Hospital Visits & Treatments Get a Back‑to‑Normal Push
On May 22, the Ministry of Health (MOH) rolled out the next set of plans to bring healthcare services back from the “circuit breaker.” Services will re‑open in stages—think of it as a gradual tap‑on‑tap‑off for hospital doors.
What’s the deal with visitors?
- From June 2: Each patient can have visitors from up to two households.
- Only five people may pre‑register, but just one can actually enter at a time.
- Hospitals can add extra rules to keep the crowds at bay.
So, if you’re heading into the ER to check on your grandma, expect a queue and a very polite “one at a time” sign.
Which treatments are bouncing back?
There are a handful of high‑impact services that will resume, while anything that’s pure vanity—think Botox, fillers or thread lifts—will stay on hold.
- Hospital‑based specialist outpatients, major procedures and allied health for people with critical needs.
- Chronic disease management that can’t be put off any longer without harming the patient.
- Preventive goodies: flu shots and pre‑enlistment checks.
- Dental care: scaling, fillings, crowns, dentures and orthodontics.
- Community visits for urgent home care.
- Traditional Chinese medicine via needle acupuncture; plus Ayurvedic, chiropractic, osteopathic and other complementary therapies for symptom relief.
All the usual safety gear stays in place: masks, hand hygiene, sparkling shared surfaces, and the relentless parade of cleaning crews.
Why the staggered rollout?
Open the eyes, the purpose is clear: cut down community transmission while easing the drummed‑up pressure on medical staff. The timeline keeps both patients and providers in a comfortable buffer.
Tele‑medicine stays a big deal
For most folks, a virtual chat or a tablet delivery of meds is the way forward. Physical visits are kept to a minimum, but when you need to—especially for high‑risk cases—faces are still welcomed.
What’s next?
In later phases, we’re looking at cancer screening and pre‑employment health checks moving into the mix.
Stay tuned for the latest updates—just a quick check will keep you in the loop. This recap is based on The Straits Times, all rights reserved.
