VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to embark on a working visit to East Java Province on Thursday under stringent health protocols amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

President Jokowi's work visit to Surabaya and Banyuwangi, East Java, is his first during the transition period toward a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Members of a limited presidential entourage partaking in this working visit have undergone medical examinations and rapid tests as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19," Heru Budi Hartono, head of the Presidential Secretariat, stated at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on Thursday.

Hartono expounded that the presidential secretariat had implemented a strict health protocol, in line with which before departing, the president's entourage comprising ministers and presidential security guards, undergo rapid tests to diagnose COVID-19.

Hartono noted that the capacity of the presidential aircraft deployed during work visits was also limited to half following the applicable health protocols.

Initially, the Indonesia-1 Presidential Aircraft accommodated up to 55 passengers during each trip. In the midst of this pandemic, the capacity was reduced to 25 passengers.

"We will continue to implement the security protocol, according to which they (other groups) will leave first, so that the number of passengers in the aircraft reaches only 50 percent," he stated.

He expressed hope that President Jokowi's first working visit during the transition period for this new protocol would run well, with reference to the application of existing health protocols.

"It is expected that the president’s visit for the first time in the new normal scenario can be followed by other economic activities that are inseparable from the tightening of health protocols. We are certainly optimistic of this going well," he added. (ANTARA)