Reduce non-essential social activities for next two weeks to curb Covid-19 spread

[The_King]

SINGAPORE - All individuals in Singapore are being strongly urged to reduce non-essential social activities for the next two weeks, especially those who are old or living with elderly family members.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (Sept 6) said social circles should be limited to a small group of regular contacts, and social gatherings should be limited to one a day, whether to another household or in a public place.

"All individuals, including both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, should also self-test regularly with antigen rapid tests (ARTs), especially if we participate in higher-risk activities or attend large-scale events," the MOH said.

"These ART kits are now sold at most supermarkets and convenience stores," it added.

The latest advisory comes amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and the emergence of large clusters at bus interchanges, Bugis Junction and Changi General Hospital.

The number of new infection cases in the community almost doubled to more than 1,200 cases last week, up from around 600 cases the week before.

 

 

 

Speaking to the media on Monday, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, said that the new advisory is not mandatory and that the previously announced measures are not being rolled back.

But he added: "The more we circulate, the more we are out and about, there is always a chance that those circulating around so much may inadvertently become the source of the next superspreader event."

"We're trying to ask people, please hold back, particularly during this period where there are so many cases and where the virus is spreading so quickly. Just scale back, cut back your social interactions, if possible."

Meanwhile, social gatherings at the workplace will not be allowed from Wednesday.

The MOH said recent clusters in workplace settings have emerged because of lax safe management measures, especially in areas such as staff canteens and pantries, where people tend to let their guard down and interact without their masks on.

Tougher action will be taken if there are positive cases among workers who are infected, the ministry said.

"In particular, employers will be required to put in place a maximum work-from-home (WFH) requirement over a 14-day period, should one or more of their workers be found to have contracted Covid-19 and have returned to their workplace.

"This means that everyone in the company who can WFH will be required to do so. Those who are working from home should minimise social gatherings and leave their homes only for essential activities during this 14-day period."

More details will be released by Manpower Ministry soon, the MOH added.

 

 

 

 

 

[The_King]

Expanded testing, warnings and alerts among new measures to control Covid-19 in S'pore

 

 

SINGAPORE - With the number of weekly Covid-19 cases in Singapore doubling last week to more than 1,200, new measures were announced on Monday (Sept 6) to keep the situation under control.

They are to buy the country time to get more people vaccinated, and slow down transmission without having to go back to a state of heightened alert, or a circuit breaker, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19.

1. Health Risk Warnings (HRW) and Health Risk Alerts (HRA) will be issued when new clusters are detected

 

Workers in more sectors will now have to undergo mandatory fast and easy rostered routine testing. PHOTO: ST FILE

 

Once a cluster is identified, Health Risk Warnings (HRW) and Health Risk Alerts (HRA) will be issued to exposed individuals to contain the clusters quickly.

These warnings and alerts are not quarantine orders (QO), which are legal orders issued to isolate an individual who is, or is suspected to be, a carrier of an infectious disease; or contact of a person confirmed to have an infectious disease.

 

Those who receive a HRW will be required by law to get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result from their first test.

 

 

They will also be required to do antigen rapid test (ART) thereafter, and a PCR test on the 14th day.

Those who receive a HRA are not subject to actions required by the law but are strongly encouraged to go for a PCR test as soon as possible.

For both HRW and HRA, individuals should reduce their social interactions for 14 days.

READ FULL STORY: S'pore rolls out measures to slow down Covid-19 community cases, including health risk warnings and aggressive testing

 

2. Workers from more sectors to undergo fast and easy routine tests more frequently

 

Supermarket workers are among those who will now have to undergo mandatory fast and easy rostered routine testing. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

 

Workers in more sectors, including public transport front-line staff and supermarket workers, will now have to undergo mandatory fast and easy rostered routine testing.

Such tests will also have to be administered more frequently for these workers - from once a fortnight to once weekly.

These tests will continue to be administered primarily through Employer Supervised Self-Swab.

The Government will subsidise the costs of all tests under this enhanced surveillance regime, for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, until the end of this year.

3. All companies will get eight ART test kits per employee

 

All companies are expected to initiate weekly testing for their onsite staff. PHOTO: ST FILE

 

The Government will also issue to companies eight antigen rapid test (ART) kits per employee, to facilitate weekly testing of staff over a two-month period.

All companies are expected to initiate weekly testing for their onsite staff.

These tests can be administered by the individuals at home, or at the work premises. But employers should put in place a process to ensure that the tests are done properly, and report the results to respective government agencies.

4. Public advise to limit social gatherings to one a day

 

The Ministry of Health said social circles should be limited to a small group of regular contacts. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

 

For the next two weeks, people in Singapore are advised to limit themselves to one social gathering a day, whether to another household or in a public place. Social gatherings at workplaces are no longer allowed from Wednesday.

The Government will take tougher action if there are positive cases among infected workers.

In particular, employers will be required to put in place a maximum work-from-home requirement over a 14 day period, should one or more of their workers be found to have contracted Covid-19 and have returned to their workplace.

