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Singapore

Travellers staying in Singapore hotels to recover in rooms if they test positive for COVID-19

This also applies to travellers who have been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case and received a health risk warning.

Travellers staying in Singapore hotels to recover in rooms if they test positive for COVID-19

Interior of a hotel room. (Photo: iStock)

SINGAPORE: Travellers staying in hotels who test positive for COVID-19 will soon be able to isolate in their hotel rooms by default, instead of being taken to a care facility.

This takes effect on Dec 20, and it also applies to travellers identified as close contacts of coronavirus cases.

It will "more closely align" recovery protocols for visitors with that for local community cases, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a media release on Thursday (Dec 16). Home recovery is the default arrangement for most local COVID-19 cases.

"In line with current home recovery protocols, telemedicine support will be made available to guests recovering in their rooms," said STB.

"Travellers will continue to be responsible for the costs associated with recovery, testing and treatment, including any necessary extended stay in hotels or care facilities."

However, suspected or confirmed Omicron cases will be taken to a designated care and isolation facility. Close contacts of these cases will also have to serve their quarantine order at a designated facility.

Travellers who tested positive before Dec 20 and who are already recovering in care facilities will continue to serve out their isolation period there.

POSITIVE RESULT ON PCR TEST

Travellers who are notified of a positive COVID-19 PCR result while staying in a hotel should remain isolated in their rooms, notify hotel staff, complete an online form and wait for further instructions on their recovery procedure.

If they are fully vaccinated, the isolation order will be 10 days. Otherwise, they will have to remain in their rooms for 14 days.

They will automatically be discharged without further tests at the end of their isolation orders, STB said.

“The isolation order will supersede any testing requirements they may have originally been subject to,” the tourism board added.

Hotel guests who have a home in Singapore and who wish to recover there may seek the hotels’ assistance to have the Ministry of Health (MOH) take them to their accommodation, STB said, adding that visitors should not make their own transport arrangements.

Those who have medical or social conditions which pose a higher health risk, or who are severely ill, will be transferred to a care facility or hospital.

Travellers who test positive for COVID-19 but are not staying in hotels should not check into rooms, STB said.

“If their household environment is unsuitable for home recovery, they should inform MOH which will arrange for their transfer to an appropriate care facility,” it added.

For vaccinated travel lane visitors who test positive on their mandatory daily ARTs, they are required to self-isolate until they receive the results of their confirmatory PCR test.

HEALTH RISK WARNING 

Travellers identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case and received a health risk warning should isolate in their room or home and take ART on the same day, STB said. They must submit their test result via an online form.

If the test is negative, they may go ahead with normal activities for the day. From days two to seven, they must continue to test ART negative each day before going out, STB said. They may stop testing if the result is negative on the seventh day. 

If they test positive at any point during the seven days, they will have to isolate themselves for the next 72 hours and re-test with an ART after that. 

Travellers who are staying in the same hotel room as those who test positive for COVID-19 will similarly receive a health risk warning and should move to a separate place of accommodation such as another room in the hotel as soon as possible, STB added.

“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,” the agency said. 

Guests who breach their isolation order by leaving their room will have committed an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act and may face enforcement action, it added.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

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Source: CNA/ng(gs)

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