Welcome world – as long as you’re vaccinated

NEXT week, Malaysia’s borders will reopen to the world.

Loosening conditions to make it easier for people to travel into the country will no doubt be a huge relief for our battered tourism sector as well as people who have been separated from family for the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

So beginning April 1, foreign visitors – as well as Malaysian returnees – who are fully vaccinated are not required to undergo quarantine before or after arrival.

There are still some conditions, of course, similar to those most countries are imposing as the world cautiously opens up.

Everyone entering the country must undergo a Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Covid-19 test two days before departure and the RTK rapid test within 24 hours upon arrival. Children aged six and below are not required to undergo testing at either end of their journey.

Incoming international travellers must download the MySejahtera application before arriving and fill out a pre-departure form.

Apart from no longer requiring quarantine, six previous requirements will no longer be in place, including the usage of the digital tracker, Home Quarantine Application; the Langkawi International Tourism Bubble; the list of 18 high-risk countries; the Health Ministry’s PCR test counter at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport; the one-stop centre under the Malaysian Investment Development Authority; and the Immigration Department’s MyTravelPass.

It’s all part of the country’s “Transitioning to Endemicity” phase, which the government hopes will revive the economy. The country’s borders have been closed since March 2020 with only limited travel allowed under strict conditions, while the entry of foreign workers has been frozen since then.

One of the factors in deciding to open up is the fact that nearly 98% of Malaysia’s adult population has received two doses of vaccines, while more than half have received booster shots.

However, about two million recipients of the Sinovac vaccine are set to lose their fully vaccinated status if they do not receive their boosters by April 1.

This means they will not be considered fully vaccinated if they want to visit some countries, like Singapore, and could be denied entry.

You can now make an appointment to get a booster shot nationwide through the booking management system on MySejahtera, so there’s no excuse not to.

We should all also remember that even with the transition to endemicity, we still have to wear masks in public and maintain physical distancing in crowds, while washing hands frequently is always a good thing to do to maintain our health whether there’s a pandemic or not.