness of the quarantine system for personal gain. The method is to facilitate Indian citizens who want to enter Indonesia without quarantine by paying around Rp. 6.5 million.
These two cases show that the implementation of quarantine for international travelers has loopholes that can be violated. The reason is regulations that are not strict and officers who lack integrity, said LaporCovid-19 volunteer, Yemiko Happy, Tuesday (4/5/2021), in Jakarta.
In fact, according to SE no. 8/2021 concerning International Travel Health Protocols during the Covid-19 Pandemic, everyone who wants to enter Indonesia, including foreigners, is required to carry out 5×24 hour quarantine and repeat PCR examination with negative results. If negative, the person concerned is allowed to continue their journey and is advised to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days and implement health protocols.
Unfortunately, continued Yemiko, the government's response to relaxed quarantine tends to be normative and indecisive. In the Oakwood case (quarantine hotel), for example, the Kamal Muara area Covid Task Force and Satpol PP only conducted normal questions and answers with management, without further investigating the case.
The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government finally issued a warning letter after the case went viral. The case of bribery so that travelers do not undergo quarantine is now in the legal process stage. The perpetrator and all those involved in this case must be punished to the fullest extent possible. This is to ensure that the handling of the pandemic goes well.
They not only endanger people's lives, but also embarrass Indonesia's name in the eyes of the world in handling the pandemic. On the other hand, positive cases of Covid-19 have increased in a number of countries, especially India. In fact, a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has emerged in India, namely B.1.617, which is more virulent. Failure to quarantine could worsen the pandemic in Indonesia, he said.
Yemiko believes that relaxation of quarantine must be used as material for evaluating regulations from the Central Government, the Committee for Handling Covid-19 and National Economic Recovery, and Immigration. "Various policy makers need to increase supervision because quite a few travelers from abroad are taking advantage of loopholes to travel in the midst of the pandemic," he said.
The government should increase public participation in monitoring the handling of the pandemic, including implementing quarantine. Collaboration and firm action are needed to show empathy for people who have complied with health protocols. Indecisiveness, inconsistency and injustice in the government's handling of the pandemic will only reduce public trust in the government, Yemiko said.
