KUALA LUMPUR: Companies should continue to allow Covid-19-positive employees to work from home, says the country's largest employer's group despite the cancellation of quarantine requirements.
Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Datuk Syed Hussain Syed Husman said this was to ensure the virus did not spread among employees of different age groups.
"The MEF believes that working from home should be considered an option for employees infected with Covid-19, as it effectively helps contain the spread of the virus.
"Psychologically, the absence of an infected employee from the workplace can provide peace of mind to colleagues, enabling them to focus better on their tasks," he told the New Straits Times.
Previously, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that those who tested positive for Covid-19 would no longer receive home surveillance orders, and would be treated similarly to other respiratory infections.
He explained that the revocation of HSOs was part of the revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) under the ministry's "Living with Covid-19" phase.
Health experts, including public health physician Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar has backed the decision to remove the HSOs.
Zainal said as Covid-19 was considered endemic, a blanket quarantine system was not required, and should only be applied for severe and necessary cases.
Syed Hussain however said the right to allow employees to work from home is a company's prerogative.
"If the company requires employees to be physically present, infected employees must comply with returning to the workplace," he said, adding in such situations, best practices should be observed.
This includes the use of face masks and physical distancing.