Covid-19 Guide

Last updated 29 Aug 2022

It would be easier to read the tables with your device placed horizontally.

Table 1: Protocols Comparison
Visited doctor, did PCR, test positive Visited doctor*, did ART, test positive (Where?) Tested positive using ART at Test Centre
(Where?) 		Self-test ART positive
MC Until discharge from facility usually 5 days usually 5 days No No
3 Free ARTs (Where?) Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Telemedicine Free. MOH will call. Free. MOH will call. No No No
Submit ART Follow facility advice Only if you want to end isolation on day 4-6 No No No
Hotline Care facility or Health Recovery Buddy: 6874 4939 HRB 6916 0190 6916 0190 6916 0190
Recovery HealthCert with exemption from RRT/PET/VDS from Notarise using Singpass login No
Exemption from re-diagnosis within 90 days Probably Probably Probably Probably No
Counted in daily numbers Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Alternative classification Protocol 1 - Community Care Facility Protocol 1 - Home Recovery Protocol 2 - Primary Care Protocol 2 - Supervised ART Protocol 2

HRN (Protocol 3) for close contacts will no longer be issued.

*From July 1 2022, the flat $5 to $10 fee will no longer apply at PHPCs and polyclinics for respiratory infection treatment. There will no longer be subsidies for telemedicine except for those under Protocol 1. Emergency department charges will no longer be waived for vaccinated Singapore citizens, PRs and long-term pass holders with Covid-19 deemed not to require hospital admission. Those assessed to require admission will continue to have their charges and inpatient bills fully subsidised.

Table 2: For vaccinated or below 12 years old. For others, repeat day 4 until day 13. day 14 noon you can leave house.
Daily ART Symptoms Do I need to isolate at home?
Day 1 Official test positive Yes
Day 2-3 Isolate, don't test Yes
Day 4-6 Positive Yes
No test
Negative Yes You can go out, but you should stay at home.
No You can go out as per normal.
Day 7 Positive Isolate until noon. You can go out after noon, but you should continue to stay home.
No test
Negative Yes You can go out, but you should stay at home.
No You can go out as per normal.

Not an official document. Table provided by Julien.

Frequenty Asked Questions (FAQ)

Source: The Straits Times

Previous update:

Source: ChannelNewsAsia

You are allowed to leave house from 12pm legally. You should minimise social interactions and mask off activities.

If you’re still testing positive but

  • 10 days has passed since your first positive ART (20 days of you’re immunocompromised)
  • the ART positive line is getting fainter or taking longer to appear
  • no symptoms or mild symptoms (no fever)

You are extremely unlikely transmit Covid-19.

If you plan to interact with the vulnerable, you should wait until

  • you no longer test positive
  • your symptoms have resolved

The above advice is for Omicron variant. Source

Note: The above data is for Delta variant which has a longer incubation time. The percentages are expected to be lower for Omicron. Source

Primary series:

  • 2 mRNA (Pfizer & Moderna);
  • 3 Sinovac or Sinopharm;
  • 1 JNJ; or
  • 2 AstraZeneca, Covishield, Covaxin or Novavax

Primary series and booster recommended but not required for aged 5-12.

Primary series completed: For aged 12 and above, please take your booster (e.g. 1 mRNA or 2 Sinovac) between 5 months and 270 days from last dose.

  • If you have been infected, you can take your booster from 1 month after recovery, although the recommendation is 3 months after recovery.

Primary series + 1 booster completed: 2nd booster not needed.

  • Recommended for aged 60 and above; and
  • aged 18 and above with chronic conditions. No doctor referral needed.
  • Available for aged 50-59. No appointment needed.

Your booster dose will need at least a day to be updated into MOH's system.

  • Get an official test at a SASH clinic.
  • Fill up this form.
  • Priority will be given to vulnerable Covid positive individuals.
  • You cannot choose where you will be sent to.
  • The process will take at least 24h so you will still need to find ways to self isolate at home.
  • If you choose to pay for your own hotel room, you should check with the hotel if they accept Covid positive individuals.

