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Tackling SARS in
Singapore Page created 26 March 2003, Last edited on 17 August 2003 Singapore is now relatively free and safe from the scourge of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (or SARS). Most measures have been lifted with the improvement in the globa situation. Measures that had been implemented Singapore had taken some of the world's harshest steps to fight the illness, at one time quarantining nearly 2,900 people and threatening them with fines of S$10,000 (US$5,600) or six months in jail if they left their homes. These laws still exist, and in event of recurrence of SARS, these measures will be reinstated. Couple things of interest to motocyclists and travellers to Singapore if SARS recurs:
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The Straits Times Interactive AUG 16, 2003 Most Sars measures will go next week Patients can have up to two visitors at the same time, with maximum of four registered visitors during entire stay ALMOST all the major health measures implemented when Sars was at its peak in April and May will be lifted next week. One of those to go will be the one-visitor rule at hospitals. The Health Ministry said yesterday that from Monday, a patient can have up to two visitors at the same time. However, only up to four different people will be allowed to visit during a patient's hospital stay, and they will still have to be registered, so that tracing them will be easier if Sars recurs. Financial planner Samuel Woon cheered when he was told about the relaxation of the visitor rule, because it will allow him to take his grandmother to see her husband, who is warded in the Singapore General Hospital for diabetes. The 26-year-old said: 'My grandma needs someone to help her walk, so it was impossible for her to visit my grandpa before this.' While those in general wards can look forward to more visitors, patients in isolation rooms will still be allowed just one. The restriction on the movement of patients between public and private hospitals, ordered on April 22, will also be done away with. From Monday too, people arriving in Singapore from abroad will no longer have to fill in a health declaration card. But they will still have their temperatures taken. The Health Ministry stopped screening the temperatures of people leaving the country three weeks ago, the same time it stopped temperature checks at all government buildings and lifted the ruling that all those who died of pneumonia had to be cremated within 24 hours. From last month, undertakers had also stopped double-bagging pneumonia victims' bodies and placing them in specially sealed coffins. The last Sars case in Singapore was isolated on May 11 and since then, there have been no new ones.
15 August 2003 - MOH SARS Press Releases Lifting of SARS measures (extract only) Since the last probable SARS case in Singapore was isolated on 11 May 2003, there have been no new probable SARS cases here. The World Health Organisation also declared that the global SARS outbreak had been contained when it removed Taiwan from the list of SARS affected countries on 5th July 2003. In view of the improved SARS situation globally and locally, the Ministry of Health has progressively stepped down some of the SARS control measures since 26 July. With effect from 18th August 2003, the following additional measures will be lifted: ...
Despite the suspension of these measures, all Singaporeans are urged to maintain vigilance to guard against any recurrence of SARS. If the SARS situation deteriorates, there may be a need to reactivate some of these measures. Singaporeans are strongly encouraged to continue taking their temperatures regularly and to practice good hygiene habits.
30 July 2003 - Ministry of Health SARS Update SARS Situation Update (extract only) Discontinuation of temperature screening for visitors to hospitals In view of the improved global and local SARS situation, the Ministry of Health will be reviewing and progressively stepping down the SARS control measures currently in place at hospitals and polyclinics. As such, with effect from Friday, 1 August 2003, temperature screening for visitors to hospitals will be discontinued. However, hospitals are still required to obtain the contact details of all visitors to clinical areas including wards, intensive care units, emergency departments and specialist outpatient clinics. This is to facilitate contact tracing should there be a need to do so. Temperature screening of patients at Emergency Departments and Specialist outpatient clinics will still continue. This will allow febrile patients to be managed separately from other patients. Discontinuation of Fever Clinics at polyclinics In addition, with effect from Friday, 1 August 2003, Fever Clinics at Chua Chu Kang, Yishun, Tampines and Geylang polyclinics will be discontinued. However, the system of triaging and managing febrile patients as a separate stream in all polyclinics will still continue. Discontinuation of Updates on SARS With effect from today, the weekly MOH press update on SARS every Wednesday will be discontinued. Subsequent press releases will be issued when the need arises.
