The formation of this special task force aims to bolster health protocols, strengthen tracing and tracking, accelerating vaccination among the people, as well as prevent the entry of this new coronavirus variant.
Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung (ANTARA) - Governor of Bangka Belitung Islands Erzaldi Rosman Djohan has set up a special task force team as the provincial government's prompt response to prevent the entry of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 into the region.

"Today, Bangka Belitung's forkopimdas (Regional Leadership Coordination Forum), district heads, and mayors will hold a meeting to prevent the entry of Omicron variant of COVID-19," Djohan said here on Friday.

The coordination meeting for formation of the special task force to prevent the entry of the COVID-19 Omicron variant will be held this Friday afternoon since the variant was detected in Indonesia.

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"This special task force is formed to bolster implementation of health protocols, strengthen tracing and tracking, accelerate vaccination among people, as well as prevent the entry of this new coronavirus variant," Djohan explained.

Currently, the Omicron variant has been detected in 88 countries, including Indonesia, and it spreads quickly, he emphasized.

Hence, the government should act quickly to bolster the people's discipline to implement health protocols, such as wearing a mask, washing hands, maintaining distance, and avoid crowding.

"Currently, the people have started to become less disciplined in obeying health protocols, especially to wear a mask, which could potentially trigger the rise of coronavirus and Omicron COVID-19 cases," he pointed out.

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According to Djohan, the formation of this special task force is important to bolster the implementation of health protocols, especially compliance to wearing mask that has started to decline.

"We immediately create a policy by forming a special team to implement this, and it is important that crowded places, such as hotels, restaurants, and malls, prepare the PeduliLindungi QR Code device," he noted.

Earlier, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that a janitor at the Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital for COVID19 had contracted the new variant of COVID-19 called Omicron.


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Translator: Aprionis, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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