Almost All TTSH Staff Members Who Were on Quarantine Returning to Work As Cluster has No New Case in 2 Weeks

Tan Tock Seng Hospital is the location where Singapore’s first COVID-19 Hospital cluster was born.

With 4 wards locked down and visitors barred from entering the hospital, people soon only associate that hospital with the TTSH Cluster and not the humble vegetable seller.

Reader: What?

Yes, do you know that TTSH was set up by a humble vegetable seller? At least he started as a humble vegetable seller before he became the Justice of Peace.

But that’s beside the point.

TTSH has not seen any new cases in 2 weeks and you know what that means.

It’s time to reopen.

Almost All TTSH Staff Members Who Were on Quarantine Returning to Work As Cluster has No New Case in 2 Weeks

TTSH previously stopped admissions to contain the cluster and conserve manpower. Since they had no new cases in 14 days, TTSH reopened their doors once again.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung shared that TTSH “is getting back on its feet”.

TTSH resumed admissions with extra safety measures on 18 May after the hospital had a mass testing exercise, which included six rounds of testing for inpatients and two rounds for all 12,000 staff on campus.

Discharges were allowed as well.

The staff that were previously in quarantine have started to return and almost all of them are back at their stations.

Ward 9D, the epicentre of the TTSH cluster outbreak, reopened its doors to patients, with all of its 51 staff members back to work.

To allow for better ventilation and air purification in the wards, exhaust fans and portable Hepa filters were installed.

Ward 9C, 7D and 10B also reopened their doors for admissions.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kun visited the hospital earlier this week where he met many doctors and nurses.

“They were worn out, but still in good spirits.”

Support for healthcare workers

As Health Minister Ong Ye Kun was leaving the hospital, he met the kind owner of a Peranakan restaurant gifting 900 packs of bento lunch boxes and bubble tea to the workers in TTSH.

The owner does this weekly.

At these tremulous times, it is important that we show kindness to one another and not pour buckets of soapy water in front of your neighbour’s doorsteps.

If you’re wondering how to show kindness or your appreciation to the healthcare workers, here are 5 easy options for you:

  1. Thank them with a smile or write a little message of encouragement.
  2. Buy them a meal
  3. Send a care package
  4. Make a donation
  5. Just be nice to them (i.e. don’t throw soap at them)

Featured Image: Facebook (Ong Ye Kung)