KUALA LUMPUR: The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia is the latest group to urge the government to revoke the order which cuts quarantine periods from 10 days for ministers returning from official trips abroad.
It criticised the enforcement of Section 29 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Exemption) Order 2021, which provides that cabinet ministers who return from official visits abroad will only have to undergo three days of observation or surveillance.
In a statement today, the registered body representing medical specialists in Malaysia reminded the government that all standard operating procedures (SOP) in place to curb the spread of Covid-19 must be grounded in science.
"The quarantine period for inbound travellers is set at 10 days based on research, which shows that the risk of transmission is extremely low (less than one per cent) after 10 days with monitoring and testing in place.
"The incubation period for Covid-19 is on average five to six days but can be as long as 14 days. Therefore, three days is insufficient to detect symptoms. There must be an evidence-based, public health explanation for the government's decision to reduce quarantine days," the academy said in the statement.
The effectiveness of so-called "travel bubbles" being brokered by many countries, it said, was also still in question following the emergence of new variants of Covid-19 with increased transmission capability that are spreading rapidly around the world.
The academy also said there is insufficient data on the mutations to develop robust protocols for safe travel.
"We understand there is urgency to restart the economy for the benefit of Malaysians and businesses that are struggling, but this can only be done by bringing the pandemic under control first.
"The government must not open up our borders to 'bubble' delegations and risk bringing in new variants that could overwhelm our health system."
Section 29 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Exemption) Order 2021, exempts ministers from Section 15 of the same order.
Section 15 requires individuals who are allowed to enter the country or returning from abroad to be placed under a 10-day mandatory quarantine period upon arrival.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, in exercising the powers conferred to him by Section 29, signed the federal gazette which took effect yesterday (Feb 9).