SINGAPORE: People who have been identified as close contacts of COVID-19 cases will soon have their self-monitoring period reduced from seven days to five.
This comes under a revised measure called health risk notice (HRN) which will be introduced on Feb 18.
The health risk notice will replace the current health risk warning (HRW) that's issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH) for close contacts of COVID-19 cases.
Announcing this on Wednesday (Feb 16), the Health Ministry said the decision to reduce the self-monitoring period comes as individuals infected with the Omicron variant have shown to have a shorter incubation period.
"Persons issued with HRN can continue to obtain their ART test kits through designated vending machines, to facilitate their self-testing during the monitoring period," said MOH in a media release.
"Those who have already received HRWs should still complete their existing monitoring periods."
People who are aware of their recent exposure to a COVID-19 case should follow Protocol 3 - even if they did not receive a health risk notice from MOH, said the ministry.
“They should moderate their social activities, monitor their health and self-test with ART before leaving home for that day, especially if they are going to crowded places or are coming into contact with vulnerable individuals,” it added.
Under Protocol 3, an ART needs to be done and its results uploaded on day 1. Those under Protocol 3 may go out if they test negative. If they test positive, they should follow Protocol 2 for cases with mild or no symptoms.
It was also announced that patients from more age groups can recover under Protocol 2.
“All patients aged between three and 69 with mild to no symptoms - irrespective of their vaccination status - may be managed by the primary care doctor under Protocol 2 without needing a default hospitalisation,” said MOH director of medical services Associate Professor Kenneth Mak at a press conference on Wednesday.
COVID-19 cases who are well and fully vaccinated, aged between 70 and 79, can also be cared for by their primary care doctors under Protocol 2, he added.
This is an expansion of the current age band, which applies to fully vaccinated patients aged five to 69, and non-fully vaccinated patients aged five to 49.
(Image: Ministry of Health)
MOH noted that among patients infected since January, the “vast majority” from most age groups have mild symptoms and can recover safely on their own.
“Even amongst the seniors, the incidence of severe illnesses have been low,” MOH said, citing some figures. Among seniors aged 60 to 69 who were infected, about 0.5 per cent of fully vaccinated and 1.8 per cent of non-fully vaccinated patients were treated as severe cases.
Among vaccinated seniors aged 70 to 79, 1.2 per cent fell severely ill after being infected, MOH said.
Among children, 4.5 per cent of three- to four-year-olds who attended emergency departments required admission and less than 1 per cent of them on home recovery programme were referred to the telemedicine providers for further management, MOH added.
With the changes, individuals under Protocol 2 with non-emergency conditions, including children, are “strongly advised” to avoid seeking treatment at the emergency departments of hospitals and to consult their primary care doctors or telemedicine providers should they require any medical assistance, MOH said.
“Individuals with non-emergency conditions turning up at emergency departments may be diverted to other urgent care clinics for further assessment, so as to prioritise these departments’ resources for patients requiring acute care,” MOH said.
It added that individuals may also be diverted for admission to COVID-19 treatment facilities for further monitoring, as long as they do not require hospitalisation.
These measures will allow the Government to respond “more nimbly” to the ongoing Omicron wave, Assoc Prof Mak said.
“These changes will allow us to continue providing appropriate care for those infected with COVID-19 while ensuring that our hospital resources remain reserved for those who have more severe infections,” he said.
“They will enable our public healthcare system to be more resilient and to be able to cope with increased demands on our healthcare manpower.”
MOH also said that it visits to all hospital wards and residential care homes will be suspended for another four weeks until Mar 20.
There will be a mid-point review after two weeks.
“Hospitals and homes have the discretion to allow visits for exceptional cases,” MOH said. “These visitors will continue to be subject to visitor management measures,” MOH said.
From Wednesday, MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) will progressively support nursing homes to care for their fully vaccinated COVID-19 residents who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic within their premises, but isolated from the other uninfected residents.
This will allow residents with COVID-19 to recover under the care of their nursing home provider who is also most familiar with their needs, MOH said.
Currently, nursing home residents infected with COVID-19 are moved from the nursing homes to recover at separate care facilities. However, the majority of Omicron cases in nursing homes were mildly symptomatic and generally did not require the level of medical care provided at hospitals or dedicated COVID-19 care facilities, MOH said.
MOH added that moving away from a familiar environment can be distressing to nursing home residents and disruptive to their holistic care.
“Residents assessed to be at higher risk, or who show signs of clinical deterioration, will continue to be conveyed to an appropriate care facility for further management,” MOH said.
