Indonesia Task Force Urges Greater Covid-19 Vigilance at Border Crossing Points

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesia's Covid-19 Task Force chief Doni Monardo urged the North Kalimantan administration to be more vigilant of the risk of Covid-19 transmission at border crossing points.

Doni said the movement of people, both Indonesians and foreigners, has the potential to increase the number of the Covid-19 confirmed cases. 

"We must anticipate it. We must be aware of it," said Doni on Wednesday, March 31.

Doni went on to say that from December 2020 to March 2021, 614 out of 1,974 arrivals at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport have tested positive for Covid-19 following the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests by the Port Health Office (KKP). 

"Those who arrived [have tested positive for Covid-19] although they showed a certificate of negative PCR test results," he said.

Therefore, he added, there is a possibility of virus transmission if illegal entry into Indonesia is not being monitored.

The head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) also gave an example of what the West Kalimantan provincial government had done in anticipating new cases of Covid-19 at the border crossing points. 

The West Kalimantan administration has formed Quarantine Task Force under the regional military commander. Doni expressed hopes that the initiative of the West Kalimantan government will be implemented in other provinces.

"Don't let our hard work over the past year be disturbed by others who ignore the quarantine procedures," he said.

(Writer: Sania Mashabi | Editor: Dani Prabowo)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/03/31/11395511/satgas-minta-pemerintah-kalimantan-utara-waspadai-wni-wna-yang-keluar-masuk.