MOH to set up new community care facilities for elderly Covid-19 patients; first to open in Tampines on Sept 23
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Sunday (Sept 19) that it is setting up new community care facilities for elderly Covid-19 patients who are generally well but have underlying illnesses, with the first, located in Tampines, to be operational on Sept 23.
This comes as the number of locally transmitted Covid-19 cases has been on the rise in recent weeks, MOH added in a press release.
The first such facility, which MOH calls a “stepped-up community care facility”, will be repurposed from the NTUC Health Nursing Home at 1 Tampines Street 22. It will have 250 beds.
Another community care facility at Connect@Changi will operate partly as a stepped-up one. It will be fully operational on Sept 24 and provide 50 more beds.
MOH said that these new facilities will cater to elderly patients who will likely not require oxygen support or treatment in the intensive care unit, but need close monitoring of their pre-existing conditions and any early signs of clinical deterioration.
“This will augment our hospital capacity, so that only those who actually need close and specialised medical attention, such as oxygen supplementation and intensive care, receive their medical care in our hospitals,” MOH said.
The facilities will have more medical and nursing manpower, as well as medical monitoring devices.
Suitable patients from nursing homes will also get priority for admission, which MOH said “will mitigate potential further spread within residential long-term care facilities should cases be detected among their residents”.
Those whose conditions deteriorate will be immediately sent back to hospitals.
MOH has also allowed Covid-19 patients to be conveyed and admitted to community care facilities around-the-clock, in order to expedite care for the increasing number of such patients.
MOH reiterated in its press release that those with mild symptoms should not go to accident and emergency departments at hospitals, but instead consult a general practitioner at Swab and Send Home clinics.
Similarly, those confirmed to be infected with Covid-19 but who are asymptomatic should continue to stay home and seek telemedicine consultation first if they start to feel unwell, unless they have severe symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, MOH added.
“This is to prevent fruitless trips to the A&E departments which may inadvertently increase the risk of them transmitting Covid-19 to the others in the community.”
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had explained on Sunday morning that to ensure hospitals and healthcare workers are not overburdened, the authorities are admitting some patients to community care facilities instead of hospitals.
