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Testing rate drops amid improvement in COVID-19 situation
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Muslims visit a mosque to break their fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Yogyakarta, on April 7, 2022. (AFP/Devi Rahman)
T
he rate of COVID-19 testing in Indonesia has dropped significantly in the last two months as the pandemic situation continues to improve across the country after the Omicron-fueled third wave reached its peak in mid-February.
The World Health Organization's (WHO) latest situation report on Indonesia revealed that from April 4 to 10, the country conducted around 2.2 tests per 1,000 people. The figure was higher than the WHO minimum testing rate of 1 test per 1,000 population per week but fell drastically compared with mid-February when the government was able to test around 8 people per 1,000 population per week.
"It is critical to ensure the continuation of a rigorous testing strategy to rapidly identify COVID-19 cases among suspected cases and close contacts," the report said.
The report, which analyzed data from the government, showed that testing started to decline by the third week of February, as cases steadily decreased following the peak of the third wave on Feb 16. However, the government was able to maintain more than 5 people tested per 1,000 population per week on average throughout the month.
The number dropped dramatically in March to an average of 2.8 people tested per 1,000 population per week following the government's decision to waive mandatory antigen or PCR testing for fully vaccinated domestic travelers starting on March 8. The policy marked the first such move since the government implemented the travel requirement in July last year.
During the last week of March, testing rates hovered at around 2 people per 1,000 population per week.
In early April, the government revised the policy, only lifting mandatory testing for domestic travelers who had received boosters. The decision appeared to have helped increase the country’s testing rate to around 2.2 per 1,000 population per week, as well as ramping up public demand for booster jabs.
