The announcement comes two weeks after millions of Indonesians traveled to visit their families, celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, ending a two-year pandemic ban and travel ban. The COVID-19 case has steadily declined, prompting the government to relax its mask policy.
“People are allowed not to wear masks when they are outdoors, or in open spaces where there are no crowds,” Widodo said in a televised speech.
In March, Indonesia lifted segregation requirements for foreign visitors, joining several other countries in the region, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines, which have announced or already taken such steps.
The country has largely recovered since it reached the top of the Omicron-powered wave in about 64,700 cases per day in mid-February. Newly confirmed daily infections have dropped to about 200 and about 80% of the 208 million eligible population have been fully vaccinated.
The government has already lifted many restrictions on social mobility that had been in place for two years.
