However, Khairy said premises owners will still have the right to decide if their customers need to wear masks.

He also said that masks must still be worn by symptomatic and Covid-positive individuals, those using public transport like trains and buses, e-hailing services, planes, school and factory buses, and at healthcare facilities.

However, high-risk individuals such as the elderly, those with chronic diseases, and pregnant women are highly encouraged to continue donning masks when indoors.

Khairy said the same applied to those carrying out activities in the company of high-risk individuals.

“The health ministry still strongly encourages that face masks be worn in crowded areas like night markets, stadiums and shopping malls,” he said.

He said the ministry would continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation both locally and abroad, while ensuring that health services were at optimal conditions.

The government first made face masks mandatory both outdoors and indoors on Aug 1, 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It relaxed the policy on May 1, with people no longer required to wear one when outdoors.

When asked how soon the country would be able to fully transition into the endemic phase, Khairy said that would depend on how the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates over the next year.

“There is a possibility that these mutations will bring the virus to a more dangerous direction, causing more serious forms of diseases,” he said, adding that the opposite was also possible.

He said this was why continued studies on Covid-19 variants and their effects had to be carried out.

“If in a few months or a year’s time, new variants do not result in serious Covid diseases, we can consider fully entering the endemic phase,” he said, adding that for now, his ministry would still remain cautious.

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