“I am excited at the prospect that the pandemic might soon be over,” the 54-year-old said on Wednesday. “But personally, I will keep on wearing face masks, since the point of it is to protect myself and those around me.”

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Hizkia Kenya of North Jakarta feels conflicted about the newly eased rule. “Yes, I’m happy that cases are declining. But I am also afraid that cases might rise again if people start to disregard the other health protocols,” he said.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced that people are no longer required to wear masks in outdoor settings starting Wednesday, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic is becoming “more controlled” as the country continues to ease its health protocols.

“[For] outdoor activities or in open areas that are not crowded with people, people are allowed to not wear masks. However, for activities in closed spaces and public transportation, masks are still mandatory,” the President announced on Tuesday in a livestreamed video on the Sekretariat Presiden YouTube channel.

Jokowi stressed, however, that vulnerable people, including the elderly and those with comorbidities, should still wear a mask in public.

He also announced that Indonesia’s travel rules would no longer require fully vaccinated domestic and international travelers to present a COVID-19 test result to enter the country.

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