TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno asserted that there is no ban yet on the entry of travelers from Singapore, despite a new wave of COVID-19 infections in the city-state. However, he highly advises tourists to check their health before entering the archipelago.

“Always comply with the protocols, such as wearing a mask if you are unwell, and follow the doctor's recommendations,” said Sandiaga in his weekly brief on Monday, May 20.

According to the Singapore Ministry of Health, the surge in cases was triggered by the emergence of the KP.1 and KP.2 variants, the derivatives of the COVID-19 virus, which are known to be present worldwide.

Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist from Griffith University in Australia, assessed that the spike in cases in Singapore would not affect Indonesia because of its smaller elderly population and high COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

However, he emphasized the importance of improving a healthy lifedata-style to reduce the risk of infection, citing the potential spread of the virus through tourism.

“Indonesia is akin to Singapore, especially in terms of tourist destinations. Indonesia is visited by many foreign tourists and of course, there is a risk [of COVID-19 transmission], but it is not as serious [as previous variants],” Dicky told Tempo on Monday, May 20.

Dicky stressed that although the pandemic phase has ended, people are not yet free of COVID-19 infection. The risk of the long COVID-19 remains and it is influential enough to reduce people's quality of life.

RIRI RAHAYU | ALIF ILHAM FAJRIADI

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