With COVID-19 Situation Under Control, Batam Prepared to Enter Endemic

TheIndonesia.id - The regional COVID-19 Task Force in Batam, Riau Islands province, claimed that the COVID situation in the municipality has been under control and urged the central government to declare the start of an endemic phase.

Head of Batam’s health office Didi Kusmarjadi confirmed there had been no new confirmed cases for a few days last week, and announcing endemic is particularly seen as the right next step to return to normality.

“In the last four days, [there was no new case], so we expect the central government to change the status to endemic in order for us to live normally again,” Kusmarjadi said on Monday, May 9, as reported by Antara.

Furthermore, the general COVID-19 situation in Batam is also considered to be conducive, and once endemic is declared, Kusmarjadi said the region is prepared to treat the disease like the common cold.

“Once the pandemic turns to endemic, we won’t have particular strategies,” he confirmed.

In addition, booster rate in Batam has currently reached almost 50 percent from target.

After not reporting new COVID-19 cases for a few days within the last week, the Task Force found three new confirmed cases on Saturday, May 7. And in the next, no cases was reported.