No matter how good the regulation is, no matter how many officers there are on the field, and no matter how heavy the penalties are, it all comes back to the people.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Governor of Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria urged Jakartans to not travel outside the city and abroad, especially during Christmas 2021 and New Year 2022, citing concerns over the newly detected COVID-19 variant Omnicron in Indonesia.

"We urge all of you to delay going abroad or outside the city. Christmas and New Year could be celebrated at home with the family," he noted at the Jakarta City Hall on Monday.

For the last three days, the number of new cases of Omicron have increased by two folds in 89 countries in the world, including in Indonesia, he explained.

The Ministry of Health had also detected five probable Omicron cases that involved international travelers, both Indonesians and foreigners.

The two cases are Indonesian citizens, who recently returned from the United States and England. Both of them are undergoing isolation in the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran emergency hospital for COVID-19.

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Meanwhile, three other probable cases involved foreigners from China that had visited Manado in North Sulawesi Province, and are currently in quarantine in there.

To this end, the deputy governor requested all residents, including in Jakarta, to remain cautious, to not let their guard down during Christmas and New Year, and to continue to implement the 5M health protocols.

Patria emphasized that being vaccinated does not mean being immune to COVID-19 exposure if health protocols are not followed.

"While PPKM (Public Activity Restriction) Level 1 is imposed in Jakarta, we urge the people first," he stated.

"No matter how good the regulation is, no matter how many officers there are on the field, and no matter how heavy the penalties are, it all comes back to the people," he affirmed.

Patria underlined once again that home is the safest place to be.

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Translator: Mentari Dwi G, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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