Biak residents welcome the waiver of the PCR rule for departures

The community in Biak Numfor Regency, especially air passengers at the local Frans Kaisiepo Airport, welcomes the exemption from the rule to show the results of a PCR swab test or an antigen rapid test as a requirement for travellers.

According to ANTARA's observations at Biak's Frans Kaisiepo airport at 12.00 WIT, a number of air passengers at Biak's Frans Kaisiepo Airport who departed on Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air flights that had been fully vaccinated departed immediately without having to show the results of the antigen rapid test or PCR swab test.

"With the new policy for domestic travelers, it is very easy for departing citizens," said Maximus, one of the passengers at Frans Kaisiepo Airport in response to the exemption from the results of the rapid antigen test or PCR swab test for airplane passengers departing in Biak, Thursday.

According to Maximus, as long as the new provisions apply, it will reduce the administration of departures by not requiring airplane passengers before leaving to perform antigen/PCR.

In line with Maximus, another passenger from the Biak flight to Makassar-Jakarta, Rejauw, said that the removal of the antigen or PCR requirements for departure was very helpful for residents because they no longer had to do tests.

"I fully support the policy of exempting the results of the antigen rapid test or PCR swab test because it reduces departure costs," he said.

He explained that this rule would ease the needs of passengers traveling domestically who will depart.

"We hope that the free provision of antigen rapid tests or PCR swab tests for passengers will provide relief for residents to travel by air," he said.

Meanwhile, Airport Officer Frans Kaisiepo Biak Levin said that the new provisions for departure for domestic business travelers will continue to be socialized to airplane passengers.

"For airplane passengers at Biak Airport, where vaccines one and two are not yet complete, passengers must show the results of the quick antigen test or PCR swab test if they want to depart," he said.

Until, Thursday at 12.00 WIT, Frans Kaisiepo Airport staff socialized the health protocol by distributing masks to departing passengers.

The flow of air passengers departing at Biak's Frans Kaisiepo Airport is still normally served by Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia flights for flights to Biak-Jayapura-Makassar and Jakarta.

SOURCE : https://papua.antaranews.com/berita/676965/warga-biak-sambut-baik-pembebasan-aturan-pcr-for-departure