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The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is revising its protocol for travellers to Singapore who are residing in hotels, in the event that they test positive for Covid-19 or are identified as close contacts of Covid-19 cases.

Under the revised protocol, which starts from Dec. 20, travellers' hotel rooms will be the default place where they should isolate themselves.

They will only be allowed to move to alternative accommodation in limited circumstances.

STB said this revision is to "more closely align recovery protocols for visitors staying in hotels who test positive for Covid-19 with the protocols for local community cases".

The agency explained that this was due to the fact that "most visitors entering Singapore are fully vaccinated, at lower risk of severe illness, and are able to recover on their own even if they test positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Singapore".

What is the revised protocol?

From Dec. 20, travellers residing in hotels should recover or isolate in their hotel rooms by default, if:

• They test positive for Covid-19 on a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test
• They test positive for Covid-19 on an Antigen Rapid Test (ART)
• They receive a Health Risk Warning (HRW) after being identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 case

Test positive via PCR test

Those who test positive via PCR test must notify their hotel staff and the authorities.

They will be issued an isolation order and must remain in their accommodation for 10 days if fully vaccinated, and for 14 days if unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

The isolation order supersedes other testing requirements, and travellers should not leave their rooms to get tested.

Even if such travellers have a place of residence in Singapore, they should not make their own transport arrangements, and should instead seek assistance from their hotels to arrange for the Ministry of Health (MOH) to convey them to the residence.

Some would still be transferred to an appropriate care facility or hospital for recovery, however, such as those suspected or confirmed to have the Omicron variant, those whose accommodations are unsuitable for isolation, who have medical or social conditions which pose a higher health risk, or who are severely ill, said STB.

MOH has also previously said that all patients suspected or confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant will be conveyed to NCID for isolation and clinical management, and that home recovery will not apply.

Test positive via ART

STB outlined a few different categories of those who test positive via ART, with slightly different policies for each one:

• Travellers on VTL and those who have travel history in the last 10 days: Undergo a confirmatory PCR test at a Combined Test Centre, and self-isolate until receiving a negative result. If results are positive, they should follow the protocol above, for those who tested positive via PCR test.
• Travellers serving Stay Home Notice (SHN): Inform their hotel and undergo a confirmatory PCR test. If results are negative, they can continue with their SHN. If results are positive, they should follow the protocol above, for those who tested positive via PCR test.
• Travellers who completed SHN and mandatory testing regimes: Isolate where they are for the next 72 hours, unless otherwise advised by doctors. Those in hotels should inform hotel staff. If re-testing with ART after 72 hours is negative, they may resume normal activities. They may also take private transport to see a doctor if unwell, or if they wish to recover at an alternative residence, provided that they should take precautions like informing the private transport provider of their positive result, winding down the windows, sitting alone in the back seat, and not making any stops in between.

Receive HRW

As for those who receive a HRW, they should immediately isolate in their room or place of residence and test themselves with an ART on the same day.

They also need to submit the first day test results via MOH's website here.

If the test result is negative, they may proceed with normal activities for the day. They must continue to test ART negative each day before going out from Days 2 to 7. If they test ART negative on Day 7, they may cease further testing.

If they test positive at any point of time, they should adhere to the protocols above, for those who test positive via ART.

STB said travellers residing in the same hotel room as someone who tests positive for Covid-19 will receive a HRW and should move to a separate place of accommodation (such as another room in the hotel) as soon as possible.

However, should their close contacts turn out to be a suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant, the travellers will be issued a quarantine order and be quarantined at a designated facility instead.

Measures for hotel staff and guests

STB also outlined the measures that hotels must take to minimise the risks of Covid-19 transmission, including guidelines on the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ensuring minimal direct contact with guests who have tested positive for Covid-19 and their belongings, and health precautions such as frequent cleaning and disinfection of spaces.

"All hotels are expected to abide by these guidelines," said STB.

Meanwhile, STB also said hotel guests undergoing recovery or isolation in their rooms should exercise personal responsibility and adhere strictly to the stipulated isolation and testing protocols.

"They must not leave their rooms or use any shared facilities. If they require assistance, they may reach out to hotel staff or contact a telemedicine provider for medical advice. If any guests breach their IO by leaving their room, they will have committed an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act and may face enforcement action," added the agency.

Top image via runnyrem on unsplash

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