As Singapore loosens some of its circuit breaker measures, it's entirely possible we may start seeing more new Covid-19 cases arising from increased contact between individuals.
Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong warned of this potential phenomenon at a press conference on May 12, saying, "all of us have to be prepared that new cases may well emerge. It’s inevitable."
New Zealand cautiously emerged from lockdown with a relatively low number of confirmed Covid-19 cases and fatalities, having "won that battle" against widespread community transmission. Earlier, their Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged people to "act like you have Covid-19".
A nifty way of encouraging her citizens and residents to take the strictest possible precautions against the potential spread of the virus.
Closer to home, as the circuit breaker measures continue to be loosened in the weeks ahead, one way to apply that thinking is to prepare for the worst — including preparing for a situation where, who knows, you do happen to get Covid-19.
Here are just a few reasons why it's a good idea to have a "Covid-19 go bag":
- Having these items ready will ensure that frontliners won't have to deal with your non-medical requests. It's something you can do to help the healthcare workers out there clocking 12-hour shifts.
- It reduces your contact with others in your household once you're a confirmed case. If you're already packed, you won't need to move around your house searching for things.
- Bear in mind that you aren't likely to be in a great state to bustle about and pack a bag, especially if you come down with Covid-19 symptoms (such as fever, breathlessness, and body aches),
Prepare for a long journey through multiple facilities
To reduce the burden on the healthcare system, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has adopted a strategy of tiered facilities to support the different needs of Covid-19 patients who are affected by the virus in a myriad different ways.
Here's how a patient may move from facility to facility, starting with the onset of symptoms:
And here's a recap of what these facilities are for:
- Public hospitals: Severe cases requiring intensive and acute care will be warded here.
- Private and community hospitals: For patients with less serious acute clinical conditions.
- Community Care Facilities (CCF): For patients with mild or no symptoms.
- Community Recovery Facilities (CRF): For patients who have remained well for 14 days and are clinically stable.
- Swab Isolation Facilities (SIF): For those who are waiting for swab results, but cannot self-isolate at home.
It is possible, or even likely, that you would be transferred between multiple facilities, as you go through the different stages of illness.
Patients could be transferred from hospitals and CCFs (and vice versa), as their condition improves (or worsens) over the course of their illness.
It's thus entirely conceivable that your Covid-19 journey could be as follows:
PHPC → SIF → Public Hospital ⇄ CCF → CRF → Home
There's so much transferring expected that a fleet of specially converted SMRT buses has even been prepared to help with this:
Median number of days till full recovery: 11
According to an unoffical tabulation of MOH case details by a data analyst in Singapore, patients among the first 100 fully recovered Covid-19 cases here have taken between one and 31 days to be discharged. The median number of days before discharge was 11.
So if you're preparing yourself to be admitted in a hospital or recovery facility, you might want to pack enough clothes for that many days.
There is also an MOH requirement that "two swab tests at least 24 hours apart [...] have to be negative before patients can be discharged".
This means that a patient who is relatively well-recovered could test negative multiple times and still not be allowed to go home, because those negative results are interspersed with positive ones.
With that in mind, here are some things to consider in getting ready for this journey:
1. Start tracking your movements in a calendar or diary
Photo by Nigel Chua.
Keep your diary updated with your movements and appointments, because one of the top priorities in dealing with a confirmed case is contact tracing, regardless where you happen to be sent to first.
Tip: give your close contacts a heads-up
Once you test positive and are confirmed as a Covid-19 case, your close contacts will all need to be quarantined.
While official contact tracers will eventually reach out to them, you can help by giving your family / housemates / co-workers a heads-up as soon as you learn that your result has come back positive.
Besides giving you an opportunity to break the news to your close contacts by yourself, it also makes things easier for contact tracers, who may otherwise be mistaken for phone scammers:
You can also remind them to note the following, as per MOH's official FAQs:
- Take down the number which the caller is calling from
- Call MOH’s general hotline at 6325 9220 and provide them the caller’s number
- If the call is authentic, the contact tracing team will call you back within 30mins to 1 hour.
