Skip to main content

New! You can personalise your feed. Try it now

Advertisement

Advertisement

Regional screening centres set up to help with Covid-19 testing, but walk-in requests for screening not accepted: MOH

SINGAPORE — As more workplaces reopen gradually, regional screening centres will be deployed progressively across the island to support Covid-19 testing, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (June 8).

A swab test being carried out at the regional screening centre at The Float @ Marina Bay.

A swab test being carried out at the regional screening centre at The Float @ Marina Bay.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — As more workplaces reopen gradually, regional screening centres will be deployed progressively across the island to support Covid-19 testing, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (June 8).

Two of these centres — at the Old Police Academy and The Float @ Marina Bay — began operations on June 2.

Two more centres will be set up on June 8 at the Bukit Gombak Sports Hall and Bishan Sports Hall with another centre underway at a former sepak takraw sports hall at 2 Bedok North St 2.

“Where possible, regional screening centres will be located in places that are easily accessible to support the screening needs in the community,” said MOH in a press release.

The centres — which do not take walk-in requests for screening — are set up with proper infection control measures and observe strict safe distancing requirements.

Individuals who are unwell or have medical concerns should consult their primary care doctors, and will be referred for screening at the centres if necessary.

“As we build up our testing capacity, we will continually review our testing policies, as part of our broader strategy to fight Covid-19.

“While testing helps us to detect, isolate and contain possible spread, strong infection control measures will continue to be the mainstay of disease prevention in our community,” said MOH.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) was appointed to set up these centres which were first deployed at temporary sites in May to carry out screening services for preschool staff before the reopening of preschools last week.

Currently, proactive testing is being done at migrant worker dormitories and has been done for frontline workers, including staff at eldercare facilities.

Testing will also be extended to individuals who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection at first presentation to a doctor, starting first with groups such as seniors 65 years old and above, healthcare workers, as well as staff and students of education institutions who are 13 years old and above.

Asked about individuals who refuse to be tested by general practitioners, MOH director of medical services Kenneth Mak, speaking on Monday at a press conference by the multi-ministry task force handling the pandemic, said that doctors will counsel the patient.

While the Government can, under the Infectious Disease Act, mandate that an individual go for testing, the preference is not to do so but to instead “strongly encourage” them to get tested.

“If they are concerned about the individual and it’s really in the interest of the patient, then the GPs will inform us and we will continue to reach out to the patient to step forward,” he said.

Earlier, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong told Reuters that there would be “at least one asymptomatic case” in Singapore for every symptomatic case.

Responding to a question on whether there is a need for nationwide testing given the potential of large numbers of “hidden” cases, Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force, said that a significant proportion of asymptomatic cases discovered was partly a result of Singapore’s stepped-up testing regime.

Mr Wong said: “Ideally we would like to test everyone but when we talk about mass testing, we are still approaching this with a view towards understanding the risks and applying the test where we think the risks are greatest.” 

The Government, he said, has focused its mass testing on where the risk is greatest and has now expanded this to those with acute respiratory symptoms and those working in preschools, for example.

Related topics

Covid-19 coronavirus community testing Covid-19 test

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.