COLLECTION OF FREE ANTIGEN RAPID TEST KITS FROM VENDING MACHINES FOR SELF-TESTS GIVEN EMPHASIS ON PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

NOTICE PAPER NO. 803
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 2 NOVEMBER 2021

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song 
MP for Aljunied GRC

Question No. 2106

To ask the Minister for Health in view of the updated health protocols announced on 8 October 2021 emphasising personal responsibility, self-management and a greater reliance on antigen rapid tests (ART), whether the Government will allow individuals to collect free ART kits for their own regular testing, from designated vending machines, to supplement the free kits that will be distributed to all households from October to December 2021.

Answer

Each individual who receive a Health Risk Warning (HRW) can collect six Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits from vending machines located islandwide. Workers on mandatory regular testing regimes are currently also provided with free kits by the government. To support individuals to self-test regularly, we had distributed six kits to each household from August to September, and are distributing another ten kits from October to December. Individuals who need more kits can purchase them from major retailers and e-commerce platforms.