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Homecoming travelers carry their belongings to a bus at Pakupatan Bus Terminal in Serang, Banten province, on Friday (April 22, 2022). (ANTARA FOTO/Asep Fathulrahman/hp) (ANTARA FOTO/ASEP FATHULRAHMAN) - 

The government has made COVID-19 vaccine booster shots mandatory for Eid-al-Fitr homecoming travelers, a spokesperson has said.

As part of this measure, which has been taken to prevent an increase in the COVID-19 caseload after the long holidays, those who have not received the booster dose will be asked to produce an antigen swab test certificate, spokesperson and chief of the expert team of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Prof. Wiku Adisasmito, said during a ‘Safe & Healthy Homecoming’ program, held virtually on Friday.

"Of course, all (Eid homecoming travelers) must have received booster shots and met travel requirements. Children aged 6 to 17 years are exempt from antigen test since a booster vaccine (for the age group) is not available,” he said.

“That is the requirement which must be directly integrated with the PeduliLindungi app,” he added.

The requirement has been laid down in the Addendum to COVID-19 Handing Task Force’s Circular No. 16 of 2022 concerning Requirements for Domestic Travelers during the Pandemic Situation, he informed.

As per the new requirements for the 2022 Eid-al-Fitr homecoming, domestic travelers who have received the third or booster vaccination will no longer need to undergo a PCR test for detecting the presence of the coronavirus.

They will no longer be required to show the negative results of RT-PCR or antigen rapid tests, he added.

Meanwhile, the PCR and antigen test requirements will apply to domestic travelers who have only received the full primary vaccination (two doses), he said.

They will be required to show the negative results of antigen rapid tests taken 1X24 hours prior to departure, or the negative result of an RT-PCR test taken 3X24 hours prior to departure, he added.

PCR is also mandatory for domestic travelers who only have received the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

They will be required to produce a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken 3X24 hours before departure.

"In principle, what is different this time is requirements. The President has recommended booster (vaccination) as a homecoming requirement. Thus, they (people who have taken the booster shot) do not need to take the test any longer,” he said.

"However, homecomers who have not received booster shots still have to undergo a screening process so that their journey is safe and healthy. Make sure that they have received booster vaccine and met travel requirements,” he added//ANT