On 1 July 2024, we issued an Alert stating that the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Declaration of Infected Loal Areas) Order 2020 which declared all States and Federal Territories of Malaysia as infected areas of the Covid-19 virus has been further extended to 31 December 2024.
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On 5 July 2024, the Minister of Health Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad,
announced several relaxations to the standard operating procedures for Covid-19 (“Covid-19 SOPs”) following the Minister’s earlier announcement that Malaysia has now entered into a phase of living with the Covid-19 virus.
At the time of issuance of this Alert, the relaxations announced to date by the Minister of Health to the Covid-19 SOPs (which came into effect on 15 July 2024) are summarised below.
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Home Surveillance Order (HSO)
Individuals who test positive for Covid-19 will be treated similarly to other respiratory tract infections and will no longer be subject to a HSO or be required to report their Covid-19 test results on the
MySejahtera application.
3 Previously, individuals who test positive for Covid-19 were required to observe a five-day HSO from the onset of the first Covid-19 symptoms.
However, individuals who test positive for Covid-19 are encouraged to stay at home, minimise social interactions and practise public health control and preventive measures if they need to leave their home, to avoid infecting others. If the symptoms persist or worsen, these individuals should seek medical attention at a nearby healthcare facility.
Close contacts of Covid-19 cases are encouraged to monitor their symptoms and if their symptoms persist or worsen, they should seek medical attention at a nearby healthcare facility.
Use of face masks
The use of face masks is encouraged for individuals who test positive for Covid-19, and individuals with symptoms of cough and flu, especially in healthcare facilities or crowded areas with poor ventilation.
Healthcare workers in healthcare facilities are encouraged to wear face masks, especially when attending to patients, in accordance with infection prevention and control protocols.
Alert prepared by Tan Wei Liang (Senior Associate) of Skrine.