Jakarta, Dec 29 (IANS): The Indonesian government announced the temporary closure of entrances for foreign nationals from all countries on January 1-14, 2021, due to the emergence of a new virus variant that causes Covid-19.

The regulation exempts foreign state officials at the level of ministers and above, who are required to apply tight protocols to prevent further Covid-19 transmissions, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told a virtual press conference on Monday following a limited cabinet meeting, Xinhua news agency reported.

Foreigners who arrive in Indonesia on Monday (December 28) till December 31 are still allowed to enter the country by showing negative results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted in their countries of origin.

The test results shall be valid for 48 hours since their departure, and there will be re-examination of PCR upon their arrival in Indonesia.

If proven negative in both the PCR tests, the foreigners are required to do a mandatory quarantine for five days, and after that they must return to undergo PCR tests.

If the tests show negative results, the foreigners are allowed to continue their trips, the minister said.

Meanwhile, all the Indonesian nationals who want to return from abroad are allowed to enter the country by conducting the same PCR tests.