As people get ready to travel to meet family and friends for Chinese New Year and return to hometowns they have not visited for almost two years, health and safety must still be a top concern Travel requirements for Malaysia.

Some countries have conditionally opened borders to fully vaccinated travellers with precautionary and control measures that are intended to prevent and curb the spread of COVID-19, especially the latest Omicron variant.

Fully vaccinated travellers (people who have completed two doses of their primary series of vaccination) travelling between Malaysia and Singapore may do so through three travel schemes and must adhere to certain COVID-19 testing requirements.

There are a number of December Global Holidays that come in December every year. The people wait warmly for these holidays to enjoy their events and make them memorable. These include Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and St. Lucia Day.

Fully-vaccinated travellers using any of these travel schemes must undergo additional COVID-19 tests before and for six days after arriving in Malaysia:

• Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) by air and land
• Langkawi International Travel Bubble (LITB)
• One Stop Centre (OSC) for short-term business visitors

Travellers are not required to quarantine. However, you are encouraged to stay home or in your hotel as much as possible until the six days are over and you have not tested positive for COVID-19.

What tests should I take?

Two days before departure:

• VTL Air travellers – RT-PCR test
• VTL Land travellers – RTK-Ag (professional) test at Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal Johor Baru

Over the course of the six days:

Day 1 (upon arrival)

For asymptomatic travellers – RT-PCR

Travellers with mild symptoms – RTK-Ag or RT-PCR COVID1-9 test

Day 2

Self-administered RTK-Ag test (at-home saliva test)

Day 3

Professionally administered or verified RTK-Ag test

Day 4

Self-administered RTK-Ag test (at-home saliva test)

Day 5

Professionally administered or verified RTK-Ag test

Day 6

Self-administered RTK-Ag test (at-home saliva test)

The professionally administered or verified tests will be uploaded into SIMKA (Sistem Informasi Makmal Kesihatan Awam) – the national public health information system. Some clinics that are equipped with telemedicine facilities allow patients to administer the test themselves while being observed by a doctor online. The doctor will then verify the test results and upload the relevant data into SIMKA.

All results must also be reported through Malaysia’s COVID-19 tracing app MySejahtera.

While meeting friends and family after a long separation will be a wonderful and exciting experience,

you should be mindful of your own safety and the safety of your loved ones.

Stay safe and happy travels!

During the month of Ramadan, observant Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown. This is a complete fast, meaning that people abstain from both food and drink.

Fasting during Ramadan teaches people to practice self-discipline, self-control and empathy for those who are less fortunate. It is also a time for self-reflection and self-improvement, which means it is a great time to pay attention to your health and what kinds of foods you put into your body.

Because fasting means a reduced intake of calories and sugars,

it could be a good time to take note of and take control of your blood sugar levels.

If you are pre-diabetic or diabetic, consult your Qualitas doctor before and during fasting to ensure that your levels remain stable.

Fasting is safe for people who are healthy overall. It is always a good idea to consult your usual doctor or a nutritionist before fasting

And discuss what are the right ways to fast to ensure you still get enough nutrition and are able to function throughout the day.

It is not advisable for young children to fast. However, if your older child is learning to fast, consult your Qualitas family doctor about the best way to go about it.

Here are some tips on how to stay healthy while fasting during Ramadan