Debated in Parliament on 13 Sep 2021.
Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what will be the hospitalisation visitation guidelines under the COVID-19 endemic model; and (b) whether visitation policies can be relaxed or have further exceptions made for a patient in critical condition especially if visitors are fully vaccinated and willing to don the necessary protective gear.
We have a responsibility to protect patients and staff in our hospitals from COVID-19 infections. We have had several clusters in the hospitals, have had to close wards, and subject patients and healthcare workers to testing and quarantine.
Given the risk of infections brought in by visitors, from 19 August 2021 onwards, unvaccinated visitors to hospital wards will need to have a valid negative antigen rapid test (ART) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result obtained within the 24 hours prior to their visit. Fully vaccinated persons can also get infected and can shed the virus, but because they have a lower risk of spreading the infection, we will allow these vaccinated visitors to enter hospital wards without the need for a pre-visit COVID-19 test.
All visits will be limited to 30 minutes. Each patient can register up to two visitors for each admission, with only one visitor at the patient’s bedside at any time. Patients who are very ill can register up to five visitors, with two visitors allowed at the patient’s bedside at any time. All visitors to the hospital must wear a high filtration efficiency face mask at all times. They must not eat or drink in the hospital wards. They must not use the patients’ toilets in the wards and they must avoid sitting on patients’ beds.
As we transit into the endemic stages of COVID-19, MOH will monitor the exposure risks in our hospitals and adjust the hospital visitation policy accordingly.
PAPERCUTS