SINGAPORE: In-person visits to all hospital wards and residential care homes will be suspended for four weeks from Jan 24 to Feb 22, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Jan 21).
This is to “better protect our patients and healthcare workers”, particularly in settings with vulnerable people, amid a looming Omicron wave, MOH said.
The suspension will apply to public acute hospitals, community hospitals and private hospitals.
During this period, the institutions have the discretion to allow visits for “exceptional cases”, such as if the patient or resident is critically ill. Visitors would be subjected to visitor management measures.
To ensure patients and residents can stay connected with their loved ones, the institutions will also continue to support communication through telephone or video calls.
As Singapore readies for a wave of COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant, healthcare protocols are also being streamlined.
More COVID-19 patients - including all children aged 5 to 11, regardless of vaccination status - will now qualify for the MOH's Protocol 2, which will allow patients to recover in the community.
Under Protocol 2, individuals who are usually asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms have to self-isolate for 72 hours, and may return to normal activities if they test negative after this.
It is part of a broader set of health protocols that were revised earlier this month, so as to assess COVID-19 cases based on the severity of their symptoms and individual risk factors.
In addition, patients under Protocol 1, who are recovering well and whose symptoms have improved, may also now transit to Protocol 2.
Those under Protocol 1 are typically those who are unwell, who may be sent to an isolation facility depending on their risk level.
“(The move) means that they can be discharged earlier and return to normal activities if they test negative on a self-administered ART taken 72 hours or more after their first positive COVID-19 test,” said MOH.
These changes will be progressively implemented in the next few weeks, where Protocol 2 can be applied to “all low-risk, asymptomatic individuals” in Protocol 1 settings.
At a press conference by the multi-ministry taskforce for COVID-19, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said: “It’s important for us to make this move, because that way we can handle this large wave without over-burdening the health response system, and medical care can go to those who need it the most.”
But MOH added that those who test ART positive at non-clinical settings, but who identify themselves as potentially at-risk should still visit a doctor for medical advice, even if they feel well.
The maximum isolation period for fully vaccinated individuals, and children below 12, for both Protocols 1 and 2 will also be cut from 10 days to 7 days.
But the maximum isolation period for unvaccinated individuals aged 12 years old and above will remain at 14 days for both Protocols 1 and 2.
This comes as studies by the National Centre for Infectious Disease have shown that the viral load for Omicron infections is lower than for the Delta variant throughout the infection period, said Mr Ong.
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This is to “better protect our patients and healthcare workers”, particularly in settings with vulnerable people, amid a looming Omicron wave, MOH said.
The suspension will apply to public acute hospitals, community hospitals and private hospitals.
During this period, the institutions have the discretion to allow visits for “exceptional cases”, such as if the patient or resident is critically ill. Visitors would be subjected to visitor management measures.
To ensure patients and residents can stay connected with their loved ones, the institutions will also continue to support communication through telephone or video calls.
PROTOCOL 2 EXPANDED
As Singapore readies for a wave of COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant, healthcare protocols are also being streamlined.
More COVID-19 patients - including all children aged 5 to 11, regardless of vaccination status - will now qualify for the MOH's Protocol 2, which will allow patients to recover in the community.
Under Protocol 2, individuals who are usually asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms have to self-isolate for 72 hours, and may return to normal activities if they test negative after this.
It is part of a broader set of health protocols that were revised earlier this month, so as to assess COVID-19 cases based on the severity of their symptoms and individual risk factors.
In addition, patients under Protocol 1, who are recovering well and whose symptoms have improved, may also now transit to Protocol 2.
Those under Protocol 1 are typically those who are unwell, who may be sent to an isolation facility depending on their risk level.
“(The move) means that they can be discharged earlier and return to normal activities if they test negative on a self-administered ART taken 72 hours or more after their first positive COVID-19 test,” said MOH.
These changes will be progressively implemented in the next few weeks, where Protocol 2 can be applied to “all low-risk, asymptomatic individuals” in Protocol 1 settings.
At a press conference by the multi-ministry taskforce for COVID-19, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said: “It’s important for us to make this move, because that way we can handle this large wave without over-burdening the health response system, and medical care can go to those who need it the most.”
But MOH added that those who test ART positive at non-clinical settings, but who identify themselves as potentially at-risk should still visit a doctor for medical advice, even if they feel well.
ISOLATION PERIOD REDUCED
The maximum isolation period for fully vaccinated individuals, and children below 12, for both Protocols 1 and 2 will also be cut from 10 days to 7 days.
But the maximum isolation period for unvaccinated individuals aged 12 years old and above will remain at 14 days for both Protocols 1 and 2.
This comes as studies by the National Centre for Infectious Disease have shown that the viral load for Omicron infections is lower than for the Delta variant throughout the infection period, said Mr Ong.
Continue reading...