Mass exodus: Passengers queueing with their luggage at the train station in Jakarta to return to their hometowns, an activity known locally as ‘mudik’, ahead of the Aidilfitri celebration amid the Covid-19 pandemic. — Reuters IN the middle of the unbridled coronavirus contagion, the Indonesian government has banned the Aidilfitri tradition of mudik (exodus or balik kampung) for the second consecutive year. Initially the ban would take effect from May 6 to 17, but then it was extended from April 22 to May 5, as well as May 18 to 24. Understandably the government aims to prevent a spike in Covid-19 transmission and deaths after the long holiday, as happened earlier this year. On Jan 27, less than a month after the New Year holiday, for instance, the number of infections hit a record of more than one million, up significantly from 670,125 on Dec 22,2020.