COVID-19 Task Force Issues Latest Provisions on Domestic Travel during COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 Handling Task Force has issued Circular Number 14 of 2021 on Requirements for Domestic Travel during COVID-19 Pandemic to enforce stricter health protocols on travelers during the pandemic.

This Circular shall take effect as of 3 July 2021 until indefinite time which will later be determined based on the latest situation on the ground.

According to Head of COVID-19 Handling Task Force Ganip Warsito the Circular was issued following a hike in COVID-19 cases in Indonesia, including the positivity rate and active case. For that reason, restriction on people’s mobility which potentially triggers COVID-19 transmission is deemed to be applied in a bid to cut virus transmission chain.

“Domestic travel means mobility of a person from one region to another based on administrative border of a province/regency/municipality on private vehicle or public transport be it land, sea, water, ferry, train, and air transports, except for pioneer aircraft, vessels that provide service for remote island and vessels that transport logistics,” the Circular reads.

The Circular, he said, also aims at strengthening the enforcement of health protocols, preventing the spread of COVID-19 at transportation modes.

All travelers must comply with provisions in that Circular, among others:

1. Every traveler must apply and comply with health protocols, namely: wearing face mask, keeping a safe distance and avoiding crowds, and washing hands with soap or using hand sanitizer.

2. Enforcement of health protocols during travel must be improved in the form of:

a. The mask must properly cover the nose and mouth;

b. The types of masks used by traveler are 3-ply cloth masks or medical masks;

c. It is prohibited during the trip to speak directly or by telephone on land, rail, sea, river, lake, ferry and air transportation modes; and

d. It is prohibited to eat and drink during the flight for a trip of less than 2 hours, with the exception of individuals who are required to take medication in the context of treatment that affects the safety and health of the individuals.

3. Domestic traveler must comply with the following conditions:

a. Every individual who travels with a private or public vehicle is responsible for his/her own health, and is subject to the prevailing terms and conditions;

b. Every long-distance traveler from and bound to Java and Bali islands any kind of transportation mode is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR or a negative result of the rapid antigen test;

c. Traveler using air transportation who has flight from and to any airport within Java Island, within Bali Island or from an airport in Java Island to an airport in Bali Island is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement and fill out Indonesia’s e-HAC;

d. Traveler using air transportation who has flight from and to any airport which are not referred to as in letter c is obliged to show a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement and fill out Indonesia’s e-HAC;

e. Traveler using air transportation is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement and fill out Indonesia’s e-HAC;

f. Traveler using sea transportation is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure or at the seaport as a travel requirement and fill out Indonesia’s e-HAC;

g. Traveler using ferry is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure or at the ferry port as a travel requirement and fill out Indonesia’s e-HAC;

h. Traveler using intercity train is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure or at the station as a travel requirement.

i. Traveler using public land transportation is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement.

j. Traveler using private land transportation is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement.

k. Traveler using motorcycle is required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement.

l. Travelers (driver and backup driver) of goods and logistic truck are required to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement.

m. For routine trips using public or private land transportation, or using train within an agglomeration area, it is not required to show the vaccination card and the test result of RT-PCR/rapid antigen test;

n. All travelers using air and sea transportation are obliged to fill out Indonesia’s e-HAC, while travelers using land transportation both private and public vehicle are only advised to fill out the form.

o. Traveler aged under 18 is obliged to show a vaccination certificate of the first jab and a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement.

p. An individual that must to have a trip on important purpose and have not be vaccinated with a medical reason proved by a medical letter from doctor are allowed to travel as long as he/she shows a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR taken within a maximum period of 2 x 24 hours before departure or a negative result of the rapid antigen test taken within a maximum period of 1 x 24 hours before departure as a travel requirement.

q. In a case that the RT-PCR test/rapid antigen test shows a negative result but the traveler shows symptoms, the traveler is prohibited to travel and required to take RT-PCR test and perform self-isolation during the waiting time for the results of the examination; and

r. Ministries/institutions/regional apparatus overseeing land/air/rail transportation shall follow up this Circular by issuing legal instruments based on this Circular and the prevailing laws and regulations.

4. Provisions as referred to in number 3 do not apply to pioneer vehicle operated in 3T (frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped) regions and to limited cruise.

5. Ministries/institutions, regional governments at provinces/regencies/municipalities that are subject to this Circular may follow up this Circular by issuing legal instruments which is in line and do not contradict with this Circular.

6. Part that regulates special criteria and requirements as referred to in number 5 is an integral part of this Circular.

Furthermore, the Circular also regulates monitoring, control, and evaluation, as follow:

1. The Regional COVID-19 Handling Task Force, assisted by the public transportation administration authority, jointly carry out control of people’s mobility and safe public transportation by establishing an Integrated Security Post;

2. The authorities, managers, and administrators of public transportation conduct supervision during the operation of public transportation;

3. Ministries/Institutions, the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and regional governments have the right to stop and/or prohibit travel based on this Circular which is in line and do not contradict with provisions of prevailing laws and regulations;

4. Authorized institutions (Ministries/Institutions, the TNI, Polri, and regional governments) shall impose discipline in the implementation of COVID-19 health protocols and enforce the law in accordance with the provisions of the prevailing laws and regulations;

5. The authorities of public transportation or officer assigned to check a certificate of a negative result of RT-PCR as a travel requirement and must verify the validity of the certificate based on the name of a laboratory and health facility registered in the Ministry of Health’s database to prevent document forgery; and

6. Document forgery on the result of the RT-PCR test/rapid antigen test used as a travel requirement will be subject to sanctions in accordance with provisions of laws and regulations.

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