Thus, there is no potential (for the number of COVID-19 cases to surge).Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Health Ministry announced that community members are still allowed to hold group iftar and Eid al-Fitr homecoming as long as they are in good physical condition and not exposed to any disease.
"It is alright. People are allowed to conduct homecoming. Regarding the (group) iftar, only the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) are not allowed to perform it," Head of the Communication and Public Service Bureau of the ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi told ANTARA here on Monday.
She remarked that the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia is still under control, so it is possible for people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, expected to fall on April 22, 2023, and visit their relatives in their hometowns.
Speaking in connection with the potential for an increase in the number of positive cases, she emphasized that as long as the infected people exhibit mild symptoms and can recover well, the government will still allow group iftar and homecoming activities to continue.
"If the (COVID-19) mortality rate is the same as other diseases (in the normal rate), there is no need to worry. However, if the number of fatalities surges higher than other diseases, in general, then we should be concerned about it,” she remarked.
“God willing, we will still be able to control the pandemic. Thus, we can conduct the homecoming," the Health Ministry’s official noted.
She remarked that the ASN is prohibited from conducting group iftar since lately, several government officials often showed off their lavish lifestyle, which did not go down well with members of the public.
"Although such lifestyle is achieved by spending our own income, but as government officials, it is inappropriate for us to display such lifestyle while many people are still living in difficult conditions,” she emphasized.
Furthermore, Tarmizi stated that the government will not make booster vaccination a requirement for performing group iftar and for conducting homecoming.
Nonetheless, her side will continue to appeal to the public to complete their first and second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination to increase their immunity and avoid suffering from severe symptoms of the disease.
Even if a new COVID-19 variant were to surface, as long as it is not as virulent as the earlier strains, transmission of the virus can be controlled and the community can still be protected through herd immunity achieved from the vaccination, she remarked.
"Thus, there is no potential (for the number of COVID-19 cases to surge)," she said.
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Translator: Hreeloita Shanti, Uyu Liman
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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