Malaysia
Khairy: Mandatory quarantine for Covid-19 positive patients will continue till end of the year
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says the mandatory quarantine for those who test positive for Covid-19 will continue until the end of the year. ― Picture by Devan Manuel

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — The mandatory quarantine for those who test positive for Covid-19 will continue until the end of the year, when the rule would be put into review, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Speaking to the press after officiating the Asia Dermatology and Aesthetics Medicine Summit 2022 (ADAMS) Convention at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, he said this rule was one of the main reasons why Covid-19 pandemic in the country has come under control.

"So long as Act 342 is in place until the end of the year, if one is found Covid-19 positive and makes a report, they must quarantine at least three days before they retest themselves. This is one of the many factors that have helped control the Covid-19 pandemic here.

"If you are positive, isolate until you test negative. So for me, let's keep this in place until we put this to review at the end of the year when Act 342 comes to an end,” he said.

Khairy was asked about this after following a question during the press conference where a local media highlighted that there were numerous complaints from employers who claimed that the rule could be taken advantage of as it is based on an honour system.

"Right now, it's all based on one's integrity. When we entered the transition into the endemic phase, we handed over the responsibility to the people. So, this is our headway, and we need to be honest in whatever we report, it all depends on the integrity of a person.

"But I have not heard that this is an issue. Maybe there are untrustworthy employees, but these are isolated cases,” he said.

The latest Covid-19 quarantine rules stipulate that Covid-19 positive cases must be quarantined for seven days from the day they received the positive test result, regardless of vaccination status.

However, positive cases have the option to end quarantine earlier if their supervised RTK-Ag test result on Day 4 is negative.

This RTK-Ag test can also be done on Day 5 or 6 for early release from quarantine.

If tested positive, they must continue to quarantine until Day 7. No other test is needed after the completion of quarantine.

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