Did an Eid al-Fitr mass exodus kick-start Indonesia’s COVID chaos?

Cases have soared since the holiday in May when some people skirted a travel ban to visit their hometowns.

Surabaya and Medan, Indonesia – On May 13, one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar took place across Indonesia. It was the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and a time when families across the archipelago typically gather, pray together and share meals. Eid al-Fitr 2021 was meant to be a muted affair. In the run-up to the holiday, the Indonesian authorities banned people from returning to their hometowns – a process known as “mudik”, usually involving some 20 million people – in a move designed to halt the spread of COVID-19.