Bali Imposes Bubble System for International Travel

COVID-19 Handling Task Force has issued Circular Number 8 of 2022 on Health Protocols with the Travel Bubble Mechanism amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Circular which takes effect starting February 23, 2022 until further notice aims to follow up on the dynamics of SAR CoV-2 virus transmission and efforts on national economic recovery, and resuming of public activities that are productive and safe from COVID-19.

“In order to resume public activities in Bali, it requires bubble system mechanism to control and anticipate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 transmission,” Head of COVID-19 Handling Task Force Suharyanto said.

The Circular was issued to implement health protocols in the mechanism of bubble system in Bali as well as to monitor, control, and evaluate the mechanism to curb a spike in COVID-19 transmission.

The provisions stipulated in the Circular are as follows:

1. Individuals subjected to bubble system enter the bubble area through the following mechanisms:
   1. Enter the bubble area directly through international entry port;
   2. Transit trough international entry points and continue domestic travel to a bubble area; or
   3. Carry out domestic travel to bubble area through air, land, or sea transports.
2. Indonesian citizens/foreign citizens carry out international travel to enter the bubble area through the following entry points:
   1. I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali; or
   2. Tanjung Benoa Seaport, Bali.
3. Entry points as referred to in point 1.b are stipulated in the Circular of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Health Protocols for International Travel during COVIC-19 Pandemic and/or Decree of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Places of Quarantine, and Mandatory RT-PCR for Indonesian Citizens Carrying out International Travel.
4. Individuals subjected to the bubble system who carry out domestic travel as referred to in point 1.b and 1.c are obliged to follow travel provisions and requirements stipulated in the Circular of COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Provisions for Domestic Travel during COVID-19 Pandemic.
5. Managements or organizers of public activities of the travel bubble area are obliged to divide individuals subjected to bubble system into a number of groups based on but not limited to the following criteria;
   1. Types and series of activities;
   2. Origins of the individuals;
   3. Date of arrival of the individuals;
   4. Destination of the individuals;
   5. Health records of the individuals (comorbidities, age group, vaccination status, and the like).
6. Managements or organizers of the travel bubble area are obliged to group the bubble area into several zones based on:
   1. Sequence in the schedule of the series of activities; and/or
   2. Variation in groups within one zone.
7. Upon arrival at international entry points, all individuals subjected to bubble system, excluding supporting workers, must comply with the following requirements:
   1. Must download PeduliLindungi health surveillance app and fill in Indonesian International e-Hac;
   2. Show a card of certificate (in physical or digital form) proving that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at a minimum of fourteen days before departure written in English in addition to the language of origin country, which has been verified on the website of Indonesian Ministry of Health or Indonesian International e-Hac;
   3. Show a negative result of RT-PCR test in their origin countries with the sample taken maximum 2×24 hours before departure and the result is attached during health check or on Indonesian International e-Hac;
   4. Show official documents proving registration of involvement in the series of activities of the travel bubble area, such as proof of booking and payment confirmation of tourism package ticket, proof of assignment as delegates in a conference/meeting, and the like;
   5. Foreign citizens subjected to the bubble system are obliged to comply with all the following requirements:
      1. Show tourist visa or other entrance permits in accordance with the prevailing laws and regulations; and
      2. Show proof of health insurance ownership with a coverage value as stipulated by the managements or organizers and must cover COVID-19 treatment fee and medical evacuation fee to referral hospitals.
   6. Undergo body temperature checking and RT-PCR test upon arrival at the international entry points;
   7. In the event that RT-PCR test taken upon the arrival at the international entry points as referred to in letter f shows a negative result, the individuals subjected to the bubble system must:
      1. Undergo quarantine at centers for quarantine for international travelers on transit for duration as stipulated in the Circular of COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Health Protocols for International Travel during COVID-19 Pandemic before continuing the travel to the bubble area; or
      2. Follow pick-up and drop-off procedures from and to the destination as per the bubble group stipulated by the managements or organizers.
   8. Comply with mechanism and health protocols of bubble system stipulated by the managements or organizers upon arrival, during transit, or on the way to bubble system area.
   9. In the event that RT-PCR test taken upon the arrival at the international entry points as referred to in letter f shows a positive result, it is followed up with the following provisions:
      1. Those who are tested positive for COVID-19 without symptoms or with mild symptoms must receive treatment and conduct isolation in an isolation facility separated from the bubble area; or
      2. Those who are tested positive for COVID-19 with moderate or severe symptoms must be taken to referral hospital for isolation and treatment.
      3. Hospital and isolation fee for Indonesian citizens are entirely borne by the Indonesian Government, and entirely borne by foreign citizens at own expense.
8. Provisions on international entry points as referred to in point 2 and point 3, as well as obligation of vaccination, mandatory RT-PCR test, and quarantine as referred to in point 7 will be based on the amendment of Circular of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Health Protocols for International Travel during COVIC-19 Pandemic and/or Decree of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Places of Quarantine, and Mandatory RT-PCR for Indonesian Citizens Carrying out International Travel.
9. While in the bubble system area, all individuals subjected to the bubble system in Bali, excluding supporting workers, must comply with the following provisions/requirements:
   1. Show a card of certificate (in physical or digital form) proving that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19;
   2. Must not interact with people from different bubble group;
   3. Must not conduct activities outside zones that have been designated at every facility or infrastructure within the bubble area;
   4. Undergo antigen rapid test before entering bubble system area;
   5. Are allowed to enter the bubble area once result of the antigen rapid test shows a negative result;
   6. Undergo routine antigen rapid test every day and/or RT-PCR test once every three days and always show negative results from the tests as long as they are in the bubble area;
   7. Report to the medical staff in the bubble system area when showing symptoms related to COVID-19 and must take RT-PCR test afterwards; and
