All Covid-19 patients who are assessed to be clinically well by day 21 from the onset of the illness can now be discharged, without the need for two consecutive negative tests.
This new measure, which will take effect immediately, was announced by Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong at a virtual press conference on Thursday, May 28.
Covid-19 patients are no longer infectious by Day 21 of their illness
According to a position paper released by the National Centre of Infectious Diseases (NCID) and the Chapter of Infectious Disease Physicians, Covid-19 patients are no longer infectious by Day 11 of their illness, despite being tested positive for Covid-19.
The position paper states that based on accumulated data since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the infectious period of Covid-19 in symptomatic patients may begin around 2 days before the onset of symptoms, and persists for about seven to 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
Minister Gan has set an additional 10-day buffer, resulting in the 21-day period the government has arrived at.
As an added precaution, these patients will be required to stay at home for a further seven days, in order to rest and recover.
Migrant workers who live in dormitories and are discharged in this manner would be required to stay at their dormitories for the same duration.
After Day 28 of the onset of Covid-19, these individuals will then be allowed to return to work, Gan said.
According to Gan, this revised approach will allow recover patients that are no longer infectious to enter the community in a timely manner.
Top image from TTSH/FB.