This means that everyone in the company who can work from home will be required to do so.

Those who are working from home should minimise social gatherings and leave their homes only for essential activities during this 14-day period.

READ FULL STORY: Reduce non-essential social activities for next two weeks to curb Covid-19 spread: Lawrence Wong

5. Covid-19 vaccine booster shots also being considered for younger adults

 

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said giving boosters to younger adults will not only protect them but also help to slow down transmission. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

 

Mr Mr Wong said on Monday that the Government is also studying the possibility of rolling out Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for younger adults.

"This will not only protect them, but also help to slow down transmission and further reduced," he said.

The Government had announced last week that it will be rolling out booster shots for seniors, starting from later this month.

READ FULL STORY: Younger adults may also get vaccine boosters as Singapore acts to prevent spike in Covid-19 cases

 

[The_King]

you ask me this is how i will know? @Huat Zai

 

well this is how we know, already say many many time

 

 

 

 

[The_King]

S'pore rolls out measures to slow down spread of Covid-19 community cases

 

 

SINGAPORE - Singapore will expand its testing regime more aggressively to keep the Covid-19 situation under control, as the number of new infections last week doubled to more than 1,200 - up from around 600 cases the week before.

Announcing a range of measures on Monday (Sept 6), Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said workers in more sectors will now have to undergo mandatory fast and easy rostered routine testing.

Previously, only workers in higher-risk settings such as food and beverage outlets, personal care services, and gym and fitness studios needed to undergo such tests.

Moving forward, retail mall workers, supermarket staff, last-mile delivery personnel - including parcel and food delivery workers - as well as public and private transport workers such as taxi drivers, private-hire car drivers and all public transport front-line staff, will have to do so as well.

The frequency of such mandatory testing will also be increased, from once a fortnight to once weekly, said Mr Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force handling the Covid-19 situation in Singapore.

These tests will continue to be administered primarily through the Employer Supervised Self-Swab scheme. The Government will subsidise the cost of all tests under this enhanced surveillance regime, for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, until the end of this year, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

 

 

More details on the enhanced surveillance regime will be released at a later date, MOH said.

The Government will also issue health risk warnings (HRW) and health risk alerts (HRA) to individuals who may have been exposed once a cluster is identified, in addition to ring-fencing close contacts of infected cases. Such warnings and alerts are not quarantine orders.

But individuals who receive a health risk warning will be required by law to get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result for their first test. They will also be required to do an antigen rapid test (ART) thereafter, and a PCR test on the 14th day.

Individuals who receive a health risk alert are not subject to actions required by the law, but are strongly encouraged to go for a PCR test as soon as possible.

 

For both HRW and HRA, individuals should reduce their social interactions for 14 days, said MOH.

 

With all these measures, we hope that we can help to slow down transmission without having to go back to (a state of) heightened alert, or a circuit breaker," Mr Wong told reporters in an interview at The Treasury.

MOH said Singapore's high vaccination coverage has allowed the country to keep the rate of severe illnesses and deaths low among vaccinated individuals. But unvaccinated individuals remain susceptible - over the last 28 days, 6.7 per cent of unvaccinated cases fell severely ill or died, it noted.

Meanwhile, the number of new infection cases in the community has almost doubled to more than 1,200 cases in the week ending on Sunday (Sept 5), up from around 600 cases in the week before.

To expand testing, the Government will also distribute ART kits to companies to facilitate weekly testing of their staff over a two-month period. Each firm will get eight ART kits per employee.

"With these kits, we expect all companies to initiate weekly testing for their onsite staff," said MOH.

While these tests can be administered by individuals at home or at the work premises, MOH said, employers should put in place a process to ensure that the tests are done properly, and report the results to respective government agencies.

More details on this will be made available at a later date.

 

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/spore-rolls-out-measures-to-slow-down-community-cases-including-health-risk

[The_King]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/covid-19-one-social-gathering-day-workplace-interactions-stop-2159361

[The_King]

@Huat Zai

 

see just like Like how we read PSI measurements on the news

[Satki]

ok so no atb for some people

 

can tahan bo?

 

 

[socrates469bc]

alrdy told u smelly peasants that murphy's law sure will happen one.

 

and the Great Leeder still go celebrate national day some more on the most yin day of the yr, shld burn more kim chua that nite instead of sing songs.

 

now, sure will bad luck for few mths liao.

 

lucky i bot more kim chua this time for the unexpected, so burn more and hopefully will not be suayed that badly by the Great Leeder.

 

wahahahahahhahah

 

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by socrates469bc

[Satki]

Just now, socrates469bc said:

alrdy told u smelly peasants that murphy's law sure will happen one.

 

and the Great Leeder still go celebrate national day some more on the most yin day of the yr, shld burn more kim chua that nite instead of sing songs.

 

now, sure will bad luck for few mths liao.

 

lucky i bot more kim chua this time for the unexpected, so burn more and hopefully will not be suayed that badly by the Great Leeder.

 

wahahahahahhahah

 

 

 

I offered you thanks for the extra kim chua you burn for the bros