THE cabinet has agreed to set a ceiling price for Covid-19 self-test kits, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

He said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi will soon make an announcement on the matter.

“There is good news. We have decided in the cabinet today to set the ceiling price for rapid test kits. 

“The ceiling price has been set and Alexander Nanta Linggi will be announcing them very shortly,” Khairy told the media in his first press conference at Putrajaya today. 

Currently, there are 11 brands of Covid-19 self-test kits that have been granted conditional approval by the Health Ministry for public use. 

Khairy also added that the ministry is looking at a national testing policy in time to come.

He said that this would be helpful when the country moves into an endemic stage. 

“Once we go into the endemic phase, whether you have been vaccinated or not, you need to test yourself quite regularly. 

“That is why we want to make testing more affordable and more accessible,” he said. 

Earlier today, Khairy said Malaysia is expected to move from pandemic to endemic stage of Covid-19 by the end of October.

He said the endemic phase will begin once 80% of the adult population in the country is fully vaccinated.

Khairy said that regular testing will be applicable to those who choose not to be vaccinated.

“Those who refuse to get vaccinated will have to have a certain schedule or regime of testing that they would have to adhere to. 

“Whether it is rapid test kits and if that (result) is positive, it will be confirmed through a PCR test,” he said. 

The Special Committee for Covid-19 Vaccine Access (JKJAV) said to date, a total of 34,752,340 shots have been administered. Of which, 64.2% or 15,032,301 of the adult population have been fully inoculated while 84.3% or 19,741,754 have received one dose. – September 1, 2021.