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- Jul 15, 2016
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An American friend of mine who lives permanently in Central Java with her Indonesian husband was in the US for a few weeks, and has now returned to Indonesia and is in quarantine. She wrote a detailed description of the experience which I thought might be of interest. I've eliminated/altered any personally identifying details, but other than that, here is exactly what she wrote:
People should know that for ALL people (Indonesians included) coming in from overseas there is now an 8-day (it was 3-day, then 5-day, now 8-day) required quarantine that must be conducted in an approved quarantine hotel in Jakarta and paid for by the traveler.
My husband and I are currently on Day 2 of the 8 days. Our 8 days is costing 16 million rupiah (about US $1200) for the two of us and that includes the room for 8 days, 3 meals a day that are delivered to you from a set menu they determine, two required PCR tests during your stay, and transport from the airport. They gave us wristbands that supposedly will sound if we step out of the room (they're pretty flimsy though, like flimsy baggage tags—I sort of wonder...) and then our quarantine would start all over again from Day 1.
Also, all travelers—foreign and Indonesian—are now having to take a PCR Molecular at the airport before being released into quarantine. If the test is positive, instead of going to quarantine you are taken to a facility determined by the government for covid patients to do self-isolation. (One worries about false positives in that case....)
Also know that you have to show a negative PCR Molecular from no longer than 72 hours before your departure when you started your travel. This test HAS to use the word "negative". Our clinic in America uses the term "not detected" and this was a big problem that almost stopped us from entering! If your clinic uses "not detected" just ask them to make a note with a stamp and initials and signatures and the whole deal, that states this basically = "negative" in the sense that the Indonesian government needs.
You also HAVE to have a two-injection vaccine series in order to enter Indonesia. It's unclear to me what would happen if you only had the J & J, as they don't seem to recognize it. Also, when you get the 2-injection Sinovac given in Indonesia, you're put into a digitized system and have a QR code to prove your status, whereas when we got our x2 Moderna shots in the USA we only received a flimsy paper card from the CDC that anyone's aunt could have falsified. We happen to ALSO have the Sinovac so we just use that when they ask. Not sure how proving the Pfizer of Modern or Astrazenaca will work if it is not a digitized system that they can access. Just not sure....
People should know that for ALL people (Indonesians included) coming in from overseas there is now an 8-day (it was 3-day, then 5-day, now 8-day) required quarantine that must be conducted in an approved quarantine hotel in Jakarta and paid for by the traveler.
My husband and I are currently on Day 2 of the 8 days. Our 8 days is costing 16 million rupiah (about US $1200) for the two of us and that includes the room for 8 days, 3 meals a day that are delivered to you from a set menu they determine, two required PCR tests during your stay, and transport from the airport. They gave us wristbands that supposedly will sound if we step out of the room (they're pretty flimsy though, like flimsy baggage tags—I sort of wonder...) and then our quarantine would start all over again from Day 1.
Also, all travelers—foreign and Indonesian—are now having to take a PCR Molecular at the airport before being released into quarantine. If the test is positive, instead of going to quarantine you are taken to a facility determined by the government for covid patients to do self-isolation. (One worries about false positives in that case....)
Also know that you have to show a negative PCR Molecular from no longer than 72 hours before your departure when you started your travel. This test HAS to use the word "negative". Our clinic in America uses the term "not detected" and this was a big problem that almost stopped us from entering! If your clinic uses "not detected" just ask them to make a note with a stamp and initials and signatures and the whole deal, that states this basically = "negative" in the sense that the Indonesian government needs.
You also HAVE to have a two-injection vaccine series in order to enter Indonesia. It's unclear to me what would happen if you only had the J & J, as they don't seem to recognize it. Also, when you get the 2-injection Sinovac given in Indonesia, you're put into a digitized system and have a QR code to prove your status, whereas when we got our x2 Moderna shots in the USA we only received a flimsy paper card from the CDC that anyone's aunt could have falsified. We happen to ALSO have the Sinovac so we just use that when they ask. Not sure how proving the Pfizer of Modern or Astrazenaca will work if it is not a digitized system that they can access. Just not sure....
