Masks no longer mandatory in public transport, hospitals from July 5

KUALA LUMPUR – The use of face masks is no longer mandatory in public transport and health facilities, including hospitals, starting next Wednesday.  

The new policy, however, does not apply to individuals who are newly tested positive for Covid-19 as they are required to wear face masks when in clinics or hospitals and when using public transport like buses and trains.  

Health officials who are in contact with patients are also required to have their face masks on while working 

In announcing this, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that the isolation period for people infected by the virus will also be shortened from seven to five days. This applies to them from the onset of the first symptoms. 

All these new requirements also become effective this Wednesday.  

She said the decision on the new policy is due to the relaxation of the Covid-19 guidelines decided by the federal cabinet in its meeting recently. 

The new recommendations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) take into account the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines, the global Covid-19 situation, and the number of infections in the country. 

“Following the statement of the World Health Organisation on May 5 regarding the status of Covid-19 as no longer being a public health emergency of international concern, the Health Ministry has reviewed and updated the SOPs based on the assessment of the situation of Covid-19 infections in this country,” she said in a social media statement. 

“Although some relaxations to the standard operating procedures SOPs of Covid-19 were given during the transition phase of the Covid-19 pandemic that began on April 1, 2022, the Health Ministry continues to implement various policies and activities for the control and prevention of Covid-19, in order to curb the spread of Covid-19 infection in the community,” she added. 

Zaliha stressed that new cases of Covid-19 in Malaysia decreased by 53.5% and deaths due to the virus lessened by 35.3% over the last five weeks. 

Last May, the ministry announced that the status of local areas of infection would remain unchanged for the time being, even though WHO has declared that Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern. 

Dr Zaliha was reported to have said that the move was necessary to meet the need for quarantine or isolation of Covid-19 cases in places other than hospitals and the need for employers to bear the cost of treatment and testing for Covid-19 for their employees.

Prior to this, the Health Ministry had extended the declaration of local areas of infection from January 1 to June 30. – The Vibes, June 29, 2023