Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic in a statement delivered from the National Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. This announcement signifies the onset of the COVID Endemic Era for the country.
As reported by NusaBal.com, President Widodo stated, “Following over three years of united efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic, effective from Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the government has removed the ‘pandemic’ designation, and we are now entering the endemic phase.”
President Joko Widodo’s Announcement of the Conclusion of the COVID Emergency This decision, announced by the Presidential Palace, was prompted by a survey revealing that nearly 99% of the Indonesian population now possesses COVID antibodies. Additionally, the President noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) ceased its declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in June 2023.
Despite formally ending the pandemic emergency in Indonesia, President Widodo urged the public to maintain vigilance in preserving their health and hygiene.
During the press announcement, President Joko Widodo remarked, “With this decision to end the pandemic, the national economy will continue to improve, enhancing the economic well-being of the people.”
The President cautioned that as Indonesia enters the endemic phase of COVID-19, individuals infected with the disease will be responsible for covering the costs of their own treatment. Previously, the government covered the expenses of COVID-19 treatment and hospitalization.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Bali Provincial COVID-19 Task Force, I Made Rentin, noted that most new COVID cases in Bali either display no symptoms or exhibit only mild symptoms that do not require hospitalization. The number of newly confirmed COVID cases remains quite low.
Rentin reported that the occupancy rate of ICU beds in Bali hospitals is extremely low.
The average number of new daily COVID-19 cases is now fewer than five.
