Jan 2022 update: What to do if you get COVID-19, or are a close contact in Malaysia

Malaysia's Ministry of Health has updated its procedures for positive COVID-19 cases under the Infectious Diseases Prevention And Control Act 1988, to control the spread of COVID-19 infection. These updated protocols are effective16 January 2022, Sunday, and also apply to those who are undergoing isolation and quarantine. Existing protocols for the management of travellers arriving in Malaysia still apply.

Upon reviewing scientific data, as well as how other countries manage positive and close contact cases, MOH has re-evaluated the observation period and decided on the following:

Protocol for positive cases:

The isolation order for patients infected with ALL variants are as follows:
1. Seven days for individuals who are fully vaccinated and have no symptoms.
2. 10 days for individuals who have incomplete vaccinations, or are symptomatic cases.

A health assessment will be made before discharge can be granted.

Protocol for close contacts:

Isolation orders for close contacts of positive cases, including Omicron cases, are as follows:

1. Five days for individuals who have already received the booster dose.
2. Seven days for individuals who are fully vaccinated, and those who are partially or are not vaccinated.
3. If symptomatic, take the RTK-Ag test, either on your own or at a nearby health facility for further treatment.
4. Results of the self-test must be submitted in the Mysejahtera application.
5. Perform the RTK-Ag test, either at a government or private facility, on the fifth day and the seventh day (for those undergoing seven days of isolation).
6. If the test results are negative and the individual is asymptomatic, a quarantine release will be given on the same day the test is performed.

As such, the following is a summary of the quarantine protocols for close contacts of positive cases, according to vaccination status:

MOH further recommends that individuals who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine obtain the booster dose, to achieve the optimal level of protection.

The MySejahtera application has also been updated with new features for more efficient management and tracing of positive COVID-19 cases:

1. The new function of the MySejahtera application replaces the check-out module;
2. It utilises Bluetooth technology to detect positive case close contact;
3. This function is the result of cooperation between MOSTI, MOH, and several other government agencies;
4. The application also meets the requirements of MOH's monitoring programme:
   1. Known as Find, Trace, Test, Isolate & Support (FTTIS).
   2. To prevent and control the transmission of COVID-19 infection.
5. MySejahtera users need to:
   1. Enable the Bluetooth function at all times; and
   2. Update the application to download MySJ Trace.
6. The entire process of contact tracking & data storage is guaranteed secure/confidential by the government.

This article was first published on Human Resources Online.