MOH has made Home Recovery the default care management protocol for fully vaccinated individuals who are infected with Covid-19. I can see how this can ease the load on government quarantine facilities, though not necessarily hospitals, since those with less mild symptoms will still be admitted.
However, Home Recovery greatly increases the risk of transmitting Covid-19 to other family members. Living together invariably involves breathing the same air and touching the same surfaces.
One of the eligibility criteria for Home Recovery is that patients “will need to have a room, preferably with an attached bathroom.” This is not practical for many families living in smaller flats, or households which sublet a room to tenants. Even if they have a room with an attached bathroom, that room is usually the master bedroom housing two occupants. If the patient were to occupy that room, another member of the family may have to sleep on the couch in the living room.
It may be more efficient for MOH to consult the patient and make a case-by-case assessment based on the patient’s circumstances, before unilaterally deciding that the patient must recover at home. On the other hand, some parents whose children are infected may prefer to care for their kids at home. They should also not be forced to admit their kids to hospital if their kids’ symptoms are mild or they are asymptomatic. (Currently children under 12 are ineligible for Home Recovery.) This could ease the burden on hospitals and is in line with the direction of living with Covid-19.
I have filed a question for the 4 October sitting of Parliament to the Minister for Health to ask whether it is reasonable to expect that, despite their best efforts, patients will not spread the virus to members in their household.
This is the full text of my question:
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health for COVID-19 patients serving their quarantine order at home, whether it is reasonable to expect that, despite their best efforts, they will not spread the virus to members of their household, particularly if they live in smaller flats which lack rooms with attached bathrooms.
Have you or a family member undergone Home Recovery for Covid-19? Please share your experience and suggestions on how the process can be improved. You can add your comments below, or WhatsApp (89250747) or email me at gerald.giam@wp.sg.