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This comes under a revised measure called health risk notice (HRN) which will be introduced on Feb 18.
The health risk notice will replace the current health risk warning (HRW) that's issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH) for close contacts of COVID-19 cases.
Announcing this on Wednesday (Feb 16), the Health Ministry said the decision to reduce the self-monitoring period comes as individuals infected with the Omicron variant have shown to have a shorter incubation period.
"Persons issued with HRN can continue to obtain their ART test kits through designated vending machines, to facilitate their self-testing during the monitoring period," said MOH in a media release.
"Those who have already received HRWs should still complete their existing monitoring periods."
People who are aware of their recent exposure to a COVID-19 case should follow Protocol 3 - even if they did not receive a health risk notice from MOH, said the ministry.
“They should moderate their social activities, monitor their health and self-test with ART before leaving home for that day, especially if they are going to crowded places or are coming into contact with vulnerable individuals,” it added.
Under Protocol 3, an ART needs to be done and its results uploaded on day 1. Those under Protocol 3 may go out if they test negative. If they test positive, they should follow Protocol 2 for cases with mild or no symptoms.
Related:
MORE CAN RECOVER UNDER PROTOCOL 2
It was also announced that patients from more age groups can recover under Protocol 2.
“All patients aged between three and 69 with mild to no symptoms - irrespective of their vaccination status - may be managed by the primary care doctor under Protocol 2 without needing a default hospitalisation,” said MOH director of medical services Associate Professor Kenneth Mak at a press conference on Wednesday.
COVID-19 cases who are well and fully vaccinated, aged between 70 and 79, can also be cared for by their primary care doctors under Protocol 2, he added.
This is an expansion of the current age band, which applies to fully vaccinated patients aged five to 69, and non-fully vaccinated patients aged five to 49.
(Image: Ministry of Health)
MOH noted that among patients infected since January, the “vast majority” from most age groups have mild symptoms and can recover safely on their own.
“Even amongst the seniors, the incidence of severe illnesses have been low,” MOH said, citing some figures. Among seniors aged 60 to 69 who were infected, about 0.5 per cent of fully vaccinated and 1.8 per cent of non-fully vaccinated patients were treated as severe cases.
Among vaccinated seniors aged 70 to 79, 1.2 per cent fell severely ill after being infected, MOH said.
Among children, 4.5 per cent of three- to four-year-olds who attended emergency departments required admission and less than 1 per cent of them on home recovery programme were referred to the telemedicine providers for further management, MOH added.
With the changes, individuals under Protocol 2 with non-emergency conditions, including children, are “strongly advised” to avoid seeking treatment at the emergency departments of hospitals and to consult their primary care doctors or telemedicine providers should they require any medical assistance, MOH said.
“Individuals with non-emergency conditions turning up at emergency departments may be diverted to other urgent care clinics for further assessment, so as to prioritise these departments’ resources for patients requiring acute care,” MOH said.
It added that individuals may also be diverted for admission to COVID-19 treatment facilities for further monitoring, as long as they do not require hospitalisation.
These measures will allow the Government to respond “more nimbly” to the ongoing Omicron wave, Assoc Prof Mak said.
“These changes will allow us to continue providing appropriate care for those infected with COVID-19 while ensuring that our hospital resources remain reserved for those who have more severe infections,” he said.
“They will enable our public healthcare system to be more resilient and to be able to cope with increased demands on our healthcare manpower.”
SUSPENSION OF IN-PERSON VISITS TO HOSPITALS EXTENDED
MOH also said that it visits to all hospital wards and residential care homes will be suspended for another four weeks until Mar 20.
There will be a mid-point review after two weeks.
“Hospitals and homes have the discretion to allow visits for exceptional cases,” MOH said. “These visitors will continue to be subject to visitor management measures,” MOH said.
From Wednesday, MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) will progressively support nursing homes to care for their fully vaccinated COVID-19 residents who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic within their premises, but isolated from the other uninfected residents.
This will allow residents with COVID-19 to recover under the care of their nursing home provider who is also most familiar with their needs, MOH said.
Currently, nursing home residents infected with COVID-19 are moved from the nursing homes to recover at separate care facilities. However, the majority of Omicron cases in nursing homes were mildly symptomatic and generally did not require the level of medical care provided at hospitals or dedicated COVID-19 care facilities, MOH said.
MOH added that moving away from a familiar environment can be distressing to nursing home residents and disruptive to their holistic care.
“Residents assessed to be at higher risk, or who show signs of clinical deterioration, will continue to be conveyed to an appropriate care facility for further management,” MOH said.
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