COVID-19 – Home Surveillance Order – Second Best Option

In an interview with the Star newspaper, Prof Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud said the best options to control the spread of COVID-19 among those who returned from Sabah is to isolate returnees immediately in designated quarantine centres.

The home surveillance order (HSO) is only the “second-best option”. He further said that for the HSO to be effective, there should be double swab tests plus an electronic tracking bracelet. Those undergoing HSO must ensure they do not expose others during the transfer from airport to their home and while undergoing the 14 days home quarantine.

The first swab needs to be tested immediately upon return using the Rapid Test Kit-Antigen (RTK-Antigen) and the second swab with the Reverse Transcription Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

If the RTK-Antigen test was positive, then the person should be isolated immediately. If it was negative, the HSO could be carried out and if the RT-PCR test turns out to be positive, then the person should be isolated.

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