Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates on Covid-19: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Contact tracing efforts will cast a wider net in identifying individuals who will need to isolate themselves.

Previously, close contacts of Covid-19 cases are identified by the Ministry of Health (MOH)and issued quarantine orders; they are either isolated at Government Quarantine Facilities or at home for 14 days from the last day of their exposure to an infected individual.

However, in his May 31 national address, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the household members of close contacts would also be included in the contact tracing efforts.

According to a press release by MOH, this will come into affect immediately.

A more aggressive approach

"Our experience has shown that if a close contact is infected, he is quite likely to infect others who stay with him in the same household," said PM Lee.

"Therefore, in future, when we identify a close contact of an infected case, we will not only isolate him — the first-degree contact — and test him for Covid-19, we will also notify his household members to isolate themselves immediately, without waiting to see whether the first degree contact tests positive."

The new measure will see all household members of the quarantined close case isolated at home and minimising their social interactions.

Households will be relieved from their isolation when the close contact tests negative for Covid-19.

Conversely, if the close contact were to return a positive test, PM Lee said that "precious time" would be saved by isolating household members earlier.

"This more aggressive approach will help us to shut down clusters more quickly and with fewer cases," he added.

Contact tracing improved, helped with recent clusters

The prime minister also praised Singapore's contact tracing efforts, saying "our contact tracing operations have vastly improved".

"The contact tracers are working faster and better, because they have more experience and skills, and better tools."

He cited the efficiency and effectiveness of TraceTogether and SafeEntry in identifying cases linked to clusters at White Sands, JEM and Westgate, and NTUC Foodfare in Anchorvale.

PM Lee also acknowledged the "self-discipline, public spirit, and support," Singaporeans had lent to TraceTogether and SafeEntry in aiding the nation's contact tracing efforts.

MOH has so far confirmed 63 cases of infection linked to the JEM and Westgate cluster.

Four confirmed cases have been linked to an employee of a Wok Hey outlet at White Sands, while seven cases are linked to an NTUC Foodfare at 308 Anchorvale Road.

Related stories:

Top image by John T via Unsplash