In his latest address to the nation, Health Minister YBB Khairy Jamaluddin has confirmed that individuals who have been identified as close-contacts with COVID-19 patients will no longer need to serve a quarantine or isolation period, if they are fully-vaccinated and have already received their booster shot. However, this will only apply to those who are over the age of 18 and do not exhibit any signs of symptoms on the day after their initial exposure to the COVID-positive patient.
Individuals over 18 who are fully-vaccinated & boosted and exhibit no symptoms after being exposed to COVID-positive individuals no longer need to quarantine
Despite that fact, they will still be required to conduct RTK-Antigen Home Tests on the first day and third day, as well as the final day from their initial date of exposure to a COVID-positive individual. This is to ensure that they remain COVID-negative throughout this period of time.
They will now also receive a Home Assessment Tool from MySejahtera upon being identified as closed-contacts, and will only be issued a Home Surveillance Order (HSO) if they indicate that they are exhibiting symptoms after exposure.
However in the case of a fully-vaccinated and boosted individual over the age of 18 who does exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 on the day of their exposure to a COVID-positive individual, they will still be required to serve a 5-day isolation period.
Individuals who are fully-vaccinated but have yet to receive their boosters are required to serve a 5-day isolation period upon being identified as a close-contact, regardless of whether they exhibit any symptoms.
As for those who are not vaccinated or have only completed one vaccine dose, they will be required to isolate for a period of 7 days, regardless of whether they exhibit any symptoms one day after their initial exposure to a COVID-positive patient.
Similarly for those under the age of 18 who have completed their vaccination doses, they are required to serve a 5 day isolation period regardless of whether they exhibit any symptoms. Those under the age of 18 who have yet to complete their vaccination doses will need to serve 7 days in quarantine upon being identified as close-contacts.
All close-contact cases regardless of vaccination status or symptoms are required to update their COVID-status to MySejahtera, and are required to declare if they test positive.
According to Khary, the decision to abolish the quarantine period for close-contact individuals who do not exhibit any symptoms and are fully-vaccinated as well as boosted was based off on research obtained by the Ministry of Health, which claims that the viral load of asymptomatic individuals who are fully inoculated are low and are less likely to transmit the virus. A risk assessment over the new SOP has also been conducted by the ministry beforehand.
The new SOP will be put into effect by 1st March 2022.
Sinovac recipients over 18 and vaccine recipients of any brand over 60 are reminded to receive their boosters ASAP
Separately, Khairy has also reminded Sinovac recipients over the age of 18, and vaccine recipients of any brand over the age of 60 will be required to register and receive their booster doses by the 31st of March 2022. This grants them an extension of 1-month to complete their booster doses, from the initial deadline of 28th February 2022. Those who have yet to complete their booster doses will see their vaccination status changed to ‘incomplete’ by 1st April 2022.
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