Keeping a diary during the period of your illness can also help you to keep track of your progress in terms of symptoms, and monitor your own recovery.
2. Travel light
Photo by Nigel Chua.
One of the common symptoms of Covid-19 is breathlessness. It's been described as a severe flu, and many confirmed patients experience high fevers and accompanying body aches.
Therefore, it's important to pack light. A small piece of luggage with wheels is ideal, as this will make things easier when you (or the poor frontline worker helping you) need to move your things from facility to facility.
3. Sleep essentials
If you end up at the CCF at Singapore EXPO, for instance, you can expect to stay in a cubicle, simply furnished with a bed, a table, a chair, a little cupboard, and a lamp:
A room at the Singapore EXPO CCF. Photo courtesy of Felix Tay.
Basic bedding is provided at CCFs, with some being donated from Indonesia.
You may wish to bring your own, however, as this should help your recovery by making you more comfortable. You're a Covid-19 patient, so your top priority should be to rest and recover.
Photo by Nigel Chua.
Besides surgical masks, an eye mask and ear plugs would come in handy as well. According to one account, the lights come on at 7am, so you might want to sleep in a little longer than that.
Also, it's hard to imagine that there would be many quiet moments, given the massive scale of some of the CCFs (as many as 950 patients in two halls at EXPO).
4. Clothing
Photo by Nigel Chua.
Except for hospitals, where you'll probably be dressed in hospital gowns, you will need your own clothing at any of the other types of facilities, whether you're at an SIF while awaiting test results, or decanted to a CCF or CRF to recover.
Various community groups, including nurses who rallied their family and friends, have been gathering clean clothing for patients who had been sent to the hospitals and were then transferred to a CCF. You might prefer to bring your own, however.
Also, depending on which CCF you end up at, you may need to do your own laundry, so lightweight clothes that dry easily are advisable.
5. Toiletries
Photo by Nigel Chua.
Yes, there are showers at CCFs.
And yes, there are heaters. But do bring your toiletries.
A toilet converted into a shower cubicle at EXPO CCF. Photo courtesy of Felix Tay.
Flip flops / slippers will come in handy as well, since the shower cubicles in most facilities (except the CCF at D'Resort) are not going to be ensuite.
6. Entertainment
If, or when, you are transferred to a CCF or CRF, you'll be under an isolation order, which is the equivalent of a quarantine order.
Because of this, you'll face harsh penalties if you leave the facility for no good reason.
On the bright side, if your employer demands that you telecommute from the facility, you do have the option to refer them to this Gov.sg article that says you are to be treated as if you were on paid hospitalisation leave.
So make sure you have the appropriate apps on your laptop (or phone) for work (or play), and pack any needed associated accessories too.
Photo by Nigel Chua.
It might be a good time to also review your insurance policies and finally call your agent bro, as banks and insurance companies have special payouts for Covid-19, bro.
This is on top of the fact that the Singapore government will cover the cost of Covid-19 hospitalisation for Singapore citizens, residents, and Long Term Pass Holders, unless you travelled abroad from Mar. 27 in spite of travel advisories.
7. Checklist
Finally, here's a list of items that can be donated* to the CCF at Singapore EXPO, which also serves as a useful packing list:
1. Towels
2. Bedsheet
3. Pillow Case
4. Eye Mask
5. Ear Plug
6. Water Bottle
7. Cup
8. Stirrers
9. Shampoo
10. Bath Gel
11. Disinfectant Wipes
12. Washing Powder (small packets)
13. Toilet Paper
14. Water Soluble Bag (dissolves in warm water, helps protect staff from contaminated laundry)
15. Black Garbage Bag
16. Toothbrush
17. Toothpaste
18. Flip Flops
19. Disposable shaver
20. Nail Clippers
21. Brand new clothing
22. Surgical Masks
(* note that Singapore EXPO's partners managing the CCF are currently not soliciting donations, but may accept items after a review)
Happy preparing, and may you not ever really need your Covid-19 go-bag. But if you do, at least know that you'll be ready.
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Top photo by Nigel Chua. Graphics by Tan Guan Zhen.