Nowadays, if you see a doctor for flu-like symptoms, you will no longer be asked to do an Antigen Rapid Test (ART).
Singapore has come a long way from the 2020 circuit breaker.
Even though we have all forgotten what COVID-19 is, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is sending six COVID-19 ART test kits to all Singapore households.
The reason for this move may be something you haven’t thought about.
All Households Will Recieve 6 COVID-19 ART Kits
MOH announced the news on 18 July.
All households will receive the test kits by 30 September.
Of course, this isn’t the first time MOH has done this.
This is the fifth round of ART test kit distribution.
The previous distribution occurred in November 2022, when 12 kits were given to over 1.5 million households.
Reason For This Move
These ART test kits did not appear out of thin air.
They will be taken from the national stockpile, which was created so that Singapore wouldn’t be affected during supply chain disruptions.
According to MOH, the stockpile needs to be refreshed to maintain the country’s resiliency,
After all, the current batch of ART test kits only has a remaining shelf life of about six months.
This means that the test kits each household will receive will be usable till the first three months of 2024.
The kits will be delivered by post.
In addition, they will still be usable at the end of the year.
MOH reasoned that many families go on holiday at the end of the year, so this round of kit distribution would allow them to take extra precautions.
Countries in the Northern Hemisphere are popular vacation spots.
Since these countries will experience winter at the end of the year, most respiratory viruses may spread more easily.
Such viruses include COVID-19.
While people may compare this to receiving a gift from a friend and realising it expires in a few months, getting six ART kits is still a good deal, especially because COVID-19 testing is no longer free-of-charge.
Reminders
Even though most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted by now, MOH reminded Singaporeans to continue practising social responsibility.
Furthermore, the public should take measures to protect themselves, their families, seniors and those who are medically vulnerable.
It said those who test positive “should regard themselves as being infected with COVID-19”.
They should avoid close contact with their peers while symptomatic.
Basically, these are the usual things you would expect from a socially responsible citizen.
MOH added, “If there is a need to go out while symptomatic, they should wear a mask when leaving home, minimise social interactions and avoid crowded places.”
It advised those who are medically vulnerable or with severe acute respiratory infection symptoms to see a doctor.
MOH said, “We encourage eligible people to receive the recommended vaccine doses. Those aged five years and above who have not completed their minimum protection of vaccinations are urged to do so.”
This reminder echoes the one Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave on 22 May when he tested positive for COVID-19.
He said, “Please continue to keep your vaccinations up to date, as it reduces the risk of severe illness.”
Towards the end of 2022, Singapore shifted to a new approach towards COVID-19 vaccinations.
Instead of keeping track of the number of vaccine doses taken, the focus has shifted to keeping up to date with the latest vaccine recommendations.
People are considered to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations if they have achieved minimum protection.
According to MOH, that means having three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna/Spikevax or Novavax/Nuvaovoid.
Notably, MOH recommends those aged 60 and above, those living in aged care facilities and those medically vulnerable and above 12 years old to get an additional booster shot in 2023, one year after their last one.
MOH added that these groups of individuals can start receiving the booster shot five months after the previous shot.
If you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 shot, you can book an appointment through the SMS invitation sent by MOH.
You can find the nearest COVID-19 vaccination location at gowhere.gov.sg/vaccine.