Currently, about 30 percent of the total participating athletes and officials have arrived in Papua.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Spectators attending the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, has said.
"According to the regulation, spectators can only fill a maximum of 25 percent of the venue capacity. In addition, they must have received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine,” he stated at a virtual press conference, accessed via the ministry's YouTube channel from here on Monday afternoon.
“Currently, the Health Ministry, along with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, military, and police, is expediting vaccination coverage with a target of over 70 percent until the end of September 2021 in all host regions of XX Papua PON,” the minister noted.
Furthermore, the committee must anticipate the crowds at the opening ceremony as well as sports matches, he said.
During the press conference, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin urged all stakeholders to ensure that spectators watching the games live at the venue are in good health.
"We are coordinating to ensure the utilization of the PeduliLindungi app as well as manual health screening equipment that can make sure that the spectators are healthy and are not going to create a new COVID-19 cluster at the event," he said.
The ministry, the PON organizing committee, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, and the Papua Health Office are coordinating this task, he informed.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Youth and Sports Ministry Gatot S. Dewa Broto said that the move to restrict spectators by the committee is in keeping with the international standard on visitor arrangements.
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"The opening of the XX Papua PON must be organized to avoid creating crowds. Our strategy is almost similar to the one implemented at the opening of the 2012 London Olympics," he said.
The committee will not only limit the number of spectators, but also the privileges of the participating athletes and officials, he said.
According to first deputy chairman of National Sports Committee, Major General (Retd.) Suwarno, the national sporting event began a few days ago although the official opening will take place on October 2, 2021.
"Currently, about 30 percent of the total participating athletes and officials have arrived in Papua," he informed.
The XX Papua PON organizing committee has urged all visitors to conduct self-isolation -- either in groups or independently, he said.
"Once arriving in Papua, an examination is carried out through the PeduliLindungi app as well as a COVID-19 swab antigen test before the visitors enter their lodgings," he disclosed.
Later, if any visitor feels unwell while participating in the event, a COVID-19 antigen or PCR test will be carried out, he said.
Should the result come out positive, the person will be treated at the isolation center provided by the committee, he added.
"The same protocols will be conducted while departing," he said.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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