Covid-19: Visitor restrictions for hospitals, care homes to be eased from Sept 1

SINGAPORE — Covid-19 infection control measures will be eased for in-person visits to hospitals and residential care homes from Sept 1 as the situation here improves, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday (Aug 24). 

From Sept 1, two visitors will be allowed every hospitalised patient at a bedside each time, within the hospital’s visiting hours.

As for residential care homes, two visitors for each resident will be allowed every visit, with each visit capped at one hour, MOH said in a press release.

Under the current measures, which had been extended to Aug 31, patients in hospitals are allowed only two pre-designated visitors for the duration of their admission, and only one visitor at the bedside at any one time.

Residents at care homes are allowed only four pre-designated visitors, with one visitor allowed at any one time for up to 30 minutes.

Visitors are encouraged to take an antigen rapid test and should test negative for Covid-19 on the day of the visit. People should not visit their loved ones if they are feeling unwell, MOH added.

All visitors entering hospital wards or homes must put on face masks with "good filtration capability" at all times.

"These include surgical masks and reusable masks that are made of two layers of fabric," the ministry added.

It advised visitors not to take off their masks to eat or drink in hospital wards or residential areas of the homes, or use the toilets designated for patients or residents in the wards or homes. They should also avoid sitting on the patients’ or residents’ beds. 

"Hospitals and homes have the discretion to impose additional visitor limits and/or testing requirements for visitors of vulnerable or unvaccinated patients/residents, and suspend visits if they have active Covid-19 cluster(s) to reduce transmission," MOH added.