MPs for East Coast, Tanjong Pagar GRCs test positive for COVID-19

SINGAPORE: Members of Parliament Tan Kiat How (PAP-East Coast) and Eric Chua (PAP-Tanjong Pagar) have tested positive for COVID-19.

They posted about their illness on their Facebook pages on Thursday (Feb 3).

Mr Tan, who is also Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development, said that he tested positive for COVID-19 over Chinese New Year and spent the period isolated in his study.

He "hardly had symptoms", and did not have fever or sore throat, said Mr Tan. 

“I just felt slightly more tired than usual which I thought was due to running errands to prep for CNY," added Mr Tan in his post.

"I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t been doing almost daily ART (antigen rapid test)," he said.

Under Protocol 2 by the Ministry of Health, individuals who test positive but are well, or have been assessed by a doctor to have a mild condition, should isolate themselves at home for 72 hours.

"Over the next few days, I didn’t step out of the study except to use the bathroom and to collect my meals, which were left on the floor outside the study," said Mr Tan.

He performed daily ARTs thereafter and subsequently tested negative on Day 4 on Thursday.

“With Omicron being highly transmissible, my wife and I have been mentally prepared for such a scenario. Still, it was rather unexpected,” said Mr Tan.

Mr Tan said his wife tested positive on Wednesday and they "scrambled to pack" their 18-month-old son’s belongings and sent him to his grandparents to be taken care of, he said.

"We’re checking in constantly on Isaac and hoping he stays well," said Mr Tan.

“On this note, I must say I fully empathise with parents of young kids who say that they worry about bringing COVID home to their family. It is nerve-wrecking to keep wondering whether you have infected your kid,” he said.

FEELING "HEATY"

Mr Chua, who is also Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Social and Family Development, said that he had shared on his social media that he was feeling a little “heaty” on Wednesday night.

“Turns out I was actually COVID positive,” said Mr Chua.

As a precaution and as part of his routine, Mr Chua tested himself on Thursday morning. He had disrupted sleep due to body aches and a low-grade fever the night before, he said. 

When he saw a “faint line” on the test that showed that he was positive, he double-masked and drove himself to the nearest private clinic, he said.

He was placed on Protocol 2 and will be “free to roam” if he tests negative on Sunday, he said. 

“I’m still experiencing some light symptoms and I do apologise for the several cancelled events over the next few days - my sincere apologies. Hope to be back once I complete Protocol 2, and till then, take care everyone!!” he wrote.