Fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients to be allowed to isolate at home: MoH

This new policy on fully vaccinated patients with mild or no symptoms will be piloted on 30 August.

Singapore will allow home isolation for fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms starting 30 August, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said.

The Ministry of Health cited local and global data showing that fully vaccinated patients have a lower risk of developing severe symptoms in the piloting of a home-centric care model for fully vaccinated patients with mild or no symptoms.

The MoH, however, noted that the patients should have a “suitable home setting” where they can be isolated from their household.

“The patients and their household members must both be fully vaccinated and must not belong to any vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or immunocompromised,” it said.

The ministry said the patients will spend a few days first in a medical facility before isolating at home when the viral loads would have dropped. 

At home isolation, all members of the household, including the patient are required to stay at home and they will be tracked through electronic monitoring and surveillance checks through calls.

The patients will also be closely monitored and will be provided access to 247 telemedicine services and will undergo Polymerase Chain Reaction on the ninth day of illness to see if they can be discharged from isolation if the result turns out negative or if they have a low viral load.

All household members have to be fully vaccinated, home quarantined and undergo daily Antigen Rapid Test for early detection of potential infection.

As of 17 August, 77% of the population has been fully vaccinated whilst 82% has received at least one dose.