PETALING JAYA: Incoming travellers can now make pre-bookings for professionally-administered Covid-19 antigen rapid tests (RTK-Ag) at more than 2,000 private clinics.
Malaysian Medical Association Co-op (Koop MMA) chairman Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo said private clinics are now offering the required professional Covid-19 RTK-Ag test.
The programme is a joint effort by Koop MMA – the MMA members’ cooperative – and eMedAsia.com, its digital platform provider.
Dr Thirunavukarasu said around 2,000 private general practitioners are participating in the programme.
“The professional RTK-Ag testing service is available via online pre-booking for international travellers at www.traveller.emedasia.com,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He added that professionally conducted RTK-Ag tests by trained medical professionals will ensure higher test accuracy, which would be vital in preventing the import of infections with the re-opening of our borders to international travellers.
“Our tourism sector, which was one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic, needs to be safeguarded against disruptions.
“We need to ensure preventive measures at the highest level for all visitors to our country and the population for a smooth transition to endemicity.
“We foresee that testing at the airport upon arrival may hold up travellers and cause congestion. This can be an unpleasant experience for our international visitors and it may even lead to new Covid-19 clusters just when we are reviving our nation’s tourism.
“With a pre-booked professional RTK-Ag test, travellers need not queue up for a test at the airport and be held up waiting for the result.
“By pre-booking the professional RTK-Ag testing service, they can collect their luggage, head to their hotels, freshen up and come out to the clinic to get themselves tested,” said Dr Thirunavukarasu, adding that there are plans to provide mobile professional testing where the service is sent to the traveller.
Starting April 1, all inbound travellers will be given a Travellers Card on their MySejahtera, and are required to get a professionally-administered rapid Covid-19 test done at any of the appointed private or government clinics that use the eCovid system – Malaysia’s Covid-19 outbreak management system.
The Travellers Card will be removed when the traveller tests negative, and the result will be updated on MySejahtera.
If a fully vaccinated traveller does not get a professionally-administered rapid test done within 24 hours, they will be issued with a Home Surveillance Order for five days through the MySejahtera app. All test results updated in eCovid will be updated in MySejahtera within 10 minutes. A traveller can only leave the private healthcare facility once the Travellers Card is removed and MySejahtera is updated with the result.