COVID-19 | Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has announced a slew of new quarantine rules for international arrivals based on their vaccination status.
In a press conference this evening, he also said pink wristbands presently used to indicate individuals under quarantine will be phased out in favour of digital home surveillance orders (HSOs).
Vaccinated and boosted: 5 days
From Jan 24 onwards, fully vaccinated travellers who have received their booster shot will see their on-arrival quarantine period shortened from seven days to five.
Such travellers will need to undergo an RT-PCR test two days before departure.
They will also need to take an RT-PCR test on arrival.
During their quarantine period, they can either take an RT-PCR test on day four or opt to undergo a professionally administered RTK-Ag test on day five.
Vaccinated sans booster: 7 days
Fully vaccinated travellers who have yet to receive a booster shot will need to quarantine for seven days.
They will similarly need to undergo an RT-PCR test two days before departure plus another RT-PCR test on arrival.
During their quarantine period, they can either take an RT-PCR test on day five or opt to undergo a professionally administered RTK-Ag test on day seven.
The minister did not announce any changes for fully vaccinated travellers who recently recovered from Covid-19. They do not need to quarantine on arrival.
When asked why non-boosted close contacts needed to quarantine for seven days, Khairy answered that non-boosted individuals bear a “similar risk of acquiring omicron as the unvaccinated”.
Incomplete or no vaccination: 10 days
Meanwhile, travellers who are either not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated will need to quarantine for 10 days on arrival.
They will need to undergo an RT-PCR test two days before departure plus another RT-PCR test on arrival.
During their quarantine period, they can either take an RT-PCR test on day eight or opt to undergo a professionally administered RTK-Ag test on day 10.
Digital HSOs
Aside from quarantine rules, Khairy also announced that pink quarantine wristbands will no longer be issued to arrivals.
“All travellers arriving from abroad will be given a digital HSO.
“Thus, travellers will no longer need to wear the usual pink wristbands,” he said.
What remains unchanged is the rule that travellers from countries deemed “high risk” for Omicron who are allowed to undergo home quarantine will need to wear a digital tracker throughout their quarantine period. - Mkini
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