No More Mandatory Quarantine for COVID-19 Close Contacts
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The Ministry of Health (MOH) will no longer enforce the compulsory testing and self-isolation or quarantine for symptomatic close contacts of positive Covid-19 cases starting 22 April. The ministry will only recommend those measures.
No more mandatory quarantine
According to the graphic posted on MOH's official Twitter account, the ministry said those who came into close contact with confirmed Covid-19 cases are "encouraged" to self-isolate if they show any symptoms.
MOH is also encouraging symptomatic close contacts to undergo self-testing for Covid-19 via antigen rapid test kits on the day of symptoms onset and the third day.
These individuals can stop their home quarantine if they manage to test negative and their symptoms subside. However, MOH suggests practising preventive measures, such as:
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Wearing a face mask outside your home,
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Avoid crowded areas,
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Ensure good ventilation indoors,
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Avoid visiting those who are in high-risk groups, and
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Travel for only essential purposes.
The ministry has no suggestions for testing or quarantine for close contacts who do not show any symptoms. However, it recommends these close contacts to take preventive measures for five days, starting from the day of their last exposure to a positive Covid-19 case.
All of the above guidelines are suitable for close contacts regardless of their status of vaccination.
Previously, MOH only allowed close contacts who had acquired their vaccine booster doses and were asymptomatic to skip the mandatory quarantine.
Malaysia's Covid-19 situation
Based on the CovidNow site, all Covid-19 indicators have been on a decline since the apex of the Omicron variant in mid-March, which includes reported infections, admissions, ICU cases, and deaths.
On 20 April, Malaysia registered a total of 8,267 recovered cases, which brought the cumulative number of recoveries to 4,283,013.
According to Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the infectivity rate recorded across the country yesterday stood at 0.84, with Malacca having the highest rate of 0.89. In contrast, Kelantan recorded the lowest rate at 0.63.
The current death toll, as of 21 April, stands at 35,465. There were 90,724 active cases, 1,955 hospitalised, 97 in ICU, and 643 requiring respiratory assistance.
The total number of cases stands at 4,409,202.
Second Covid-19 vaccine booster
Last week, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said senior citizens who have high-risk comorbidities are eligible to obtain a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot. However, they must wait four to six months after their first booster dose.