It’s official: Indonesia now in endemic phase of COVID-19, President Jokowi declares

Indonesia has officially lifted its pandemic status for COVID-19 following a significant decline in the number of daily cases and deaths, as well as an increase in vaccination coverage. 

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced the decision today (which also happens to be his 62nd birthday).

“After more than three years of struggling together to face the COVID-19 pandemic, today, on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the government has decided to revoke the pandemic status and that we are entering the endemic phase,” Jokowi said, citing near-zero daily infections and a study revealing that 99 percent of Indonesians possess antibodies for COVID-19 as justifications for the shift

The president reminded the public to continue practicing good health and hygiene practices that have been customary over the past few years. He also hopes that the move away from the pandemic phase will lead to a greater economic recovery boost.

It certainly has been a long and tiring journey since Indonesia reported its first confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 20, 2020. Based on World Health Organization Data, Indonesia recorded 6.8 million cases since then, resulting in 161 thousand deaths.

Indonesia was especially hit hard by the spread of the Delta strain of the coronavirus in mid-2021.

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