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Health Risk Warnings (HRW) and Health Risk Alerts (HRA) will be sent out to individuals who may have come into contact with positive Covid-19 cases, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Monday (Sep. 6).

Those who receive HRWs must, by law, get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result from their first test.

Those served with HRWs will also be required to do Antigen Rapid Test (ART) tests thereafter, and another PCR test on the 14th day.

HRWs and HRAs to cast a wide net around potential cases

Once a cluster is identified, on top of quarantining of close contacts, MOH will issue HRWs and HRAs to individuals.

MOH elaborated that sending out HRWs and HRAs is meant to "cast a wide net around the cases" and to quickly contain the clusters.

MOH also expects that with the higher number of community cases reported recently, there will be more people being issued such HRWs or HRAs.

Mothership understands that the mandatory testing under HRW is subsidised by the government. For those who receive HRAs, they can see a doctor at a Public Health Preparedness Clinic and get a free test if they feel unwell.

HRWs and HRAs are not quarantine orders

MOH clarified that HRWs and HRAs are not quarantine orders.

Those who receive HRAs are not subject to the same actions required as those who receive HRWs, but are strongly encouraged to go for a PCR test as soon as possible.

MOH also encouraged those served with HRWs and HRAs to reduce their social interactions for 14 days.

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Top photo by Zhangxin Zheng