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SINGAPORE – There will inevitably be more imported Covid-19 cases here, but experts say this won’t be a big concern.
They noted that more travelers return during the festive period, especially as the outbreak in some countries is getting worse during the winter.
The number of cases could increase if border restrictions are eased in the coming months.
Imported cases have risen by one to double digits in the past two weeks, with 21 new infections last Wednesday (December 23). The number of people who comply with the stay-at-home notice (SHN) in hotels has also increased overall.
Vacationers don’t have to worry about getting infected if they book a hotel that also caters to SHNs, said Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
“In general, hotels hosting SHN travelers need to practice certain protocols, especially to ensure that SHN travelers and vacation guests do not mix,” said Professor Teo.
“This may mean that SHN travelers are housed in a dedicated wing or on exclusive floors.”
If the protocols are followed correctly, the chance of holiday guests being infected by SHN travelers is very small, he added.
Professor Teo’s comments follow the recent Mandarin Orchard Hotel incident, in which 13 people were suspected of contracting the virus while at SHN.
“But I hope this probability is even much lower now, as I am sure the authorities are reviewing protocols for hotels that serve both SHN travelers and holiday guests,” said Professor Teo.
But it is necessary to understand how the incident happened to avoid a repeat, he added, noting: “This is the nature of operations, and there will be gaps that will arise from time to time, and the important thing here is to have a system to look for these gaps, so they can be covered up and addressed when they occur. “
Similar views were echoed by Dr. Ling Li Min, an infectious disease physician at the Rophi Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital, noting that the staff who serve SHN guests do not serve ordinary guests.
“SHNs and staying guests are completely segregated,” said Dr. Ling.
“As long as everyone remains accountable at all levels, we can continue to accommodate both SHNs and regular guests in a safe manner.”
Professor Dale Fisher, a senior infectious disease consultant at National University Hospital, noted that these hotels are potential hot spots, so procedures are critical to ensuring the separation of those who enjoy their stays.
“The Mandarin Orchard hotel event suggests that there was an infection control gap where it spread to travelers (but not to others), a risk that is always present,” said Professor Fisher.
“We have also seen violations in Australia and more recently in Taiwan, where an imported case has triggered local transmission.”
Professor Fisher added: “I’m not worried about stays. The threat is obvious and hotels would undoubtedly guarantee segregation of travelers from stays. And this was not the case. It was between travelers, so I understood how he could having happened is the important thing now.
“This incident is a reminder that the quarantine facilities … are our first line of defense against what is happening beyond our borders. The second line is what we do as a community within Singapore with distancing, masking and avoiding large groups “.
Associate Professor Alex Cook, vice dean for research at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said the incident also shows the value of genomic sequencing, as it can uncover potential links between cases.
The Mandarin Orchard hotel cases, which came from 10 countries, were infected by coronavirus strains with high genetic similarity, implying that the infections may have come from one source.
“Without genomic sequencing, we would not have been wiser about this group. It was quite autonomous, so far there is no evidence that it has spread from guests and staff to others in the community,” said Professor Cook.
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