Presidential Palace Imposes Strict Health Protocols

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono delivers his statement, at the courtyard of the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday (24/7). (Photo by: BPMI)

As a means of COVID-19 prevention efforts, the Presidential Palace imposed strict health protocols within the compound, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono has said.

Every visitor including ministers must follow health inspection according to the COVID-19 health protocols.

“First, we need to emphasize that every official, minister, or the public who will meet with the President, we implement a very strict health protocol. First, rapid test, second, the use of masks, third is maintaining distance. Even inside the palace, the layout of the tables and chairs has been adjusted and other efforts,” Heru said at the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday (24/7).

In addition, Heru said, the President and the apparatus serving him always take routine medical tests. According to Heru, today, the President is scheduled to take medical tests, including a swab test.

The apparatus who interact closely with the President, he said, also take routine medical tests including swab and rapid tests. In addition, their rotation is also carried out with a span of 2 months. “For example, people who serve him including the cook will be rotated every 2 months, with a swab test imposed in every rotation including the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres),” he said.

Strict health standards are also applied to the space that will be used for the President’s activities, Heru explained. The rooms that the President use daily for work including meeting with the public and officials, must be sterilized beforehand, including using ultraviolet light.

The Palace also took into consideration to reduce the number of guests. “Maybe it doesn’t reduce the intensity of the President’s works, but maybe the number of people can be reduced. Even though now we have (reduced); for example, this afternoon, at 3pm, in Bogor, the guests were 30 (people). Maybe we will reduce the guests (to) 20 (people) in order to make enough space between each of them,” he said. (BPMI/EN)

Translated by: Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Reviewed by: Mia M. Bonaedy