Indonesia cuts quarantine period for foreign visitors to three days

JAKARTA, Nov 2 (Bernama): The Indonesian government has decided to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for international travellers, both Indonesian citizens and foreigners, from five to three days, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Tuesday.

"This rule applies to international travellers who have met the requirements, including being fully vaccinated and negative for Covid-19 based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test results since their departures, after the arrivals in Indonesia, and at the end of the quarantine period," Xinhua quoted Hartarto explaining in a press release.

Meanwhile, domestic travellers who have been fully vaccinated are required to show negative antigen swab test results or PCR tests for those who have received only one shot of vaccines.

Hartarto emphasised that the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia is primarily under control as the number of cases continues to decline.

Indonesia is proposing the establishment of a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) with Australia, said Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno during a press briefing on Monday.

To date, visitors from 19 countries, including China, France, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, have been allowed to travel to Bali, which is famous for its emerald rice terraces, Hindu temples and white-sand beaches.

Currently, the Southeast Asian country is trying to revive its economy while anticipating a possible arrival of the third wave of the pandemic, which is expected to occur during the long holiday seasons of Christmas and New Year. - Bernama