The Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) will be piloting the use of pre-event Covid-19 testing for larger-scale and higher-risk activities like weddings, live performances and other events, it announced on Oct. 20.

This is to reduce the risk of individuals with Covid-19 being present at events and to allow more large-scale events to resume in the future.

Pre-event testing

Participants to an event will be required to be tested shortly before the event, at the event venue or at a testing facility.

Only individuals who test negative will be allowed to take part in the event to prevent transmission.

MOH is exploring the use of antigen rapid tests that can produce "fairly accurate" results quickly as there is a need for shorter turnaround time for pre-event testing.

However, as antigen rapid tests have lower sensitivity, there is a chance that a person with Covid-19 might not be detected.

Thus, safe management measures such as wearing a mask, safe distancing and size and capacity limits will still be required at the event.

As antigen rapid tests are less accurate, there could be false positives, resulting in positive tests for those who are not even infected with Covid-19.

Might enable more events to resume in future

The pre-event testing will enable the Ministry of Health (MOH) to identify different models that can be implemented more widely so that more large-scale events can resume in the future.

From now till December 2020, selected events will be identified to trial the pre-event testing.

These events include:

• Business-to-business events
• Wedding receptions
• Live performances
• Sports events

For example, the pre-event testing will be piloted at a business-to-business event, Singapore International Energy Week held next week.

Following which, feedback from event organisers and participants will be collated.

If the pilot is successful, pre-event testing might be made available for more widespread use.

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Top photo by Luigi Pozzoli via Unsplash