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SINGAPORE: Singapore will conduct pre-event pilot tests from mid-October to December to identify a model that can be widely deployed so that more large-scale events can safely resume, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced on Tuesday (20 October).
This means that participants who attend an event or activity will be tested at the event venue or at a separate testing facility, and only participants who have tested negative will be able to participate in the event.
These events could include business-to-business events and wedding receptions, Gan added. For example, pre-event tests will be put to the test at Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) next week.
Rapid antigen tests (ART) will be used for pre-event testing, which can yield “fairly accurate” results in about half an hour, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a fact sheet.
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Although polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are currently used as the “definitive test” to confirm COVID-19 cases, results take between one and two days, which is not feasible for pretest tests. event, the ministry noted.
ART results will be valid for 24 hours from the time of the swab, and must be valid at the point of entry until the end of the event, the Health Ministry said in a technical briefing on Tuesday.
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“If you are going to a multi-day event, then you will need daily tests, with that certificate valid for 24 hours. However, if you attend multiple events within a 24 hour period, that same certificate will give you access to multiple events if negative. ”
People who have been infected with COVID-19 and have recovered will be exempt from pre-event testing within “a recent enough window” to ensure they are likely to be immune or protected from infection, for example 180 days from the first positive. PCR test, said the Ministry of Health at the technical meeting.
People who test positive for ART on pre-admission tests should self-isolate and obtain a PCR confirmation swab, and receive referral forms that can be used to redeem the swab at no charge at clinics and regional screening centers, said the ministry. They should also not leave their isolation site until they receive a negative PCR result, except for testing or seeking medical attention.
For ARTs being tested, a nasal swab will be done to obtain a sample from the lower part of the nose and this should not be uncomfortable, the Health Ministry said. As part of the pilot, ART and PCR tests, where required, will be provided free of charge to participants.
Depending on the event, the event organizer will inform the participants of the specific pre-event testing requirements, as different processes will be tested for each driver.
“For example, if the test takes place at the event site prior to admission, it is likely that participants will have to arrive at the venue earlier to attend the test time before attending the event,” said the Ministry of Health on the fact sheet.
“If testing is done in a separate testing facility, participants will need to visit a separate testing facility in advance and present a valid certificate showing that the participant tested negative for COVID-19 within 24 hours. from the end of the event, before you can enter the event “.
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The pre-event tests, however, do not mean that Singapore can “throw caution to the wind” and ignore safe management measures at these events, Gan said.
“In fact, despite testing, there is always the possibility that an infected person will not be detected. Therefore, even if the test results are negative, safe management measures should be strictly followed in these events.” added.
“The tests are intended to reduce the possibility or probability that a COVID-19 case could enter that particular location … If a COVID case enters the event, it really depends on SMMs (safe management measures) prevent any grouping from continuing, ”said the Health Ministry at the technical briefing.
Singapore has “made arrangements to procure the incoming supplies” and currently has a “sufficient” number of tests to carry out the pre-event pilot tests, the ministry added.
“We have also arranged for more supplies of these test kits to come to Singapore, so there should be enough (numbers) of these tests available once we expand the applications for these tests.”
The MOH is “calculating the costs involved” in bringing this evidence to Singapore, the MOH said.
“The design of these pilots is also intended to inform us of what the associated logistics will be, and part of this logistics will also affect the actual cost of running these pre-event tests,” the ministry said.
“It’s not just the cost of a test kit, but there will be some associated costs based on the operational processes that need to be put in place for pre-event testing to take place.”
The Health Ministry is “pretty sure” that the cost of using ART in pre-event testing would be much lower than that of PCR testing, said director of medical services Kenneth Mak.
“But where the final landing point is in terms of the actual costs incurred in using this rapid antigen test for pre-event setup has not yet been determined,” Associate Professor Mak said.
“Certainly for the pilots that we are doing we have made a commitment to make sure they are provided free of charge, we will pay for these for the pilots themselves, but once we have completed it we will provide further updates whether testing is done on The pre-event setup will be charged once we scale this as a main activity. “
Adding that the government is exploring different types of COVID-19 tests, Education Minister Lawrence Wong said: “There are some that are more available, they have already been done abroad and we are going to bring them to Singapore, and we will be I was able to implement them very soon. There are some that are still being tested so the implementation time will be a bit longer.
“But I think this full range of different rapid test kits will complement the PCR testing. And together with the expanded contact tracing … this improved test regimen, PCR plus rapid test kits, will allow us to enter Phase 3 in a safe way. ”
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