Health minister says strict compliance, regular testing key to ‘living with Covid-19’ as border reopening threshold nears

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — With the vaccination rate approaching the level that would allow interstate travel resume, Khairy Jamaluddin reminded Malaysians today to continue observing Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) or risk exacerbating the situation.

The minister in a tweet said that besides measures like physical distancing, masking up, and maintaining good hygiene, being well versed on the proper steps to take when showing Covid-19 symptoms was also an essential part of getting used to living with Covid-19.

“There is only three per cent of the adult population left to be vaccinated before state borders are opened.

“The situation will become worse if we are careless,” he tweeted.

He re-tweeted an infographic shared by the Health Ministry (MoH) on the steps a person should take if they start exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms.

These include immediate self isolation at home or heading towards Covid-19 assessment centre to get tested.

It said that if a person tests positive, the results will be relayed through the MySejahtera smartphone application, along with a home surveillance order.

Positive cases are also required to report their health status for 14 days using the Home Assessment Tool within the MySejahtera application.

However, those with symptoms that continue to get worse are told to call 999 or head to a hospital’s emergency unit to seek immediate medical attention.

“Besides the existing SOPs (face mask, physical distancing, self hygiene), this is the most important approach for us to ‘live with Covid-19’,”Khairy said in the tweet referring to the infographics.

According to the MoH’s CovidNow portal, a total of 87.2 per cent of the local adult population are fully vaccinated, with 94.3 per with at least one dose.

This translates to 62.8 per cent of the entire population achieving fully vaccinated status, with 72.7 per cent having received one vaccine dose.

On September 22, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the government’s decision to allow interstate activities and tourism-related activities when 90 per cent of adults in Malaysia are vaccinated against Covid-19.