Recently, the Malaysian government has just announced that tourism activities involving homestays and hotels within the same state for those fully vaccinated are allowed for states under Phase Two and beyond of the National Recovery Plan.

Following this, given that Penang is expected to have  100% of its population getting at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose by mid-September, the state's hotel operations are predicted to resume around said period. This means staycations might be possible for Penangites as early as next month.

The question is, just because we can, does it mean we should?

With daily Covid-19 cases staying above 19K cases consistently, this might not be the best time to return back to normal, although some of our favourite pre-Covid activities are now allowed. With Covid-19 cases in Penang alone surpasses the 1K mark daily, concerns of an outbreak are certainly there. 

Whatever your personal decision may be, please stay vigilant and practice social distancing wherever you go. if you're sick of staying home and in dire need of a break, by all means, schedule a staycation. However, do take extra precautions. You can never be too careful.