Muhadjir Effendy, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, spoke about the emergency status of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Muhadjir stated that Indonesia’s COVID-19 emergency status was still in effect until next May.
Muhadjir announced after meeting with Ministers of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Finance Sri Mulyani, Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, State Secretary Pratikno, and BNPB Head Lt. Gen. TNI Suharyanto.
“As for the emergency status of COVID-19, we will wait until May,” Muhadjir said at a press conference on Monday, the 3rd of April 2023.
Muhadjir stated that he would keep an eye on WHO developments until next May. Only then can the Indonesian government decide whether to change the status from pandemic to endemic.
“We will pay attention to WHO signals.” The Indonesian government will decide in that month. “Whether or not the pandemic status can be maintained or transferred to the endemic stage,” he said.
Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, other diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, have been declared emergencies. (FMD). The Republic of Indonesia has now declared the FMD pandemic to be over. Nonetheless, the government will continue to take special precautions against the disease.
“Meanwhile, the proposal of PMK or the Minister of Agriculture can end the pandemic period and be transferred to certain circumstances.” That is a special circumstance in which, despite the absence of a pandemic, special handling is required. “It is critical to rearrange the legal umbrella regulations that are enforced, particularly with BNPB assignments,” he said.
Indonesia is currently preparing to change the status of COVID-19 from pandemic to endemic. This was reinforced by the revocation of PPKM at the end of last year, as well as the availability of the second booster dose of vaccination to the general public on the 24th of January 2023.
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