JAKARTA - Indonesia has begun to install thermal body scanners at several international entry points, including Jakarta's main international airport and Batam's ferry terminal, to screen arriving travellers for Covid-19 amid the surge of infections in the region.
The precautionary measure was taken after the country's Health Ministry issued a circular on Dec 8 calling for vigilance following a rise in cases in a number of Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
In a statement issued on Dec 11, the Health Ministry reiterated the message and urged Indonesians to "postpone travelling to areas which are reporting a spike in Covid-19 cases", complete their two-dose vaccination, wear masks and wash their hands, and stay home should they fall sick.
Health Ministry spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi said in the statement that Indonesians travelling overseas are at risk of getting infected due to their interactions with people from other countries.
"It is necessary to ensure that everyone has sufficient immunity to travel so that they do not become infected and become a source of infection during the trip and when returning to their homeland," she added.
At Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport's Terminal 2 on the night of Dec 11, The Straits Times saw two thermal body scanners installed near the immigration checkpoint to remotely capture the temperatures of arriving passengers, both foreigners and locals. No other health checks were made.
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