Covid-19: Singapore explores pre-event rapid testing

 

COVID-19 | Singapore is piloting the use of pre-event Covid-19 testing for larger-scale and higher-risk activities to reduce the risk of a coronavirus case being present at the event.

The pre-event Covid-19 testing is one of the enablers to be set in place by the republic for safe re-opening towards Phase Three.

“We are exploring the use of antigen rapid tests for pre-event testing, which can return fairly accurate results quickly, and can be administered just before the event,” said the co-chairperson of the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 Gan Kim Yong at a virtual press conference today.

Gan who is also the health minister said the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is still the gold standard that yields highly accurate results but it takes time and the test may need to be taken one or two days in advance.

“Some of the events we will be piloting will include, for example, business-to-business events and wedding receptions,” he said.

Alongside safe management measures and scaled up testing, Singapore will continue to strengthen its contact tracing regime, leveraging its two key digital contact tracing tools – SafeEntry and TraceTogether.

“Phase Three will stay until the virus is well under control, not only in Singapore, but also around the world. It will therefore be a long haul,” said Gan.

Gan noted that the Covid-19 situation is roughly under control in Singapore.

Singapore which is in its Phase Two reopening of its economy and social activities since June 19, has so far reported 57,915 positive cases with 99.8 percent of patients fully recovered.

To date, Singapore has classified 1,161 of the reported cases as imported, 2,265 as community cases and 54,489 involving dorm residents.

- Bernama