COVID-19 Monitoring and Response for Military Bases in Singapore—Perspectives and Lessons From January to June 2020

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroductionMilitary forces around the world face an increased risk of the spread of communicable diseases, due to the close living quarters and congregated nature of the military camps. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) implemented a multi-pronged surveillance and containment strategy to reduce the risk of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak within the local military camps. This paper details the epidemiological investigations of the COVID-19 cases in the SAF and highlights the strategies and public health measures undertaken, aligned with the national COVID-19 control strategy, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the military camps.Materials and MethodsMedical data of our military personnel who were infected with COVID-19 during the first 180 days of the pandemic were extracted from the military electronic health records. Contact tracing and activity mapping results were obtained from unit-level epidemiological data. A review of the organization’s response plans, instructions, and orders was conducted to collate the measures implemented across the same time period.ResultsPrompt contact tracing and activity mapping was done for each of the 24 SAF military personnel diagnosed with COVID-19 between February 2020 and June 2020, with possible links among the cases identified and investigated.ConclusionA combination of strategies in the formulation of public health measures based on key principles of early warning and surveillance, prompt diagnosis, and early containment were successful in preventing the formation of COVID-19 clusters within the SAF. This will provide a framework for the management of future pandemics within the military setting, driven by strong governance and leadership, to meet the military’s need to maintain operational readiness in a safe manner.