Difference between Quarantine in KL (Nov 2020) vs Saigon (Jan 2021)

  Point by point comparison in case I forget :

1) KL quarantine period 15 days 14 nights whilst Saigon quarantine period 16 days 14 nights. 

2) Travel to KL no need Covid test prior to travel. Upon arrival of KLIA KKM officers perform swab test in the airport before immigration counter. Travelling to Vietnam you will be required to get tested 3 days before your travel date. Result to be produced to Vietnamese officers upon arrival of Saigon airport. And when you check in to Saigon airport you will be tested again using swab test.

3) In KL on the eve of your release from quarantine you will be tested again using rapid antigen test (prick finger get blood test - result in 30 minutes). In Saigon you have to go to a dedicated room in to get another swab test on the eve of your release.

4) In summary to travel to KL you only perform 1 time swab test on arrival of KLIA and then rapid blood test on eve of release. For Saigon you need to do swab test 3 times, ie 3 days before travel, day on arrival in hotel and eve of release.

5) KL hotels does not allow alcohol beverages and also proper cutlery (I asked family to send me proper butter knife and forks but was taken away. (worry people get depressed and commit suicide??) Hotels in KL only allow alternate days to deliver stuff from Grab food or family and delivered on specific time. (most of the time by the time food reach food already cold and there is no way to heat up the food unless you smuggle a hotpan or get a suite room with microwave oven)

6) Saigon hotels are much more accommodating, you can order grab food all day long and they hotel reception get the delivery and deliver to your room almost immediately. Although I paid extra to get a room upgrade to a one room apartment with kitchen and dining/living area i did not use much of the facilities except for the microwave oven to heat things up.

7) In KL quarantine I only see person at my doorsteps 3 times throughout the quarantine period (see my previous article). While in Saigon you get to see and talk to someone at least twice a day as they perform temperature check morning and afternoon.

8) Food in KL of course is halal and you are limited to certain fast food shops you cna order from grab food. You don't get to choose the food to your room ( I stayed in 5 star hotel). In Saigon (albeit 3 star hotel) they have a small menu where you can choose Western or Asian cooking and even ask you how you want your eggs in the morning.

Quarantine Jan 2021 - the Start

 After 2 months back in KL with the family finally have to fly back to Saigon to work. Covid 19 have not shown any signs of slowing down with most countries in the world registering new highs, including KL.

One good news probably is that few countries have started the vaccine process, China have 9 million people vaccinated, USA 3million. Singapore just started and Malaysia probably will start late February.

2 Jan early morning go to KLIA. Quite a long queue as the airline put everyone on same queue for different flights.

Flight to Saigon was probably 30% full. Reached Saigon without any hassle. Touched down 10am local time Submitted a bunch of forms including approval letters from Vietnamese government, COVID test results etc. (done 3 days before flight)

Had to go to the visa counter to get a temporary single entry visa and get back to main queue to clear immigration. Only 1 counter was open and it took about 50 minutes to clear immigration, by then the luggage are already out of the conveyors waiting to be collected.

We were assigned to hotel driver and was given a PPE to put on before allowed to go on the car. The quarantine hotel is only 5 minutes drive from airport. By 1230am I was in my studio unit room in the hotel. 5 minutes later phone rang to ask for my choice of lunch.

Had a look of the 56m2 room, complete with kitchen, living area and a separate bedroom with i bath room and 1 separate toilet. Started to unpack.