COVID-positive hotel travellers identify as close contacts: SG Tourism Board

This will closely align recovery protocols for visitors staying in hotels.

Singapore Tourism Board announced that, from 20 December, travellers residing in hotels who test positive for COVID-19 on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or an antigen rapid test (ART), or are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case and receive a Health Risk Warning (HRW), should recover or isolate in their hotel rooms by default. 

The board advised hotel guests undergoing recovery or isolation in their rooms to exercise personal responsibility and adhere strictly to the stipulated isolation and testing protocols. They must not leave their rooms or use any shared facilities. If they require assistance, they may reach out to hotel staff or contact a telemedicine provider for medical advice. If any guests breach their IO by leaving their room, they will have committed an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act and may face enforcement action.

The Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency have published a revised set of infection prevention and control guidelines for hotels to minimise the risk of onward transmission. The protocols included guidelines on the appropriate personal protective equipment, ensuring minimal direct contact with guests who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their belongings, and health precautions such as frequent cleaning and disinfection of spaces.

These revised protocols for hotel guests were aligned with the board's management approach for the Delta variant. However, for confirmed and suspected cases of the Omicron variant and their close contacts, a differentiated approach will be adopted until more information is available on the Omicron variant.