25 July 2003 - Ministry of Health SARS Press Release JOINT PRESS RELEASE: LIFTING OF SARS MEASURES Since the last probable SARS case in Singapore was isolated on 11 May 2003, there have been no new probable SARS cases here. The World Health Organisation also declared that the global SARS outbreak had been contained when it removed Taiwan from the list of SARS affected countries on 5th July 2003. In view of the improved SARS situation globally and locally, the Government has reviewed its SARS precautionary measures. With effect from 26th July 2003, the following measures will be lifted: (a)The temperature-taking regimes in workplaces and buildings will be suspended. These include: • Schools, post-secondary educational institutions, childcare centres, student care centres and all pre-school centres, including kindergartens, playgroups and tuition centres. Students are still encouraged to check their temperatures before leaving for school, and schools can still conduct exercises from time to time to maintain vigilance. • Food-centres and markets. All hawkers are encouraged to keep the thermometers, "I'm OK!" badges and temperature record books to ensure that temperature-taking can resume smoothly if necessary. All hawkers are also encouraged to practice high standards of food and personal hygiene, as the National Environment Agency will continue to work with hawker centres and market associations to help them to attain the "Singapore's OK!" label. • All construction worksites, shipyards, factories employing more than 25 workers and foreign worker dormitories. • All premises currently under the COOL programme, including private student hostels and tourism establishments such as hotels. However, these establishments will continue to retain the appointment of a SARS Prevention Manager to maintain a high level of preparedness. (b)Temperature screening of visitors to government buildings will be suspended. Temperature screening of visitors to hospitals will be lifted with effect from 1 August. However, temperature monitoring of hospital staff and temperature screening of patients will continue. (c)Temperature screening of departing passengers at our airports, seaports and land checkpoints will be suspended. However, inbound travellers will still need to go through temperature screening. The special requirements and restrictions on handling of bodies in non-Sars deaths due to pneumonia will be discontinued with effect from 28 July. These include precautionary measures such as the body having to be double-bagged and placed into a hermetically-sealed coffin and also the 24-hour cremation ruling. Despite the suspension of these measures, all Singaporeans are urged to maintain vigilance to guard against any recurrence of SARS. If the SARS situation deteriorates, there may be a need to reactivate some of these measures. Singaporeans are strongly encouraged to continue taking their temperatures regularly and to practice good hygiene habits. We will continue to monitor the situation and introduce step down precautionary measures gradually.
30 May 2003 (Ministry of Health Press release) WHO REMOVES SINGAPORE FROM LIST OF AREAS WITH RECENT LOCAL TRANSMISSION OF SARS The World Health Organization in Geneva has informed us that Singapore has been removed from the WHO list of areas with recent cases of local transmission of SARS, with effect from 31 May 03. It is a recognition of the comprehensive and rigorous measures that have been put in place in Singapore. Notwithstanding the WHO announcement, there will be no pause in our efforts to maintain and further enhance all our existing measures to isolate and contain the disease and to prevent any export of the disease beyond our shores. The possibility of a future imported case sparking off clusters of SARS cases in Singapore cannot be discounted. We must therefore continue to maintain the highest level of vigilance especially at all our border checkpoints, at our hospitals and healthcare facilities, schools and tertiary institutions and all Government and other premises. So long as there are SARS affected areas in the region and the world, we cannot afford to let our guard down. All Singaporeans, residents and organizations must continue to take the necessary precautions to detect, avoid and pre-empt any possibility of infection. Whilst we can and should now get on with life as normal, we must also prepare for the uncertainty that SARS may be with us for a long time. The world can only be safe from SARS when every country has SARS under control. We will continue to work closely with WHO and with our ASEAN + 3 partners to combat SARS and bring it under control.
APRIL 26, 2003 Checkpoint checks sieve out one suspect ONE person has been admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) as a suspected Sars case since the authorities started taking the temperatures of travellers at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints on Wednesday.
Senior Minister of State (Law and Home Affairs) Ho Peng Kee said yesterday the checks may be extended to motorists and motorcyclists. Source URL: http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,4386,185361,00.html?
