The COVID-19 ministry taskforce announced yesterday its plan to handle the outbreak without overwhelming Singapore’s healthcare system.
The plan includes adding more beds to accommodate the increasing number of novel coronavirus patients and calling on people to support health care workers.
“The Taskforce has put in place a comprehensive medical plan to tackle Covid-19. We have tiered facilities to care for infected patients according to their medical needs. This enables us to deploy our medical resources optimally and to prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed,” taskforce co-chair and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said yesterday.
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Singapore rose to 14,951 yesterday after 528 new cases were reported, mostly involving migrant workers in dormitories. The death toll stands at 14.
“Our hospitals will care for those with more severe conditions. We now have 1451 Covid-19 cases in hospitals and 20 in Intensive Care Unit. Our hospitals are continuing to expand their capacity in isolation wards and ICUs,” Wong added.
There are now 4,000 beds set up at various Swab Isolation Facilities, which are places for those unable to isolate at homes while waiting for test results. They are located in places such as hotels and the Civil Service Club @ Loyang.
There are 10,000 beds at Community Care Facilities for mildly ill patients across the D’Resort NTUC in Pasir Ris, the Singapore Expo, and the Changi Exhibition Center. That capacity could double by the end of June. Such facilities will also be set up at migrant worker dormitories “so that workers with mild symptoms can be quickly isolated and monitored.”
More than 2,000 beds have been set up for Community Recovery Facilities in places like army camps. These are places where patients generally do not require further medical care. The number could go up to 10,000 by the end of June.
The taskforce is also hoping to expand support for its public health workforce and is inviting people, including those without experience, to join via the SG Healthcare Corps platform. Training will be provided.
“We are calling for former and current healthcare professionals to be on standby, and welcome non-healthcare professionals to provide additional support in COVID-19 operations and in community care,” the website said.
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