Bali Airport swab test required from 28 May for all domestic and international visitors who plan to visit the island must first undergo a Covid-19 swab test and fill up all the information needed on Bali’s official administration website. Even though the immigration has not lifted the temporary travel restriction, there are several people who still able to enter Bali from other countries as they hold KITAS, KITAP, Diplomatic Visas or qualified to do some essential works in Indonesia. “We urge everyone and all airlines to ensure this has been done before flying to Bali; all passengers must already have PCR test results declaring they are negative for COVID-19. The document should be checked at the airport before departure,” said Elfi Amir the Bali Airport Authority.

This new protocol which will be running starts on Thursday, 28 May 2020 is a result of the submitted letter by The Governor of Bali, I Wayan Koster to the minister of transportation on Monday, 18 May. The governor demands the swab test (PCR) results to be a compulsory requirement to enter Bali through the airport. This request has been responded quickly by the minister of transportation, which followed by a virtual meeting attended by the Bali provincial Covid-19 task force, Ngurah Rai airport authorities and some airlines representatives.

The visitors also need to register themselves online at https://cekdiri.baliprov.go.id/, which will generate a QR code that needs to be shown when buying the ticket as a proof that the passengers are healthy.

Here are details of the procedures you must follow before entering Bali:
The visitor must have a negative result on Swab test - PCR (rapid test result will not be accepted). The test result must be valid for at least seven days within your arrival day at Bali’s airport.
Complete “Data Collection of Travel Participants” on https://cekdiri.baliprov.go.id/
Buy your ticket
The management of Ngurah Rai airport shall firmly check your documents upon arrival
The visitors are required to conduct self-quarantined and obliged to be tested again
Head of Customary Village will continuously verifying the existence of the visitor
The policy was made to limit people from travelling. Thus, for those who have no critical and urgent interest, are suggested to delay their trip. It is considered necessary as the central government’s plan to make Bali, Yogyakarta and Riau islands to be the first regions to be re-opened again with a “new normal” concept. “However, it is not a simple thing. It will be a long road as [the outbreak] is not over yet. Bali wants to control who enters Bali tightly, both Indonesians and foreigners, because all people are possible COVID-19 carriers,” said Dewa Made Indra, Bali COVID-19 Task Force executive chairman.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing

In the previous policy, Bali had chosen rapid test as the method to check visitor in all entry points, but it will soon be changed with a swab test. What is the difference between these two tests, and how do these tests work?

1. Swab test - PCR (Polymerise Chain Reaction) or nasal swab
It is the current most majority test-kit used to check Covid-19 in the world. During the test, a sample of secretions from the back of your nose and upper throat are collected using a long soft-tipped swab. The sample will be checked in a laboratory to find out whether the presence of Covid-19 virus can be detected or not. Swab test - PCR can take up to several days to process; however, there are new types of PCR that can show results within less than an hour. It is claimed to be 80-85% accurate on detecting the virus.

2. Rapid test, serologic testing or antibody blood test
Unlike PCR or swab test, which use swabs to detect Covid-19, on rapid test blood sample is taken for antibody tests. The rapid test-kit will check if individuals have immunity to the COVID-19 virus by looking for a specific antibody in the bloodstream. Antibodies are small proteins which part of our immune system. It is produced to defend our body against a particular virus, in this case, Covid-19. Rapid test only takes ten to fifteen minutes to process; however, this type of analysis is considered less accurate compared to swab test - PCR. The cross-reaction antibody reaction on the test kit can be a signal Covid-19, or other viruses have contracted an individual. With those in mind, the people who have been tested positive using a rapid test must be tested again using a swab test - PCR method.

Bali Airport swab test required from 28 May 

Source : https://en.tempo.co/