MOH adds Village Hotel Sentosa to list of Covid-19 community care facilities

SINGAPORE – Village Hotel Sentosa is the latest addition to the Ministry of Health’s (MOH’s) list of community care facilities designated for those who have contracted Covid-19 but are experiencing mild or no symptoms.

This brings the total number of such designated facilities to six, with the other five being D’Resort NTUC, Tuas South, former Ang Mo Kio Institute of Technical Education, Civil Service Club @ Loyang and Bright Vision Hospital.

The 606-room Village Hotel Sentosa, which is under Far East Hospitality, officially opened on April 1, 2019.

With the new addition, the six community care facilities that MOH is now operating can accommodate more than 5,000 individuals, said a spokesman.

In late May, the authorities said that three community care facilities – D’Resort, Tuas South and Bright Vision Hospital – were being used, while two more – at the former site of the Ang Mo Kio Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and the Civil Service Club @ Loyang – have been activated. In all, the five facilities had a capacity of 4,100 people.

In Parliament on Monday (July 26), Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that fully vaccinated individuals aged 45 to 59 years old, who are infected with Covid-19 and show no or mild symptoms, can be directly admitted to community care facilities instead of going to hospitals first.

This was already the practice for those aged 17 to 45.

As Singapore prepares to live with an endemic Covid-19, this move will help lessen the load on hospitals, which can better focus on helping sicker patients, said Mr Ong.