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SINGAPORE – From December 1, any company or individual in need of a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test can purchase the service from approved providers, Health Minister Gan announced on Tuesday (November 10). Kim Yong.
Individuals requesting a CRP test will include individuals requiring a pre-departure test before traveling, who will no longer have to request approval from the Ministry of Health for such a test.
Those who perform such tests at approved providers must pay for the tests that will not be subsidized.
There are currently about 600 clinics and private healthcare providers that can provide PCR testing as of December 1, Gan said at a virtual press conference.
Currently, members of the public who are not unwell and who do not need to meet specific testing requirements, such as pre-departure and pre-event tests, cannot request a test for Covid-19.
The move, which starts on November 30 at 11:59 pm, will allow Singapore to support a wider range of needs as Singapore resumes more community economic activities, the Health Ministry said in a press release.
Although the number of cases in the local community is currently low, more cases can be expected in phase three, with daily infection figures reaching 20 or 30 cases a day, Education Minister Lawrence Wong said at the same virtual press conference as Mr. Gan. The two ministers co-chair the multi-ministerial working group on Covid-19.
Improving the accessibility of PCR testing is a critical part of Singapore’s strategy against Covid-19 as it moves into phase three, which will see larger gatherings of eight people and potential increases in capacity limits in places like museums. and places of worship, as well as for wedding receptions, Mr. Wong said. Contact tracing efforts will also need to be strengthened, he added.
Regarding providers of PCR tests, the Health Ministry said it will continue to increase the number of clinics, laboratories and other providers that can administer the tests.
The list of vendors approved to offer Covid-19 testing at off-site locations can be found here.
Clinics, labs, and other vendors who are interested in offering Covid-19 testing services off-site can apply here.
Gan added that authorities are also continuing to pilot tests in the pre-event tests using rapid antigen tests, which will allow more large-scale and higher-risk activities to resume in a safer manner.
These pilots took place at the Singapore International Energy Week and the One Championship Mixed Martial Arts events in October.
“We will continue to test different workflows in different environments and provide more details on the requirements for pre-event testing when they are ready,” added the Ministry of Health.
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