By Nurin Najmina Zaidi
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 March 2022: As Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced yesterday (8 March) that Malaysia will enter the endemic phase, Minister of Health, Khairy Jamaluddin, had added more details regarding the transition to the endemic phase.
In the press conference, Khairy stated that as Malaysia is currently in the transition to the endemic phase, the COVID-19 pandemic management must also be in need of transition. From government intervention to a government that continues to care and protect the people, community solidarity, and individual’s responsibility.
He said, the government will continue to provide vaccination programmes, particularly booster doses and vaccines for children.
Moreover, the government will also improve treatment options for patients who have been infected with COVID-19 by introducing new drugs such as Paxlovid, an antiviral pill that will be available soon.
Through the virtual COVID Assessment Centre (CAC), the government will continue to monitor positive cases that are isolated and recovering at home.
“The government will continue to treat and protect the people even as we enter the endemic phase.
“The government still has the standard operating procedure (SOP) to mitigate,” Khairy said.
Therefore, although there is relaxation in the SOP, face masks must still be applied, as well as good ventilation and personal hygiene, which people must prioritise, and reasonable physical distance that can be implemented.
“Community solidarity is more about community compliance. We no longer want to see compliance forced through lawsuits, the laws, but more to compliance at the community level,” the Health Minister emphasised.
He also encouraged the employers to do work from home (WFH) which is more appropriate rather than forcing employees to come to the office in order to ensure a safe workplace and good ventilation. This can be implemented safely and effectively.
In addition, the individual’s responsibility is more to one’s own health. To constantly monitor one’s health, is to comply with the national testing strategy which states that tests should be done if experiencing symptoms or when attending a ceremony where a lot of people are present.
Moreover, people are encouraged to comply with TRIIS, which are test, report, inform, isolate and seek help. This has become a personal practice as well as the wearing of face masks that are of high quality.
“This is more of the individual responsibility that we expect from Malaysians in entering the endemic transition phase,” he said.
Other additional protocols that were mentioned during the press conference are travellers who are currently undergoing quarantine may end the isolation period on 1 April 2022.
Children aged 17 years and below regardless of vaccination status do not need to undergo quarantine and only need to undergo RTK Antigen test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
For anyone who has not received a complete vaccination or has not received it at all, the individual must undergo quarantine for five days upon arrival in Malaysia.
Those who are exempted from the COVID-19 vaccination, mainly due to medical reasons, must provide documentation to the authorities.***
Source: Newswaz