Gov’t to Announce Transition to Endemic Phase at End of June

President Jokowi delivers a press statement after opening the National Coordination Meeting of the Government Internal Apparatus Supervision (APIP), Wednesday (06/14), in Jakarta. (Photo by: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Rahmat).

The Government has said that it will announce transition from COVID-19 pandemic into the endemic phase by the end of June 2023.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday (06/14) told the press that the Government will finalize the plan before announcing the transition in June. The Government, he added, will also continue to keep updating the number of COVID-19 daily cases, active cases, vaccination rate, and the like.

“For instance, the number of new cases two days ago was 117, while [the number of] active cases was around 10,200. Our vaccination rate has also exceeded 452 million doses. Thus, on previous meeting, we have decided to move to endemic phase. Yet, the announcement will be done after finalization in another one, two weeks,” the President said.

Previously, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Tuesday (06/13) made a statement that COVID-19 virus will not disappear, so people must learn to live along the virus.

“We must learn to live along with it, just like other diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, tuberculosis. It is important for us to maintain our health,” he said at the Presidential Palace compound, Jakarta, Tuesday (06/13).

The Minister also mentioned four aspects that must be considered by the community during the transition.

First, people must know exactly the virus and how to avoid the infection. Second, people must learn surveillance system and how to detect the virus. Third, people are advised to know medicine and antivirus for the disease. Fourth, people must understand that vaccine is a way of protecting them against harmful diseases and it should be given to those eligible for it. (FID/UN) (RAS/EP)