Giving an update on the TTSH cluster and the lessons learnt, Mr Gan said in a ministerial statement in Parliament: "This particular B16172 strain appears very infectious, and there will be other variants just like it.“It reminded us that vaccines are not a guarantee against infection, but vaccines can help to prevent severe illness. Vaccines can also reduce risk of further transmission, but the extent of this is still being studied.
“I should point out that this does not mean that she is the first infected case, and had brought COVID-19 into the wards. Investigation is still ongoing. But her responsible act enabled us to pick up the cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.”The COVID-19 task force “immediately threw a containment ring” around the first detected case, quarantining close contacts and testing everyone who could have been in contact with her, said the Health Minister.
One of these patients started to display symptoms. As he had entered Ward 9D earlier on Apr 20, Mr Gan noted that testing and quarantine were extended to all staff members who worked in Ward 9D, as well as discharged and current inpatients and visitors to the ward from Apr 20. “We then threw a larger ring around Tan Tock Seng Hospital, inviting discharged patients and visitors who were in the hospital during the affected period to also be tested. They are not close contacts and hence have a lower risk of infection, but we offer to test them for abundance of caution and to give them peace of mind,” said Mr Gan.
“We will continue to monitor the individuals who have been exposed, and retest them where necessary as some of them may be incubating the infection.”Of the 43 cases in the cluster, seven staff members and two patients had received full doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, said the Health Minister. “They were all either asymptomatic, or only exhibited mild symptoms, and none of them required oxygen support.
“We know that while vaccination does not eliminate the risks of infection completely, it does provide significant protection against infection and help to reduce the severity of the disease. It is also likely to reduce onward transmission.
Vaccination is PART OF measures. Thanks for sharing, Let's take care of eachother, 🙏🌞
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