Passengers wait at an international airport on Bali Island of Indonesia on October 14 (Photo: AFP/VNA) Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman forCOVID-19 handling of the Indonesian Government, told a press conference onOctober 19 that the Indonesian government is mapping out strategies forministries and sectors to anticipate a spike in cases during year-end holidays.
Holidays during the Christmasand the New Year will increase people's mobility, stirring the fear thatCOVID-19 cases will surge again during the period, like last year, he said,adding that the government has prepared a number of strategies such as ensuringthe easing of public activities but will apply strict regulations.
The government is also seekingto increase the vaccination rate among the elderly, especially in theagglomeration areas (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Puncak, andCianjur) and other centres of economic growth. It is also encouraging theacceleration of vaccinations among children so that their immunity is strengthenedduring the Christmas and New Year holidays, Adisasmito added.
Another step is to secure themobility of foreign tourist arrivals to the country.
Tourists who have arrived mustmeet the conditions such as having been vaccinated and serving the mandatoryquarantine.
The government will also strengthenthe role of local governments in supervising activities and educating residentsabout health protocols, according to the official.
In Thailand, authorities will allow vaccinatedarrivals from low-risk countries to return to its popular destinations likePattaya, Chiang Mai and Bangkok from November 1.
Tourism before the pandemic was a leading driver ofthe economy, accounting for 12 percent of GDP. But the tourism authority hasforecast foreign arrivals will drop to just 100,000 this year, down from40 million in 2019, before the pandemic broke out.
During a visit to Bangkok's Don Muang airport onOctober 20, Transport Minister Saksiam Chidchob said November 1 is the firststep as foreign tourists and investors from at least 10 countries which are inhealth-safe zones can come to visit the country.
Thailand piloted reopening earlier this yearin its resort island of Phuket, allowing fully-vaccinated tourists to skipThailand’s mandatory two-week quarantine provided they remained on the island.
But Saksiam said the wider reopening will be evensimpler for travellers as testing on arrival could be done at hotels and otheraccommodations rather than at the airport.
The entire time a visitor will spend from gettingthrough the terminal gates to leaving the airport will take no more than 25minutes, he noted./.
VNA
