Travellers arriving via Johor can apply for home quarantine

 

Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said approvals for home quarantine would depend on several criteria. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Travellers entering Malaysia through Johor who wish to carry out their mandatory quarantine at home must apply to the Johor state health department seven days before their arrival.

Heath director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said all applications must be sent to the state health department’s crisis centre by email to cprcjknj@moh.gov.my.

Travellers must also go through an RT-PCR test at the latest three days before travelling, he said in a statement today.

The mandatory quarantine period is 14 days but it could be extended to 21 days.

Noor Hisham said approvals for quarantine at home would depend on several criteria. Those who do not meet the criteria must undergo quarantine at government-designated quarantine stations at their own cost.

To qualify for home quarantine, applicants must be fully vaccinated, have a negative RT-PCR test result, and have a suitable home or residence for the purpose of quarantine. The criteria apply to Malaysians and non-Malaysians (including permanent residents, those with Malaysia My Second Home residential visas and also workers).

Noor Hisham added that fully-vaccinated individuals are defined as those who have passed the 14th day mark after receiving their second dose of vaccine such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Moderna and Sinopharm, or those who have passed their 28th day mark after receiving their single-dose vaccine such as Johnson & Johnson and CanSino.

The mandatory quarantine period for travellers from all countries is 14 days. However, this may be extended for another seven days (making a total of 21 days) if necessary, based on risk analysis carried out on the traveller on the 14th day of their quarantine.

The extended quarantine period will be carried out at their home, residence or designated quarantine station.

“National and foreign travellers who do not fulfill the criteria must go through mandatory quarantine at the quarantine stations gazetted by the government and must bear the full cost.”

He added that all travellers will be subject to health assessment and another RT-PCR Covid-19 screening at their point of arrival at the Johor border.

Those who show light symptoms are required to take another Covid-19 test.

If their RTK-Antigen test result is positive, their buffer solution will be sent to the lab for an RT-PCR test. The traveller will be allowed to quarantine at home or residence (if they fulfil the criteria) and action will be taken based on their test results.

Travellers with mild or severe symptoms will be referred to an infectious diseases expert and action will be taken based on the diagnosis. - FMT