Semester 1, 2022 is coming and Monash is planning to implement a hybrid class which allows students to return to Malaysia and study directly on campus. However, COVID-19 is still a thing and we still need to adhere to health protocols when returning and during your stay in Malaysia. According to the regulations, travellers entering Malaysia have to undergo 7 days of quarantine. Luckily, travellers can now choose whether to quarantine in a hotel or in their own residence for a much cheaper price. This article will provide you with ways to do home quarantine from the experience of our friend, Angely Jung.

Before your departure

According to Angely, the procedure is not complicated at all. You only have to fill up the application form where you will be asked where and with who you will stay. The application can be found here: Home Quarantine Application. You need to apply minimum seven days and maximum ten days before your departure date. One of the advantages of home quarantine is that you can apply up to ten people in one form to quarantine together and you can live with a total of twelve people in one unit or house. The thing that most people are confused about is whether you have to purchase the flight ticket first before filling the application. The answer is no. As long as you are certain which flight you will be taking, you can enter the flight number without purchasing it first. After filling up everything and submitting the required documents, you need to wait for approval which only took one day for Angely.

After your arrival

Before arriving in Malaysia, you have to download MySejahtera App and log in with the email you use to apply for home quarantine. The app will then show that you are under surveillance for home quarantine and you can show this to the airport officers. You will subsequently be given a wristband to mark that you are under quarantine and asked to take a PCR test. The next step will be immigration and you can directly head to your quarantine place after the immigration process. If you do not have anyone to pick you up, you can ask the Monash representative to do so. You can arrange your airport pick-up with Monash at this website: Airport arrival.

During quarantine

Home quarantine is far more lenient than hotel quarantine. The only form of supervision you will get is through the MySejahtera app in which you are required to log in everyday to perform a body temperature check. Other than that, you are free to do anything you want as long as you do not leave the premises. However, as home quarantine does not provide any food, you have to cook for yourself or order through food delivery. Some residences allow you to pick up your food order yourself by going to the lobby. The other option is to ask your friends or relatives to purchase food or groceries for you to cook. Then, two days before your quarantine ends, you have to do another PCR test by yourself by visiting a nearby clinic. If your result comes back negative, you are free from quarantine and allowed to take off your wristband at the nearest District Health Office. You can check the nearest health office through this hotline: 03-7723-9300 or other channels provided in this article.

Final thoughts

For Angely Jung, home quarantine is more convenient for students since it is less costly and less strict. You are not obligated to pay any fees except for the PCR test and airport pick-up fee if you register for one. The downside is that you have to figure things out yourself as there is no one to tell you what to do during and after your quarantine. Fortunately, there is a hotline available to guide you during your quarantine. Nevertheless, it is better to come prepared with a lot of information from existing websites and testimonials from friends. Therefore, you can enjoy a smooth and even exciting quarantine. Happy quarantining and welcome back to Malaysia everyone!