Alexandra Hospital Ward Reopens After 14 Days of Closure Due to COVID-19–Positive Staff Member

Ever since the emergence of the COVID-19 cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), every time a new infection is detected in a hospital, people panic. 

On 18 May, a 24-year-old basic care assistant at Alexandra Hospital (AH) was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19.

The authorities learned that she had worked at Ward 3 the day before, when she was likely still carrying the virus.

The ward is used by patients who require rehabilitation.

Shortly after the detection, AH imposed a lockdown and announced that it would ban all visitors to the ward.

Now, the ward has finally reopened.

Alexandra Hospital Ward Reopens After 14 Days of Closure Due to COVID-19–Positive Staff Member

Ward 3 safely reopened yesterday with “heightened caution and vigilance” after a two-week lockdown, the hospital said.

The announcement was made in a Facebook post yesterday.

AH said that no new COVID-19 cases in the hospital have emerged for over 14 days.

28 individuals in the affected ward, including 19 staff and nine patients, had also been placed on quarantine order and put through a rigorous testing regime.

The post said that all of them are well and in good spirits.

The staff members are now ready to return to work, while some patients have been discharged.

The hospital is taking no chances, however. To prevent further infections from going undetected, AH said it has also ramped up its rostered routine swab testing for all employees working in patient-facing roles.

AH added that the basic care assistant is also “on the road to recovery”.

“Thank you for your understanding and cooperation through this difficult period together,” AH said.

“COVID-19 will not dominate our lives. Neither will it defeat us.”

Received Gifts From Former Patient & Members of the Public 

According to The Straits Times, many reached out to show their support for the hospital after learning about the COVID-19 case in Ward 3.

A former patient of the affected ward had bought pizza and chicken wings for the ward staff, while 19-year-old Kate Yeo bought briyani, nasi padang, and vegetarian food for AH staff.

Another group of women bought hundreds of bento sets for lunch and supper for hospital employees, including those tending to Ward 3.

“Deep thanks to our colleagues, care teams, patients, family members, visitors, former patients and big-hearted donors and strangers, whom we may have not met, for stepping forward to show your support to AH in the past 14 days,” AH said.

“We cannot begin to express our deep thanks to all your encouragement and support through your thoughtful gestures and gifts which kept us going.”

Feature Image: Facebook (Alexandra Hospital)