Why do we determine the quarantine period to be five days? Because the virus incubation period is 4.8 days, thus the risk will be lower.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Government has listed a number of entry requirements that foreign tourists seeking to enter Bali Province will need to fulfill once international flights reopen on October 14, 2021.

"The reopening of international flights to Bali is expected to be able to gradually recover the province’s economy," Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said at an online press conference on Monday.

Still, as directed by President Joko Widodo, the reopening has to be carried out carefully although the number of COVID-19 cases has declined significantly, he added.

"The transmission rate of the virus is still over one. However, we hope that it will become less than one this week," the coordinating minister continued.

He also said that the President has asked for the tightening of health protocols at the international arrivals gate of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.

In addition, the self-quarantine management has to be maintained, while the vaccination coverage target needs to be fulfilled, he added.

"Gianyar District is the only region in Bali in which vaccination coverage has to be improved. Only 38 percent of the elderly in the region have been vaccinated. Hence, we are targeting the coverage to reach 40 percent in the next few days," he said.

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The Indonesian Government has set pre-departure and on-arrival requirements for international flight passengers. As per the pre-departure requirements, the visitors:

1. Must be coming from a country with level one and two confirmed cases and a positivity rate below five percent,

2. Have negative results of the RT-PCR test, taken a maximum of 72 hours before departure,

3. Have received the second COVID-19 dose at least 14 days before departure and have a vaccination certificate written in English other than the language of the country of origin,

4. Have health insurance with a minimum coverage value of $100 thousand and the ability to cover the cost of COVID-19 treatment, as well as

5. Have proof of accommodation payment.

Meanwhile, as per the on-arrival requirements, visitors:

1. Will need to fill out the electronic health access card (e-HAC) through the Indonesian Health Ministry’s PeduliLindungi app, and

2. Carry out the on arrival COVID-19 RT-PCR test at their own expense and stay at their inns while waiting for the test result.

"If the result is negative, the travelers will have to conduct self-isolation in their lodgings that have been reserved for five days. On the fourth evening since the arrival, they will be required to do another RT-PCR test. If the result is negative, they will be allowed to end the self-quarantine," Pandjaitan explained.

In addition, the quarantine requirement also needs to be applied to Indonesian citizens who come from abroad, the minister said. Self-isolation has to be conducted for five days as the risk of virus transmission becomes lower after the fifth day, he added.

"Why do we determine the quarantine period to be five days? Because the virus incubation period is 4.8 days, thus the risk will be lower," he added.

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Translator: Ade Junida, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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