7. Public Health England. COVID-19: guidance for primary care. www.gov.uk/government/publications/wn-cov-guidance-for-primary-care (11 March, 2020, date last accessed). 8. Department of Health, Government of Australia. Letter to doctors from the Chief Medical Officer about the response to COVID-19. http://health.gov.au.news/letter-to-doctors-from-the-chief- medical-officer-about-the-response-to-covid-19 (11 March, 2020, date last accessed). 9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States. Interim infection prevention and control recommendations for patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthcare settings. http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection- Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jtm/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jtm/taaa039/5804843 by guest on 22 March 2020 control/control-recommendatios.html (11 March, 2020, date last accessed). 10. Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR. Emergency preparedness and response for COVID-19 – focusing on business continuity arrangement. https://chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/formulating_business_continuity_plan.pdf (11 March, 2020, date last accessed). 11. United States Department of Labor. Guidance on preparing workplace for COVID-19. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA2990.pdf (11 March, 2020, date last accessed). Table: Summary of measures taken for COVID-19 in Singapore and other countries (as of Mar 10, 2020) Measure Singapore Other Countries (selected) Surveillance and containment measures Case detection Case definition was established based on Affected countries instituted various case clinical and epidemiological criteria, and finding activities using WHO’s case definition 6 continuously updated as the COVID-19 or a modified version. Malaysia, Republic of situation evolved. Surveillance was Korea (ROK) and the United Kingdom enhanced to test COVID-19 in all incorporated COVID-19 testing for severe pneumonia patients, ICU patients and acute respiratory illness (SARI) and ILI deaths from possible infectious cause, and surveillances. In Japan, Republic of Korea influenza-like illness (ILI) in sentinel (ROK) and the United States (US), doctors primary care sites. Doctors were also were allowed to test patients at their allowed to test patients whom they discretion. viewed with suspicion for clinical or epidemiological reasons. Quarantine & Symptomatic contacts were referred to Mandatory quarantine was required by law phone hospital. Asymptomatic close contacts in several countries/regions, including surveillance were placed under compulsory quarantine Brunei, Hong Kong, Israel, mainland China for 14 days, while lower-risk contacts were and ROK. put on phone surveillance. Laboratory PCR testing for COVID-19 is available at all In Japan and the United States (US), COVID- testing public hospital laboratories to increase 19 testing was extended to non-public national diagnostic capacity, and other health laboratories. Serological testing using healthcare institutions can send samples IgM and IgG antibodies was described in for testing at these facilities. Serological mainland China. tests were used to investigate linkages between cases and clusters. Healthcare measures Clinical Medical practitioners were instructed to In UK, primary care practitioners were management in provide extended medical leave of up to advised to avoid face-to-face assessment of primary care five days for patients with respiratory suspected cases. Instead, patients should be symptoms, and to refer them for further immediately isolated and referred to the testing if they do not recover. Patients local health authorities via a hotline.7 were advised to return to the same doctor General practitioners in Australia were if symptoms persist. similarly advised to refer patients to dedicated health services, undertake remote telemedicine consultation or make safe arrangements to assess possible COVID-19