Each household in Singapore to get 6 ART self-test kits in the mail - here's when you can expect them

SINGAPORE - Each household in Singapore will soon receive six antigen rapid test (ART) self-test kits in the mail.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will distribute them via SingPost from Saturday (Aug 28) to Sept 27, as people are urged a bigger role in managing the pandemic.

"As Singapore gradually transits to being a Covid-19 resilient nation, society will play an increasingly important role to manage the pandemic," said the Health Ministry in a statement.

"A major aspect is to exercise personal responsibility to self-test and monitor our own health status."

From mid-September, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will also be distributing ART kits to all students and staff in ECDA-licensed preschools, MOE kindergartens, early intervention centres, primary schools and the primary or junior sections of special education schools.

This is on top of the nationwide distribution to each household.

Each student or staff member will get three kits.

MOH said the distribution exercises form part of a broader strategy to step up testing efforts in Singapore, with more details to be shared in the coming week by the Multi-Ministry Task Force combating Covid-19.

"As we become a very highly-vaccinated country, we will need to shift our emphasis to testing and surveillance, including self-testing, as an effective means to control the pandemic proactively."

The list of ART self-test kits and instructions on how to use them are available at this website.

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MOH also said that as of Thursday, 79 per cent of Singapore's population has completed the full vaccination regimen.

Singapore is on track to meet the ministry's target of 80 per cent by end-August, it added.

The number of new local cases has increased from an average of 47.1 cases in the week before to 76.0 cases in the past week. However, 98.9 per cent of the cases in the past week were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

"The Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) is watching the situation closely to ensure that the number of cases with severe symptoms remain under control and do not strain our healthcare system," said MOH.

With the number of vaccinations dropping sharply to less than a quarter of its peak, four out of the 37 mass vaccination centres will also be closed, MOH said.

Instead, vaccination operations will be shifted to more Public Health Preparedness Clinics, as well as mobile and home vaccination teams for the seniors.

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By end-September, Bukit Timah Community Club (CC), Kolam Ayer CC, Marsiling CC and Yuhua CC's vaccination centres will be closed. New bookings for Marsiling CC and Kolam Ayer CC will cease from Sept 2, while Bukit Timah CC and Yuhua CC will cease new bookings from Sept 9.

Covid-19 testing subsidies for mandatory rostered routine testing (RRT) with both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and fast and easy testing (FET) will also be extended until Dec 31, the ministry added.

The subsidy had previously been extended till Sept 30.

The subsidies will cover RRTs for workers who live in dormitories, work in the construction, marine and process, aviation, or maritime sectors, or work in settings with unmasked and vulnerable patrons, such as food and beverage establishments, personal care services, gyms and healthcare services.

Unvaccinated workers in the sectors where PCR or FET RRT are mandated will already be subject to regular testing under these regimes, said MOH.

These mandated tests will continue to be subsidised by the Government.

In such instances, the unvaccinated workers will only need to pay for the additional tests that are needed to meet the twice a week testing requirement under the vaccinate or regular testing regime from Oct 1.

But beyond 2021, employers and businesses should be prepared to factor in testing costs into their normal business operations, MOH pointed out.

"We will continue to review the testing subsidies to ensure they support our public health efforts, while sharing the costs equitably between taxpayers, employers and individuals."