TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the government would continue to tighten up the entrances to the country by land, sea and air to prevent the further spread of the Omicron variant.

Besides continuing with stricter quarantine of 10-14 days for international travelers, the government has also prepared an anticipative scenario to deal with a possible surge in international travelers that is projected to occur at the beginning of next year.

“There should be no requests for dispensation for trivial matters, except for medication purposes or other crucial matters,” Luhut said in a release on Monday, December 27, 2021.

According to him, the number of confirmed Omicron cases in the nation has reached 46. “They mostly came from international travelers, while the rest were workers at Wisma Atlet,”

Luhut claimed the stern measures the government had taken to keep Omicron from the nation had successfully kept the COVID-19 rate at a low level, and that there had been no signs to date that a third wave was likely due to Omicron.

Luhut said hospital admissions and death rates were also showing signs of a controllable situation. “But we have to keep our eyes peeled. The monitoring of COVID-19 cases will continue down to the regency and municipality level and all elements of society should adhere to the health protocols,” he said.

Read: Micro Lockdown 'A Possibility' If Omicron Spreads Broader: Govt

CAESAR AKBAR