“I urge the government, that has allowed people to join Eid exodus this year, to anticipate so that a spike in COVID-19 cases after the 2022 Eid al-Fitr holiday will not occur,” he said in a written statement received here on Tuesday.
Such anticipation can be done by requiring people who want to join the Eid exodus to get the booster shot. The government must also establish policies and take concrete measures to prevent a spike in cases, while still strengthening COVID-19 testing, especially for travelers, he added.
"This is to detect and prevent the entry of new variants that can cause a spike in new cases," he explained.
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The MPR Speaker asked the central and regional governments to continuously make efforts to increase the coverage for the primary and booster COVID-19 vaccinations in each region, especially those where vaccination coverage has not reached 100 percent or is still below 70 percent.
The government also needs to continue to implement the health protocols, especially ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr to prevent COVID-19 transmission, he added.
"The government, through the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, must continue to monitor and evaluate the pandemic situation and handling that can be used as a reference by the government in making regulations for people who will join the (Eid) exodus," he expounded.
He expressed the hope that the regulation related to the Eid exodus will prioritize everyone's safety.
The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of March 29, 2022, Indonesia has recorded a total of 6,005,646 COVID-19 cases, 5,735,055 recoveries, and 154,882 deaths.
Related news: Booster dose as exodus requirement is the right policy: Virologist
Translator: Rangga Pandu, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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