   8. Comply with mechanisms of close contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine adopted in Indonesia if a positive COVID-19 case is found in the concerned bubble system.
10. Supporting workers in the bubble system area must meet the following provisions/requirements:
    1. Show a card or certificate (in physical or digital form) proving that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19;
    2. In the event when shift work is adopted, they must:
       1. Work in shift for a maximum of fourteen days and stay in the bubble system area during theirs shift;
       2. Show a negative result of RT-PCR test taken maximum 2×24 hours before starting the shift;
       3. Show a negative result of RT-PCR test before entering the bubble area;
       4. Take RT-PCR test on the thirteen days of the shift or one day before the shift ends; and
       5. Show a negative result of RT-PCR test as a requirement to leave the bubble area.
    3. In the event when the shift work is not adopted, they must:
       1. Undergo antigen rapid test every time they enter the bubble system area; and
       2. Undergo antigen rapid test every day or routine RT-PCR test every three days while in bubble area.
    4. Report to the medical staff in the bubble system area when showing symptoms related to COVID-19 to take RT-PCR test afterwards; and
    5. Comply with mechanisms of close contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine adopted in Indonesia if a positive COVID-19 case is found in the concerned bubble system.
11. Mechanism of close contact tracing, isolation, and treatment if an individual subjected to the bubble system is tested positive for COVID-19 during the activities of bubble system area is carried out with the following provisions:
    1. For positive asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 cases, isolation or treatment is carried out in an isolation facility separated from the bubble system;
    2. For positive COVID-19 cases with moderate or severe symptoms, isolation or treatment is carried out at a referral hospital;
    3. The fees of isolation and treatment are entirely borne by the Indonesian Government for Indonesian citizens, and entirely borne by foreign citizens at own expense;
    4. Contact tracing is carried out to all participants in the same bubble where positive COVID-19 case is found based on the mechanism that has been stipulated and is implemented by the local health office.
12. All individuals subjected to the bubble system in Bali must strictly observe the following health protocols while in the bubble system area:
    1. Wear a three-ply cloth face mask or medical mask that covers the nose, mouth, and chin;
    2. Change the mask routinely every four hours and dispose of the mask waste to a designated place;
    3. Wash hands periodically using water and soap or hand sanitizer, especially after touching items that have been touched by others;
    4. Maintain a distance of minimum 1.5 meters from others and avoid crowd; and
    5. Use PeduliLindungi application while doing activities in the bubble area.
13. After completing all activities, all individuals subjected to the bubble system must comply with the following following/requirements:
    1. Take RT-PCR test as a requirement to complete quarantine period or the series of activity;
    2. Are allowed to conduct activities outside the bubble system area once they have tested negative for COVID-19 as referred to in letter a;
    3. Comply with health protocols and requirements for international travel implemented in destination countries/regions;
    4. Comply with health protocols and requirements for domestic travel implemented in destination regions/areas.
14. Quarantine facilities including hotels and ships in Bali bubble area must receive recommendation from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, which meet terms and conditions set by the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) in terms of cleanliness, health, safety, and environment sustainability (CHSE) and ministries overseeing health sector or regional office overseeing health sector in Bali.
15. Facilities or infrastructure used in the bubble system area must meet the following provisions/requirements:
    1. Create communication, information, and educational media as well as carry out massive dissemination of observing health protocols;
    2. Have facilities or supporting infrastructure that can be used separately in each bubble group;
    3. Have supporting workers, as follows:
       1. Health protocol operational security and monitoring workers;
       2. Health care workers, at least doctors and nurses; and
       3. Supporting health protocol enforcement workers, at least administration workers, sanitation workers, and cooks.
    4. Have a system that monitors health protocol implementation, such as TV camera,
    5. Have lodging rooms that meet the provisions as follows:
       1. Have adequate windows or ventilations;
       2. Have adequate lighting;
       3. Have trash bins with a cover and plastics for infectious waste;
       4. Have floor covering that is easy to clean; and
       5. Have a bathroom in every room.
    6. Have lodging rooms that can be used by more than one person or family and meet the requirements as referred to in letter e;
    7. Have areas that serve to take specimens and observe health equipped with at least a thermometer for body temperature, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, oximeter, medicines, and other basic medical devices;
    8. Have areas that function as drop-off and pick-up point, registration area, decontamination or disinfection area, area for outdoor activities, area to take or examine specimens, and medical check-up area;
    9. Have quarantine and isolation rooms separated from the bubble system area as the area to enforce quarantine and isolation to international travelers subjected the bubble system mechanism as well as officers and employees at the facilities or infrastructure within the bubble system area;
    10. Have a special resting room for supporting workers who are directly involved in the monitoring, supervision, and implementation of health protocols;
    11. Have waste disposal facilities that meet at least the following environment sanitation standards:
        1. Separate organic and inorganic waste;
        2. Are available in an adequate number; and
        3. Have temporary disposal sites (TPS) and hazardous and toxic waste disposal sites.
    12. Have disinfecting tools and materials; and
    13. Have personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies.
16. Every operator of transportation mode at the international entry points is required to use PeduliLindungi application.
17. Port Health Authority (KKP) of international entry points facilitates Indonesian citizens or foreign citizens subjected to the bubble system who require emergency medical service upon arrival in Indonesia in accordance with the provisions of prevailing laws and regulations.
18. Ministries/institutions/regional governments that carry out functions related to the bubble system mechanism shall follow up on this Circular by issuing legal instrument that is in line with and not against this Circular and in accordance with the prevailing laws and regulations.
19. The legal instrument as referred to in number 18 is an integral part of this Circular.

(COVID-19 Handling Task Force/UN) (RAS/MUR)