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| top of page |  APRIL 26, 2003 SAT Tough new laws get firm backing Govt gets more power to battle infectious disease; doctor MPs keep House rivetted with accounts of their brushes with Sars By Salma Khalik PARLIAMENT yesterday passed tougher laws to contain the Sars scourge in a session marked by emotion and a precedent set by several members who addressed the chamber via a video link-up. The picture MPs presented was of a House doing its best to conduct business as usual in the most unusual of times. But even though the business was about passing laws, the mood was sombre. For the doctor MPs, it was about how close to home the deadly disease had struck. Ayer Rajah MP Tan Cheng Bock, who put himself in voluntary quarantine after treating a Sars patient, addressed Parliament from his home, via video link-up. There was silence as he related, in a wavering voice, how he felt when he found he had a rising temperature. 'I was worried about my loved ones,' he said, as MPs watched, rivetted at a blurry image of him. 'I was worried about my grandson who's so close to me,' he added, with tears in his eyes. He said he was in full support of the tougher laws, especially on quarantine breakers, who endanger others. For MP Michael Lim, another doctor, speaking about almost losing a doctor friend to Sars also brought tears to his eyes. He paused, looked down, and seemed for several moments as though he would not be able to continue. When he did, he said it was precisely because the battle has been so tough that he supported the changes to the law to deal with quarantine breakers. 'I'm in favour of more draconian measures,' he said. All 18 MPs who spoke during the debate on the Bill argued passionately in favour of the measures. Some said they recognised that the laws might seem harsh but conceded there was no other way to win the fight against Sars. The three opposition MPs also closed ranks and threw their weight behind the harsher penalties. Opposition MP Low Thia Kiang (Hougang) urged the Government 'not to spare any effort in ensuring that Singaporeans are protected'. Dr Tan was not the only MP to address the House remotely, a move that was an 'extraordinary measure' because of the extraordinary times, said deputy leader of the House Mah Bow Tan at the start of the sitting. Four other members, all ministers of state who form the ministerial combat unit against Sars isolated themselves in a separate room. The four are at the frontline of the Sars war, taking charge of various hospitals. And even though they had protected themselves when they visited the hospitals, they did not take any chances and spoke through the video-link. Senior Minister of State Khaw Boon Wan, who leads the unit, gave an update on the protect, detect and isolate strategy to contain the virus. Health Minister Lim said there will be both 'small victories' and 'some setbacks'. 'But in the end, we will overcome because we all know that too much is at stake and we must all unite to make sure we overcome this crisis.' Source URL: http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstories/story/0,4386,185418,00.html?
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| top of page |  First created: 25 April 2003 1551
hrs (SST) 0751 hrs (GMT) Singapore toughens Infectious Diseases Act to deal with SARS outbreak By S Ramesh Singapore's Infectious Diseases Act has been expanded and toughened, to better tackle the SARS outbreak. Using a Certificate of
Urgency, the changes were tabled, debated and The main thrust of the changes to the Infectious Diseases law is to give health authorities more teeth to deal with irresponsible and recalcitrant people who breach quarantine orders, and disregard the advice of doctors. People who break home quarantine will be tagged or even arrested and detained at a hospital or some other place. They can be fined up to $5,000, and repeat offenders will be referred to court. To deal with an Amoy Garden-type situation, the law now also allows for contaminated areas to be quarantined. Any suspected sources of infection like the water supply, sewage system or goods can also be destroyed. Despite calls not to be irresponsible and endanger the health of others, some have turned a deaf ear. So, now the law says anyone who knows or suspects he has an infectious disease is not allowed to go to public places, except for treatment. And if there's a designated treatment centre, like Tan Tock Seng for SARS, he must go there or face stiff fines and even jail. "In our battle against SARS, we need a higher level of social discipline and social responsibility. Singaporeans must have the confidence that fellow Singaporeans will not commit irresponsible acts that expose others to the risk of infection," said Health Minister Lim Hng Kiang. People who refuse to cooperate with disease control measures or provide false or misleading information face a $10,000 fine and jail up to 6 months. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $20,000 and jailed up to a year. Because SARS may be masked by other medical conditions, health authorities can in some suspect deaths order a post-mortem, insist on special precautions in handling the body, and also not allow for a funeral wake. Source URL: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/38336/1/.html
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