Govt to Turn to Rapid Antigen Tests as Covid-19 Initial Screening
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3 February 2021 17:13 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin was set to sign a regulation on the rapid antigen test as the initial screening of coronavirus disease or Covid-19.
"The test will be stipulated in the Health Ministerial Regulation or Permenkes to be used as the Covid-19 screening because we know that it costs lower than PCR test. Thus, it can be used as an initial screening," said the Covid-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (KPC-PEN) Chairman, Airlangga Hartarto, on Wednesday, February 3.
Airlangga said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was concerned about the testing, tracing, and treatment (3T) efforts.
Besides 3T, Jokowi demanded the task force strengthen the public compliance with the health protocols, namely wearing face masks, washing hands, and maintaining distance.
The Babinsa (village supervisory non-commissioned officers), Babinkamtibmas (village security and public order officers), and the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police personnel were also asked to help to trace the positive cases. "The ministry will hire more officers to conduct tracing," he said.
The policy on rapid antigen tests, Airlangga went on, would be noted in the same Permenkes concerning mutual cooperation in the government’s vaccination program.
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EGI ADYATAMA
