Indonesia to Declare End of COVID-19 Pandemic This June
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14 June 2023 13:03 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stated that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic will be declared this month as the government still mulls completing the transition process from the pandemic to the endemic.
“Yes, this is being finalized. It will be announced soon in a week or two because everything (infection trend) is already [sloping],” the President said at the BPKP Building, East Jakarta, Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
He mentioned that there are several criteria for determining the end of the pandemic. One of them is low active cases and comprehensive vaccination.
“We have administered more than 452 million doses [of COVID-19 vaccine] and others. So we had a meeting yesterday and decided to enter the endemic phase. But when it will be announced? It (the discussion) will be finalized in a week or two, God willing, [it will be] this month,” he explained.
In the meeting, Health Minister Budi Gunadi reported his discussion with the World Health Organization (WHO) last month to consult about the pandemic transition phase in Indonesia.
WHO, he said, praised Indonesia for being able to handle the pandemic well and delivered guidance for a better understanding of health protocols, surveillance systems, and early virus detection.
The meeting with WHO became the basis for President Jokowi in making decisions regarding the endemic status in Indonesia. “He has made a decision, but the announcement will be up to him,” Budi added.
WHO declared a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Indonesia has also entered an endemic transition in line with the slowing down of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia and the availability of vaccines.
M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH
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