The top 20 Covid symptoms according to the data from the Zoe App study are:

  • Sore throat - reported by 58%
  • Headache - 49%
  • Blocked nose - 40%
  • Cough no phlegm - 40%
  • Runny nose - 40%
  • Cough with phlegm - 37%
  • Hoarse voice - 35%
  • Sneezing - 32%
  • Fatigue - 27%
  • Muscle pains/aches - 25%
  • Dizzy light-headed - 18%
  • Swollen neck glands - 15%
  • Eye soreness - 14%
  • Altered smell - 13%
  • Chest pain tightness - 13%
  • Fever - 13%
  • Chills or shivers - 12%
  • Shortness of breath - 11%
  • Earache - 11%
  • Loss of smell - 10%

HealthHub app > 3 horizontal line menu > Personal Health > Lab Test Results > Covid-19 Testing (PCR)
Not detected = negative
Detected = "positive"
CT may be labelled as "target" or "gene"

The lower it is, the more infectious you are. It is assumed that above 25, you are not infectious. CT 25 is the detection threshold for ART. This means if you take an ART when your CT for PCR is above 25, the ART will show negative results.

Some labs do not provide CT value.

If you caught the virus from your family during the same period, you do not need to worry getting re-infected by them.

From 1 November 2021 to 25 March 2022, 8,845 cases of reinfection were detected in Singapore. The vast majority of reinfection cases are mild, with one case requiring ICU admission and two deaths reported. The majority of reinfection cases are below 60 years of age. Source: MOH

The duration between initial infection and subsequent reinfection varied, with an average of about 300 days. Source: ChannelNewsAsia

Those infected in Jan-Apr 2022, the probability of getting infected again is 3% that of an individual who has never been infected by Covid-19 (Note: This does not mean a 3% chance of re-infection!). This rises to 20% for those infected by Delta in 2021. Source: The Straits Times

Yes. C+ shortly after D1 of vaccination will not invalidate the dose. However, they will still need an additional dose 90 days after C+ as they are not fully vaccinated before C+.

SMS will be sent to C-, or recovered individuals 90 days after testing positive.

You can also accompany your kid to walk-in to paediatric vaccination centres, without appointment Mon-Thu before 7pm, after the 90 days. Longer queues may be expected without appointment.

Adults can also walk-in to vaccination centres after 90 days.

Other Useful Information

MOM Advisory on Work and Leave Arrangements for Employees Who Test Positive for COVID-19

Do not return to the workplace if under self-isolation. You should be allowed to work from home if you are physically well. If working from home is not possible, employers should treat the period of absence as paid sick leave without requiring a MC.

If you have been given a 5-day MC by a doctor, it should also be treated as paid sick leave.

go.gov.sg/advisory-art-positive

MC not required for students who test positive for Covid-19

MOE reply on The Straits Times

National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am-12am daily)

Mental Well-being

  • Fei Yue’s Online Counselling Services
  • Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline (6389-2222) (24h)
  • Samaritans of Singapore (1-767) (24h)
  • Silver Ribbon Singapore (6385-3714)
  • Tinkle Friend (1800-274-4788
  • Community Health Assessment Team (6493-6500/1)

Marital and parenting issues

  • Community Psychology Hub’s Online Counselling platform

Violence or abuse

  • Big Love Child Protection Specialist Centre (6445-0400)
  • HEART @ Fei Yue Child Protection Specialist Centre (6819-9170)
  • PAVE Integrated Services for Individual and Family Protection (6555-0390)
  • Project StART (6476-1482)
  • TRANS SAFE Centre (6449-9088)

Counselling

  • TOUCHline (Counselling) (1800 377 2252)
  • TOUCH Care Line (for seniors, caregivers) (6804-6555)
  • Care Corner Counselling Centre (1800-353-5800)

For other Helplines and mental health-related support

Special needs caregivers: If you need emotional support, you can speak to CaringSG via WhatsApp (8023 3150)

  • Isolate yourself at home, preferably (but not required) with an attached toilet.
  • Keep windows open and switch on a fan to keep your room well ventilated.
  • Monitor your temperature, pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation levels daily.
  • Wear a mask if you need to leave the room.
  • Ensure no one is outside the door and do not interact with anyone when collecting items outside your door.
  • All C+ or recovered within 3 months can share the same room

Getting Meals: Eat in your room with your own set of cutlery. Your household members can help you to wash after each meal.

Washing Laundry: Place your laundry in a bag outside your door. Your family may wash your laundry together with theirs, but they should empty your bag of laundry directly into the washing machine and avoid handling your clothes directly with their hands

If you do not have an attached bathroom:

  • Designate a specific bathroom for Covid positive (C+) individual(s) and other household members should use another bathroom
  • If a single bathroom has to be shared, clean and disinfect after each use
  • Close the lid before flushing.
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