By: Kevin Sirait )*
People who travel abroad must comply with the quarantine policies that have been set by the Government. This effort is a step to avoid the spread of the Corona virus in order to protect yourself and others.
The pandemic has changed human habits, from having to wear masks when leaving the house to the obligation to quarantine after returning from goodwill abroad. Quarantine is mandatory because it is to prevent transmission of Corona, especially the Omicron variant. When someone is quarantined, they will be monitored and tested quickly, whether they have contracted Corona from abroad or not.
The government applies strict quarantine rules, namely 7 days for Indonesian citizens and foreigners who have traveled from other countries. Meanwhile, those who have just arrived from South Africa (and beyond), Turkey, and other countries with cases of Omicron, must be quarantined for 10 days.
Why is the quarantine up to 10 days? President Jokowi stated that currently there are 136 Omicron T-shirts in Indonesia. There should be no quarantine dispensation. In a sense, when there is a strict quarantine and up to 10 days, it is hoped that there will not be an increase in the number of Corona patients with the Omicron variant, because they will be monitored while they are in the hotel.
Dispensation should not be given because there are no people who turn out to be OTG Corona variants of Omicron. The reason is because the characteristics of Omicron are different from the Delta variant or others. At first glance it looks like a common cold and cough, only the patient feels sore. In addition, the saturation is still above 95% so that you can breathe normally. Another distinguishing feature is the absence of anosmia, aka loss of sense of smell.
Therefore, the government tightens the arrival gate at every airport in Indonesia, lest Indonesian citizens and foreigners escape their quarantine obligations even though they have just arrived from abroad. If he secretly escapes, when he is caught, he will stumble upon the Quarantine Law and face a penalty of 1 year in prison and a fine of 1 million rupiah.
The threat of punishment of this magnitude is deemed appropriate because no one should be absent from quarantine obligations. Imagine if he escapes and turns out to be OTG, then he can infect Corona, and when it turns out that what alights on his body is the Omicron variant, the transmission can be 5 times faster. Of course this will increase Covid cases in Indonesia and mess everything up.
How can it not be chaotic when there are predictions of an increase in Covid cases even though the curve is currently sloping, because the number of Corona patients per day is only 170 people. Don’t let the curve rise again because many have run away from quarantine obligations. If there is an increase in Corona cases, it will affect the economy because people’s purchasing power could decline again, even though in 2022 the government wants to make the country’s finances healthy.
Therefore quarantine for those who have traveled abroad must be carried out. If you can’t afford the quarantine at the hotel, then you can choose the option at the athlete’s house which can be free of charge. There, the facilities are also quite adequate and sterile and the guard is tight, so there is nothing to worry about.
People who have traveled from abroad, especially those who have returned from South Africa, Turkey, and other countries with cases of Omicron, are required to quarantine for 10 days. Don’t let anyone escape because it can increase the case of the Omicron variant Corona in Indonesia. We all have to obey the rules so that the pandemic can end quickly.
)* The author is a contributor to the Nusa Bangsa Institute
