SINGAPORE - Patients and visitors continued to make their way to Changi General Hospital (CGH) on Wednesday (June 30), with four out of five people interviewed saying they were not worried about a recent cluster of Covid-19 cases linked to the hospital.
When The Straits Times (ST) visited the hospital, all visitors and patients were subject to a strict process of registration and temperature taking.
They were also required to fill in a form declaring if they have travelled abroad in the past 14 days or have any flu-like symptoms.
The form also asks visitors and patients whether they are currently serving stay-home notice, a quarantine order or under surveillance by the Ministry of Health (MOH), or have had close contact recently with a person with Covid-19.
So far, a total of 13 Covid-19 cases have been linked to CGH. They include porters and a health assistant who work at the hospital.
However, details of three of the cases that were announced on Tuesday are not known, as MOH no longer provides details on new Covid-19 cases detected in the community.
CGH also declined to comment on the three cases, but ST understands they are not staff or patients of the hospital.
On Monday, CGH said it has stepped up measures since the first staff member under the cluster tested positive for Covid-19.
These include proactive surveillance swab testing to detect infections early, and placing staff who are close contacts of Covid-19 cases on quarantine orders or on leave of absence, the hospital said in a statement.
Currently, each patient is allowed only one registered visitor in general wards, outpatient clinics and centres, and in the accident and emergency department at CGH. Visits are also limited to 20 minutes.
But no visitors are allowed for patients suspected or confirmed to have Covid-19. Despite the CGH cluster, business appeared to be as usual on Wednesday afternoon at the hospital, with a steady stream of visitors and patients.
A patient, who visited CGH to change his dressing for a leg injury, said he is not worried about getting Covid-19.
"It's normal nowadays - there are cases everywhere in Singapore, and this is just one of them," said the 65-year-old retiree, who wanted to be known only as Mr Chin.
"Covid-19 is just a slightly more serious disease than the flu," he added.
Related Story
3 new Covid-19 cases linked to Changi General Hospital cluster
Related Story
Changi General Hospital visiting rules same for most patients after some staff detected with Covid-19
A 20-year-old full-time national serviceman at CGH for a CT scan as part of a check-up said he was worried about the recent Covid-19 cases at the hospital.
Giving his name only as Mr Chua, he said that he tried not to touch any surfaces as a precaution. "The measures in place should be enough," he added.
A cleaner working at CGH, who did not want to be named, said measures for staff have become stricter recently.
"When we talk or eat, we must be 1m apart. Sometimes when we makan (Malay for "eat"), our supervisor will come and check," said the 75-year-old who is fully vaccinated.
Related Story
Changi General Hospital porter among 2 unlinked Covid-19 cases
Related Story
Bukit Merah View market and other Covid-19 clusters in S’pore: What we know so far
He added that previously, he needed to be tested for Covid-19 only once every two weeks, but this has been changed recently to every day.
"I'm not worried about getting Covid-19. I just pray to God. If it happens to me, then it will happen to me," he added.
Related Stories:
Related Story
MOH to stop giving details of Covid-19 community cases
Related Story
Almost 80% of S'poreans aged 12 to 39 have booked vaccine slots or taken first dose
Related Story
Indonesia expected to impose stricter Covid-19 restrictions by Saturday
Related Story
Almost half of Aussie population under lockdown
Related Story
S'pore may ease Covid-19 rules for those vaccinated: How you would be affected
Related Story
Delta Plus, a potentially deadlier Covid-19 variant, causing concern in India
Related Story
Hong Kong dangles more relaxed dining rules to encourage vaccinations
Related Story
Just give us the Covid-19 vaccines, WHO pleads, as poor countries go wanting
Related Story
With over 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses administered, reopening still not on the cards for China
Related Story
Philippines' Duterte threatens those who refuse Covid-19 vaccine with jail
Join ST's Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Topics:
Facebook WhatsApp Twitter More Whatsapp Linkedin FB Messenger Telegram Reddit WeChat Pinterest Print Purchase Article Copy permalink https://str.sg/3osB