FURTHER EASING OF MEASURES FOR IN-PERSON VISITS TO HOSPITALS AND RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES

         The Ministry of Health (MOH) will further ease measures for in-person visits to hospitals and residential care homes (‘Homes’) from 26 April 2022. These include allowing in-person visits for all individuals (i.e. patients, residents and visitors) regardless of vaccination status.

2.     MOH had earlier announced the resumption of in-person visits to hospitals and Homes from 4 April 2022 for fully-vaccinated individuals and those who are medically ineligible for COVID-19 vaccination. With the further easing of community measures from 26 April 2022, there will also be adjustments to the safe management measures (SMMs) for in-person visits to hospitals and Homes. 

3.     As hospitals and Homes are settings with vulnerable individuals and there is a need to protect them from infection, hospitals and Homes may continue to put in place certain SMMs such as pre-registration of visitors for patients in Hospitals, and to allow only two visitors at the bedside each time to avoid crowding in the wards/Homes. 

4.     As part of social responsibility, all visitors are encouraged to administer a COVID-19 self-test prior to visiting their loved ones at the hospital or Home. Visitors should not visit their loved ones if they are feeling unwell. All visitors entering the hospital wards or Homes must don face masks with good filtration capability at all times. These include surgical masks and reusable masks that are made of two layers of fabric. Visitors are reminded not to eat or drink in the hospital wards or residential areas of the Homes, or use the toilets designated for patients/residents in the wards/Homes. They should also avoid sitting on patients’/residents’ beds. They should also abide by the hospital’s visiting hours and do not disturb other patients from their rest.

5.     Visits to Homes will be capped at one hour to allow all families the opportunity to visit their loved ones. Visitors should continue to schedule the visits with the Home ahead of time. We also seek the understanding of visitors that visits may have to be suspended if a Home is managing active COVID-19 cases. Next-of-kin of residents may approach the Home for further details.  
  
6.     Our hospitals are still seeing a higher than usual non-COVID workload. We seek the public’s continued cooperation to comply with the measures and remain socially responsible to keep patients/residents safe even as we take strides towards normalcy.