By: Keenan Blue)*
The government is optimally preventing the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant towards the end of the year. This effort is to anticipate the explosion of positive cases of the Corona virus ahead of the Christmas and New Year momentum.
Omicron is one of the variants of the Corona virus that has been detected in several countries since it was first discovered on the African continent. Omicron is touted as one of the fast-transmitting variants.
WHO (World Health Organization) stated that the virus referred to as B.1.1.529 was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the last of which is predominantly Delta variant.
The variant apparently has a large number of mutations, some of which are worrying, the WHO said preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, compared to other Variants of Concern (VOC). WHO also requested that countries step up surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant.
Meanwhile, related to the Omicron variant, the Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that so far Indonesia had not found any transmission of the new variant of the Corona virus B.1.1.529. Budi ensured that Indonesia and the world are currently faster in identifying each new variant of the Corona virus because of the presence of a qualified laboratory.
The government also anticipates, one of which is by limiting the arrival of foreign nationals (WNA) and requiring all arrivals from abroad, either by air, sea, or land to undergo quarantine.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the government was extending the quarantine period for Foreign Citizens (WNA) and Indonesian Citizens (WNI) traveling abroad. According to Luhut, the extension of the quarantine period is aimed at responding to the outbreak of the Omicron variant.
This step was taken taking into account the increasing number of countries detecting Omicron variants. This quarantine extension will take effect from December 3, 2021.
In addition, he also said that government officials are prohibited from traveling abroad. The prohibition is aimed at all levels of office, except for those carrying out important state duties.
To prevent the entry of the Omicron variant into Indonesia, the government has temporarily closed the entrances to 11 countries that have detected the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid. The temporary closure applies to foreigners with countries that have confirmed community transmission of the new SARS-Cov-2 B.1.1.529 variant, namely South Africa and Botswana.
And countries or regions that are geographically close to the community transmission countries for the new variant of Omicron, namely Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Lesotho. In addition to the 10 African countries, Indonesia has also closed the entrance for foreigners who have lived or visited Hong Kong within a period of 14 days. Meanwhile, Indonesian citizens from these 11 countries are still allowed to enter Indonesia with strict conditions.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry Vaccine Spokesperson, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said that the government had taken a number of anticipations and prevented the spread of the B.1.1.529 variant. undergo quarantine, the costs are borne by the government.
This is in accordance with the Decree of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force Number 14 of 2021 concerning Entrances, Quarantine Places and PCR inspection obligations for Indonesian citizens who travel internationally.
The Covid-19 Handling Task Force (SATGAS) has issued Circular Letter (SE) Number 23 of 2021 concerning International Travel Health Protocols during the 2019 Corona Virus Disease Pandemic.
A number of things behind the issuance of the SE are that at this time a new variant of the Corona virus has been found in South Africa, the variant is Omicron, the spread of which has spread to several countries in the world, so it is necessary to adjust the control mechanism for international travel as an effort to protect Indonesian citizen from the case of importation.
The government has drawn up and prepared a scenario to prevent the entry of Omicron variants in Indonesia, of course this policy will become more optimal if people continue to adhere to the protocol and follow vaccinations.
)* The author is a contributor to Pertiwi Institute