A health professional in protective gear collects a swab sample from motorists at the Mex Drive-Thru Screening and Testing Centre in Seri Kembangan, March 28, 2022. – Picture by Devan Manuel
KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Mandatory quarantine following Covid-19 close contact will no longer be necessary for any group starting tomorrow, under the Health Ministry’s new procedure that no longer distinguishes between the vaccinated and unvaccinated.
In a Twitter post today, the Health Ministry explained that from tomorrow, close contacts who show symptoms of Covid-19 infection are only “encouraged” to quarantine and to perform a Rapid Test Kit-Antigen (RTK-Ag) self-test on the day, followed by another test on the third day after.
“If Rtk-Ag self-test result is negative and symptoms have improved you may end quarantine but practise preventive measures,” read the post.
For those who are asymptomatic, they can skip the quarantine and Covid-19 tests entirely, but should still practise the preventive measures for at least five days after exposure.
The preventive measures listed are to always wear a face mask when leaving home, avoid crowded places, ensure good ventilation, avoid visiting high-risk groups, and to travel for essential needs only.
Previously, only close contacts who had received their vaccine booster doses and were asymptomatic were allowed to skip compulsory quarantine.