KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Psychiatric patients, private hospital patients, and women with above 38 weeks’ pregnancy can apply for home quarantine upon returning from abroad, Dr Adham Baba said.
All travellers from overseas entering Malaysia generally have to undergo a mandatory Covid-19 screening and 14 days’ quarantine at designated quarantine stations or hotels.
However, the health minister, in his written parliamentary reply on November 30, listed seven groups of people who are exempted from being quarantined at quarantine stations.
These individuals can apply for a home surveillance order (HSO), which means they can apply to be quarantined at home, Dr Adham said.
The first criterion for exemption is for those with health conditions, including mental health conditions and psychiatric disorders, with proof of reports from doctors, as well as justification and health assessment made by health care workers at the international gates.
The second exemption is made for those who require immediate treatment and have an appointment date with private hospitals under the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) programme.
“These patients will be straight admitted to the relevant hospital and it is compulsory to undergo 14 days’ quarantine in that hospital,” Dr Adham said, replying to Kangar MP Noor Amin Ahmad.
Noor Amin asked the health minister to state the basis behind exemptions of the mandatory 14 days’ quarantine for travellers from abroad.
Besides that, children below the age of 16 and the elderly above the age of 70 can also apply for exemption from quarantine in designated stations.
Moreover, pregnant women above 38 weeks of pregnancy also fall under the criteria of exemption. Foreign ambassadors with confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an ambassador and based on the approval of the Malaysian Immigration Department can also apply for home surveillance.
Flexibility from undergoing quarantine at a designated station is also given to foreign technical experts who come to repair machines or equipment in certain industries and will be in Malaysia in less than a week, with immigration approval.
“Malaysia’s health director-general can give consideration to such applications.”
However, those under home quarantine must comply with the following conditions :
- Download and activate the MySejahtera application.
- Undergo an RT-PCR Covid-19 swab test at international gates.
- Get HSO and wear a surveillance wristband.
- Stay at home for 14 days.
- Monitor symptoms and health using Home Assessment Tools (HAT) found in the MySejahtera application.
- Undergo a second Covid-19 test (RTK-Ab) at a nearby government health clinic on the 13th day of quarantine.
- If the RTK-Ab test is found negative, the surveillance band will be cut and a release order will be given on the 14th day by a district health officer.
- If the RTK-Ab is found positive, an RT-PCR test will be conducted on the individual as well as on the whole family.
