Currently, there are only five regions that have PCR laboratories.
Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - The Riau provincial government has received a mobile COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test laboratory from the Home Affairs Ministry on Saturday to support the handling of the pandemic in the province.

"Alhamdulillah (all praises be to God), the PCR lab car has arrived in Pekanbaru city. The health team and I have reviewed the car. On the same occasion, we were given instructions on how to operate it," Riau Governor Syamsuar informed here on Saturday.

He then praised the Home Affairs Minister for the assistance and said he hoped that the car would be used optimally at the entrance gates of the province, such as Dumai Port, Mengkapan Siak Port, and Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport.

The car could be deployed to areas with a high number of COVID-19 positive cases, he added.

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"Currently, there are only five regions that have PCR laboratories. Hence, we can deploy the car in areas which do not have any PCR lab; thus, we can quickly assess the transmission of COVID-19 in the area," he remarked.

Furthermore, the governor asked people to continue to follow the health protocols diligently as the new COVID-19 variant called Omicron has recently been detected in Malaysia and Singapore.

"I urge district/city governments to always monitor ports and other entrances points, which have the potential for having imported COVID-19 cases. In addition, vaccinations must be conducted massively," he said.

He informed that currently, the province has around 600 thousand vaccines in stock.

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"I held a meeting with Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) throughout Riau province on Monday. I hope the vaccine stocks can be immediately used. Thus, we can meet the 70-percent vaccination target,” he stated.

The provincial government will ask for assistance from the regional police and military resorts to conduct mass vaccinations, he added.

Syamsuar also asked school principals to keep encouraging students who are eligible for vaccinations to register for the COVID-19 jab without delay.

“The Riau Provincial Health Office and all school principals should inform the students that they are required to bring their Family Card to be registered for the vaccination program,” he added.

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Translator: Frislidia, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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