Health Letter for Homecoming, Is It Important?

A health letter for traveling is a mandatory requirement for people who want to travel outside the city during the pandemic. This health letter is not a health certificate, but rather a precautionary letter explaining whether someone is Covid-19 positive or negative. 

This policy is implemented as an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Indonesia. In fact, this letter cannot be obtained freely due to frequent misuse. 

According to the statement of the Covid-19 Acceleration Task Force Circular No. 4 of 2020, several parties allowed to travel are those working in government or private institutions that provide services for the acceleration of Covid-19 handling and essential economic functions. 

Then, travel for patients needing emergency health services outside the region, or their family members, is also permitted. The Indonesian government also urges incoming travelers from abroad to have and carry a health letter when returning to the homeland, accompanied by a statement of being free from Covid-19. 

Especially for Indonesian citizens who wish to return to their hometowns from abroad. This letter needs to be carried and shown to the airline staff during check-in. 

Here is the complete list of people still allowed to travel outside the city with this health letter:

1. Travel for those working in government or private institutions that provide:

- Services for the acceleration of Covid-19 handling 

- Defense, security, and public order services

- Health services

- Basic needs services

- Support services for basic services

- Essential economic function services.

2. Travel for patients needing emergency health services or travel for immediate family members (parents, spouse, children, siblings) who are seriously ill or deceased.

3. Repatriation of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), Indonesian citizens, and students who are abroad, as well as the return of individuals for special reasons by the Government to their home regions, in accordance with applicable regulations.

How to obtain a health letter for traveling 

The health certificate is only used for specific purposes that have been adjusted to government regulations. To obtain it, there are several processes that must be followed to get this health certificate. What are they? 

1. Must bring an Identity Card (KTP)

2. Go to the local health office, hospital, community health center, or health facility that provides Covid-19 testing services

It should be noted that the main requirement to obtain a health letter for traveling is to undergo a rapid test with a negative Covid-19 result at a health facility. However, it is important to remember that the rapid test method is now considered only a preliminary examination or screening. 

The results are also considered less accurate. Therefore, it is better to choose a more accurate examination method such as a swab test. After undergoing the Covid-19 test, the information stated is only a health certificate, not written as ‘Covid-19 free letter’. However, the test results will be included in the health certificate. 

The validity period of the Covid-free certificate is that a negative rapid test result is valid for 3 days and a negative PCR result is valid for 7 days. This is stated in Circular Letter Number 5 of 2020 concerning Amendments to Circular Letter Number 4 of 2020 regarding Criteria for Restrictions on People's Travel in the Context of Accelerating Covid-19 Handling.

The existence of this health certificate is not only needed to facilitate the mobility of the community but also to ensure that everyone traveling outside the city including traveling home does not pose a risk of spreading the virus more widely. However, considering the still high cases of Covid-19 spread, it is better to postpone traveling outside the city if there is no urgent need. 

Author: Dinno Baskoro