The Malaysian Insight

THE Covid-19 quarantine for those entering Malaysia can be reduced to just a week if they a swab test they take three days before their return flight comes up negative, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

“For returnees who have done a swab test three days before flying, if the result is negative, upon arrival in Malaysia they only need to be quarantined for seven days.

“If they did not do a swab test before their flight, they will have to quarantine for 10 days once they land in Malaysia,” he said at the daily briefing on Covid-19 movement restrictions.

This is in line with the government’s decision to reduce the quarantine period for Covid-19 to 10 days from 14 days, which was announced by Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah two days ago.

The reduced number of quarantine days applies to those who have been in close contact with Covid-19 positive individuals, as well as those returning to Malaysia from other countries, Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister, said.

Ismail Sabri said countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium have reduced their quarantine period from 14 days to 10 days, while France observes a mandatory quarantine period of seven days.

In explaining the government’s decision to cut the number of quarantine days, Noor Hisham said recently that the rate of infection is highest in the first week after exposure to a Covid-19 positive case.

The initial 14-day quarantine period was recommended after the World Health Organisation and other experts estimated that the incubation period for Covid-19 is between two and 14 days. – December 15, 2020.