Protocols in Handling Covid-19 Enforced in All Indonesian Airports

President Director of State-owned Airport Operator Angkasa Pura II Muhammad Awaluddin and Minister of Transportation Budi K. Sumadi inspect Soekarno-Hatta International Airport’s facilities. (Photo by: Ministry of Transportation)

Ministry of Health initiated protocols and standards to be enforced by Indonesia’s airport authorities in handling coronavirus (Cov-19) through airport health facilities, President Director of State-owned Airport Operator Angkasa Pura II Muhammad Awaluddin has said.

“The procedures also involved the role of airlines which have international flight routes. The airlines cooperated with Ministry of Health and airport authorities in issuing Health Alert Card to be filled onboard or at the arrival terminal. The card will be checked when passengers leave international terminal,” Awaluddin said in a press statement, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Monday (9/3).

The airlines also informed airport authorities on the origins of passengers who will visit or transit in Indonesia and handed over a valid health certificate issued by the health authorities of their respective countries.

Those procedures required participation of several stakeholders including the airport authorities, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry or Health through airport health facilities, immigration offices, and other related parties in the arrival of travellers at international arrival terminal.

The Director went on to say that his office has implemented strict monitoring since 22 January 2020 when the city of Wuhan was locked down and the flights were restricted.

“We have also been implementing the procedures when we temporarily banned flights from and to mainland China in 5 February 2020 up until today,” he said, adding that all airports in Indonesia have enforced new travel restrictions policy to travellers from coronavirus-affected countries such as Italy, Iran, and South Korea.

Regarding body temperature check at all country’s entrances, Awaluddin said that there are two kinds of thermal scanners, namely massive thermal scanner installed in designated areas, and mobile thermal scanner which is easily carried or moved.

He added that the Government had increased the number of mobile thermal scanners in a specific lane which is lane for four countries, namely China, Italy, Iran, and South Korea.

“The specific lane was equipped with mobile thermal scanner. We have implemented multi-layered process for that lane to pay more attention to travellers coming from those four aforementioned countries,” Awaluddin concluded. (UN/EN)

Translated by : Rany Anjany
Reviewed by : Yuyu Mulyani