Spokesperson for Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, Masduki Baidlowi, announced the decision in a statement released by the press, media and information bureau of the Vice President's Secretariat here on Monday.
There has been higher local transmission of Omicron than imported cases, he informed. Jakarta is currently the area with the most Omicron infections.
The Vice President has appealed to the public to increase their awareness, immediately get vaccinated, follow the health protocols strictly, and limit travel abroad, he said.
Baidlowi also reminded people to refrain from going outside, unless necessary or urgent.
The Vice President has called for a review of the regulation and implementation of quarantine to further suppress the spread of the variant, he said.
The Vice President wants to impose stricter quarantine for travelers who went overseas, he added.
"The Vice President inquired of certain incidents; for example, what happened in East Java, (where someone) was deemed as negative through quarantine, but after returning they turned out to be positive, and it turned out to be Omicron, so it was necessary to apply stricter quarantine for days, especially for those who came from abroad," he explained.
According to the World Health Organization, Indonesia currently ranks fourth globally in terms of the vaccination rate, with 169 million of its citizens inoculated against COVID-19.
From January 12, 2022, the government has begun offering the third or booster vaccinations, free of cost, to all citizens. It is prioritizing the elderly and vulnerable groups for the booster program to anticipate the new variant.
To be eligible for the shots, recipients need to meet certain requirements, which include completing an interval of six months since the second dose.
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Translator: Fransiska N, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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