MOH Tightens Visitor Restrictions At Hospitals, Urges Everyone To Visit A&E For Emergencies Only

MOH Tightens Visitor Restrictions At Hospitals & Care Homes As Covid-19 Cases Rise

As Covid-19 cases in the community soar due to the XBB strain, the Health Ministry is taking steps to safeguard vulnerable members of our community.

From Friday (14 Oct), safe management measures (SMM) at all hospital wards and residential care homes will be tightened for four weeks.

Source: Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on Facebook

During this period, patients and care home residents will only be allowed to have two and four pre-designated visitors respectively. However, only one visitor is allowed to visit them at any one time.

Visitor restrictions at hospitals & care homes allow most visits to last up to 30 mins only

According to MOH’s media release on Wednesday (12 Oct), the ministry has introduced a suite of tightened SMMs in view of the rising community Covid-19 infections.

From 14 Oct to 10 Nov, patients in hospitals will only be permitted to have two pre-designated visitors for the duration of their stay.

However, only one of the two visitors will be allowed to be at a patient’s bedside at any one time.

There will be certain leeway for critically ill patients, who will be allowed up to five pre-designated patients and two visitors by their bedside at any one time.

While regular visitors can stay for up to 30 minutes only, those visiting patients requiring “additional care” may be allowed to stay longer than 30 minutes. These include:

• Critically ill patients
• Paediatric patients
• Birthing or post-partum mothers
• Patients who require additional care support

This will be decided on a case-by-case basis at the hospitals’ discretion.

Meanwhile, care home residents will be allowed to have up to four pre-designated visitors. But only one visitor is allowed to visit at any one time, for up to 30 minutes.

Visitors advised to test themselves on day of visit

To protect hospital patients and care home residents, visitors are urged to take an antigen rapid test on the day of their visits.

As Singapore experiences a new wave of Covid-19 cases, MOH also advised residents to head to the A&E in hospitals only for “emergency conditions”.

MOH seeks the understanding of all stakeholders as they help to reduce Covid-19 transmission in healthcare institutions.

They added that they would review and calibrate the measures in line with the evolving Covid-19 situation.

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Featured image adapted by MS News.