The Bogor city government, West Java, has adjusted to the new, relaxed community activities restrictions policy by removing the requirement for PCR and antigen swab tests for public activities after the 2022 Eid holiday.
Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto said in a statement here on Tuesday that the city government will monitor data on the spread of COVID-19 through residents’ complaints at all public health centers and neighborhood (RW) emergency posts during the current Level 2 community activities restrictions (PPKM) period.
“If there is any indication, please take PCR test right away. There’s no official policy (on this),” he added.
He further informed that there is no special regulation requiring travelers visiting Bogor city to undergo self-isolation.
The lack of such requirements is owing to the adequate medical facilities in the local area. Bogor city has even recorded the second-highest vaccination coverage for booster vaccinations in West Java province as of Tuesday.
The city recorded a 35.11-percent vaccination rate, just below Bandung
district, which reported a rate of 35.26 percent.
Since the Eid holiday, an average of one, two, and zero COVID-19 cases have been recorded.
However, the government will monitor changes in data on the disease’s spread for a week in order to determine the next policy, Sugiarto said.
Meanwhile, director general of regional administration at the Home Affairs Ministry, Safrizal, has announced the extension of the restrictions policy in Java and Bali despite there being no exponential increase in cases.
The extension has been imposed simultaneously in all regions of Indonesia, albeit with some changes, including changes in the number of regions at each PPKM level, in particular, there has been a decline in the number of regions at Level 1 and 3 PPKM; changes in the operating hours of restaurants functioning at night; and the removal of the PCR and antigen test requirements for several activities in Java and Bali regions.
After the 2022 Eid holiday, there have been additional active cases of COVID-19, however, their number has not been significant enough to indicate a spike, he informed.
The ministry will still monitor the changes in conditions and evaluate the effects of national activities restrictions, he said.
This has been stated in the Instruction of the Home Affairs Ministry Number 24 of 2022, which has extended community activity restrictions in Java and Bali, and the Instruction of the Home Affairs Ministry Number 25 of 2022, which has extended community activities restrictions outside Java and Bali Regions from May 10 to 23, 2022.
Source: Antara News