PETALING JAYA: Individuals who are close contacts need not undergo quarantine if they are asymptomatic and have received booster jabs, says Khairy Jamaluddin.

       The Health Minister said with the country moving towards the endemic phase, the ministry had agreed to the new procedures for close contact management following thorough risk assessments.

       “When we look at the data on Covid-19 variants, it shows that an individual’s viral load is low when they are fully vaccinated and given a booster dose.

       “If a person is asymptomatic, then it is highly likely that their viral load is low.

       “We still have our own safeguards by requiring the individual to undergo tests and self-health assessments.

       “Based on our risk assessments, with increased vaccination and booster dose coverage, added with the decoupling of daily cases and the severe effects of Covid-19, we believe this is a policy we can introduce,” he told a press conference yesterday.

       He said the new close contact procedure would start on March 1.

       “For those who have been identified as close contacts of a Covid-19 positive case, if they have no symptoms on the first day of exposure and have received their boosters, they do not need to undergo quarantine.

       “But they must undergo self-tests on Day One and Day Three after their exposure. If they test negative, they can carry on with their usual activities.

       “If they test positive, then they must report to MySejahtera,” he added.

       Khairy said individuals who were close contacts with no symptoms but had yet to receive their booster shots would still need to undergo a five-day quarantine.

       He said those who identified as close contacts would receive the Home Assessment Tool and must fill up a questionnaire.

       “If you are not symptomatic, then you will not be given a Home Surveillance Order and your MySejahtera status will remain normal,” he said.

       On a separate matter, he said the deadline for senior citizens and Sinovac vaccine adult recipients to receive their booster shots had been extended to March 31.

       “Beginning April 1, their vaccination status will be changed to ‘incomplete’ if they have not received a booster dose.

       “So those with elderly family members, please persuade them to get their booster doses,” he added.

       Khairy also said none of the 443 deaths reported as adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) cases had been determined to be caused by vaccine shots.

       “All serious AEFI reports, including death cases, will be thoroughly investigated and evaluated by the Covid-19 Vaccine Special Pharmacovigilance Committee (JFK).

       “Out of 595 reports, 443 have completed evaluation by the JFK.

       “At this point, no causal association has been determined,” he said, adding that investigations on the remaining 152 reports were still pending.