Coronavirus Singapore
CGH patients, visitors assured by stricter safety curbs
Steady stream of people seen at hospital yesterday despite Covid-19 cluster
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At Changi General Hospital, proactive surveillance swab testing to detect infections early and placing staff who were close contacts of Covid-19 cases on quarantine orders or leave of absence were among the measures taken.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Charmaine Ng, Sueanne Phee
Patients and visitors continued to make their way to Changi General Hospital (CGH) yesterday, in spite of the recent emergence of a cluster of Covid-19 cases linked to the hospital.
When The Straits Times visited the hospital, all visitors and patients were subjected to a strict process of registration and temperature-taking.
They were also required to fill in a form declaring if they had travelled abroad in the past 14 days or had any flu-like symptoms.
The form also asked visitors and patients whether they were currently serving stay-home notice, a quarantine order or under surveillance by the Ministry of Health (MOH), or have had close contact recently with a person with Covid-19.
So far, a total of 16 Covid-19 cases have been linked to CGH. They include porters and a healthcare assistant who work at the hospital.
However, details of six of the cases - three of which were announced on Tuesday and another three on Wednesday - are not known, as MOH no longer provides details on new cases detected in the community.
CGH also declined to comment on the six unknown cases, but ST understands they are not staff or patients of the hospital.
On Monday, CGH said it had stepped up measures since the first staff member under the cluster tested positive for Covid-19.
These included proactive surveillance swab testing to detect infections early, and placing staff who were close contacts of Covid-19 cases on quarantine orders or leave of absence, it said in a statement.
Currently, each CGH patient is allowed only one registered visitor in general wards, outpatient clinics and centres, and in the accident and emergency department.
Visits are also limited to 20 minutes. But no visitors are allowed for patients suspected or confirmed to have Covid-19.
Despite the cluster, it appeared to be business as usual yesterday morning at CGH, with a steady stream of visitors and patients.
Those interviewed said they were confident the safe management measures at CGH significantly reduce their risk of getting the virus.
Mr Jude Chang, 60, who was there for a check-up, said he was afraid because of the cluster, but believed in the precautions taken by MOH and CGH. "The Covid-19 situation is something we cannot control, but the precautions like social distancing reduce my fear when I have to go for my check-ups," said Mr Chang, who is semi-retired.
Mr Razali Salleh, 65, who visits CGH three times a week to have his meals, said he was not worried about getting Covid-19. "The measures taken are fantastic, and I don't feel scared. That is why I continue to come here to eat," said Mr Razali, who is unemployed.
