Parliament
Curbs on visits to hospitals, care homes for 4 weeks
Hospital patients allowed to have 2 visitors; limits start tomorrow as Covid-19 cases rise
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There will be limits on the number of visitors at all hospital wards and residential care homes for four weeks starting tomorrow, to protect healthcare workers and the vulnerable as the number of Covid-19 cases rise in Singapore.
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said all patients will be allowed two pre-designated visitors, and only one visitor may be allowed at the bedside at any one time, until Aug 3.
Critically ill patients will be allowed up to five pre-designated visitors, with two allowed at the bedside at any one time. The visit will be limited to 30 minutes.
In exceptional situations, such as those involving critically ill patients, paediatric patients, birthing or post-partum mothers, and patients requiring additional care support, visitors may be allowed to stay beyond 30 minutes on a case-by-case basis at the hospitals' discretion.
Hospitals can impose stricter visitor limits or testing requirements for visitors of vulnerable or unvaccinated patients.
Visitors are reminded not to eat or drink in the wards or use the toilets for patients in the wards.
They should also avoid sitting on patients' beds, MOH said.
For in-person visits in homes, all residents will be allowed up to four pre-designated visitors, and only one visitor may visit at a time, and limited to 30 minutes.
Visitors should continue to schedule visits with the home ahead of time.
They should also adhere to prevailing safe management measures within the homes.
This includes remaining within the designated visitor areas outside of the wards, MOH said.
Visits may also have to be suspended if a home is managing active Covid-19 cases, MOH said.
For both hospitals and nursing homes, visitors are to ensure they are well, and are strongly urged to take an antigen rapid test on the day of the visit, MOH said.
They must wear face masks with good filtration capability at all times in the hospitals and homes.
These include surgical masks and reusable masks that are made of two layers of fabric.
Meanwhile, members of the public are encouraged to test and isolate themselves if unwell, and to seek medical care should their condition worsen.
They should seek medical treatment at a hospital's emergency department only for serious or life-threatening conditions, such as chest pain, breathlessness and uncontrollable bleeding, MOH said.
"This allows those with severe illness in need of emergency care to be attended to quickly and helps to preserve our hospital capacity for those who truly need acute hospital care," MOH added.
It will review and calibrate these measures regularly in line with the evolving situation.
There were 12,784 new Covid-19 cases recorded in Singapore yesterday, about double the 5,946 cases on Monday.
Visits to hospitals
CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS
- Allowed up to five pre-designated visitors
- Two visitors may be allowed at the bedside
- They may stay longer than 30 minutes on a case-by-case basis
NOT CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS
- Two pre-designated visitors
- Only one visitor may be allowed at the bedside at any one time
- Visit duration limited to 30 minutes
It also exceeded the 11,504 cases recorded on June 28, which had been the highest daily number of infections since March 22, when it was over 13,000.
Case numbers on Tuesdays tend to be higher compared with the rest of the week as they reflect the spike in infections after the weekend when more people are out in various social settings.
