Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government is only allowing echelon 1 and upper ranks of public officials returning from abroad to self-quarantine, spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccinations at the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, has emphasized.

Officials need to undergo a 10-day self-quarantine based on specific considerations, she said.

"Self-quarantine recommendations are certainly given with restrictions, such as the consideration of (having to conduct) government service," she informed while issuing a statement on public activity restrictions (PPKM) here on Wednesday.

She also said she hoped that action would be taken against those violating quarantine regulations, such as returning them to the quarantine sites. If they are not cooperative, sanctions may be imposed on them, as stipulated in Article 14 of the Infectious Disease Plague Law and Article 93 of the Health Quarantine Law, she added.

Furthermore, she emphasized that the rules of quarantine refer to COVID-19 Task Force's Circular Letter No. 25 of 2021 concerning the health protocol for international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on that regulation, both Indonesian nationals (WNI) and foreign nationals (WNA) arriving from abroad must undergo a 10-day quarantine in available facilities, she said.

Two types of quarantine facilities are being provided to Indonesian citizens: government and paid facilities, she informed.

Foreign nationals need to bear the full cost for their quarantine, she added.

WNI can be made exempt only under urgent circumstances, such as if they have life-threatening health conditions, need special care, or grieving the death of a core family member, the spokesperson said.

"In responding to the Omicron variant as the Christmas and New Year holidays are near, the government again asked the public to keep being alert by tightening the health protocols, using PeduliLindungi app, and getting the vaccine (if not yet so)," she explained. (

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Translator: Devi R, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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