COVID-19 In Singapore Research Articles

Medical and nursing students' perceptions of online learning and pandemic preparedness during COVID-19 in Singapore

Introduction: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, clinical attachments for medical and nursing students were temporarily suspended and replaced with online learning. It is unclear how the lack of clinical exposure and the switch to online learning has affected them. This study aims to explore their perceptions of online learning and their preparedness to COVID-19 as clinical postings resumed. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate and graduate medical and nursing students from three local universities, using an online self-administered survey evaluating the following: (1) demographics; (2) attitudes towards online learning; (3) anxieties; (4) coping strategies; (5) perceived pandemic preparedness; and (6) knowledge about COVID-19. Results: A total of 316 responses were analysed. 81% agreed with the transition to online learning, most citing the need to finish academic requirements and the perceived safety of studying at home. More nursing students than medical students (75.2% vs 67.5% p=0.019) perceived they had received sufficient infection control training. Both groups had good knowledge and coping mechanisms towards COVID-19. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that medical and nursing students were generally receptive to this unprecedented shift to online learning. They appear pandemic ready and can be trained to play an active part in future outbreaks.

Illocutionary Acts of the Prime Minister of Singapore in Curbing the Transmission of COVID-19

COVID-19 is an epidemic with extraordinary effects to such an extent that it was declared a pandemic. These extraordinary effects have led to the need for efforts to curb its spread. In this case, the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong (LHL), issued five remarks in the Malay language that were intended to convey a message of security and welfare to the population of Singapore during the COVID-19 situation. These remarks were aimed to influence its audience to jointly curb the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore. To illustrate their purpose, LHL’s remarks were analysed by applying the theory of communicative illocutionary acts proposed by Bach and Harnish (1979), with focus on two categories and subcategories, namely directives and commissives. The analysis applies qualitative method, namely thematic analysis, which has seven phases, including download, coding and classification, in order to achieve two objective sets, which are classifying and discussing the illocutionary force of the categories and subcategories of directives and commissives. The findings of the analysis showed that the illocutionary force is characterized by the use of the modality verbs (KKM) “mesti”, “boleh” and “akan”; the verb aspect (KKA) “akan” and other verbs (KK), including “harap (berharap)”, “bersiap” and “melonggarkan”; and the prohibitive word “jangan”. LHL’s illocutionary acts prove that he has practiced good governance, that is, a government that has transparency, efficiency and accountability towards the people of Singapore who have elected them as rulers. This good governance is represented through the illocutionary acts of LHL, who gives directions and promises to the people of Singapore in dealing with the COVID-19 situation.

An Agile Systems Modeling Framework for Bed Resource Planning During COVID-19 Pandemic in Singapore.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on health systems globally. The sufficiency of hospitals' bed resource is a cornerstone for access to care which can significantly impact the public health outcomes.ObjectiveWe describe the development of a dynamic simulation framework to support agile resource planning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.Materials and MethodsThe study data were derived from the Singapore General Hospital and public domain sources over the period from 1 January 2020 till 31 May 2020 covering the period when the initial outbreak and surge of COVID-19 cases in Singapore happened. The simulation models and its variants take into consideration the dynamic evolution of the pandemic and the rapidly evolving policies and processes in Singapore.ResultsThe models were calibrated against historical data for the Singapore COVID-19 situation. Several variants of the resource planning model were rapidly developed to adapt to the fast-changing COVID-19 situation in Singapore.ConclusionThe agility in adaptable models and robust collaborative management structure enabled the quick deployment of human and capital resources to sustain the high level of health services delivery during the COVID-19 surge.

Professional Oversight of Emergency-Use Interventions and Monitoring Systems: Ethical Guidance From the Singapore Experience of COVID-19

High degrees of uncertainty and a lack of effective therapeutic treatments have characterized the COVID-19 pandemic and the provision of drug products outside research settings has been controversial. International guidelines for providing patients with experimental interventions to treat infectious diseases outside of clinical trials exist but it is unclear if or how they should apply in settings where clinical trials and research are strongly regulated. We propose the Professional Oversight of Emergency-Use Interventions and Monitoring System (POEIMS) as an alternative pathway based on guidance developed for the ethical provision of experimental interventions to treat COVID-19 in Singapore. We support our proposal with justifications that establish moral duties for physicians to record outcomes data and for institutions to establish monitoring systems for reporting information on safety and effectiveness to the relevant authorities. Institutions also have a duty to support generation of evidence for what constitutes good clinical practice and so should ensure the unproven intervention is made the subject of research studies that can contribute to generalizable knowledge as soon as practical and that physicians remain committed to supporting learning health systems. We outline key differences between POEIMS and other pathways for the provision of experimental interventions in public health emergencies.

A Systematic Implementation of Telemedicine in Singapore's COVID-19 Community Recovery Facilities.

Introduction: This article describes the experience of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) implementing telemedicine consultations for COVID-19-positive patients recovering within community recovery facilities (CRFs) in a semi-inpatient setting. Materials and Methods: The SAF adopted a systematic approach to telemedicine implementation and scaling up, with Phase 1 being the deployment of medical teams operating on-site clinics daily at six CRFs and telemedicine only provided for after-hours medical consultations on an ad hoc basis. Subsequently in Phase 2, most clinical consultations in the CRFs were conducted virtually. Results: Phases 1 and 2 recorded 1,902 and 449 clinical consultations, respectively. The mean number of clinical encounters was 33 per 1,000 occupants per day in Phase 1, and 12 per 1,000 occupants per day in Phase 2 (p < 0.001). Acute respiratory illness (52.3% in Phase 1 and 46.7% in Phase 2) was the most common reason for consultations. With full telemedicine in Phase 2, there was reduction in the mean number of clinical encounters per 1,000 occupants per day (p = 0.001), lower man-hours in personal protective equipment (PPE) (p < 0.001), and rise in escalation of care (p < 0.001) but without adverse events reported. Conclusions: Telemedicine for patients was safe, improved medical manpower efficiency, and reduced man-hours in PPE. The increased escalation of care in Phase 2 due to the lack of physical examination capabilities was to be expected to ensure patients' safety. Overall, it is recommended that for stable and mild medical conditions, telemedicine is a viable, safe, and efficient health care delivery tool in crisis situations similar to COVID-19.

Factors affecting telepractice use in COVID-19

BackgroundThe use of telepractice as an alternate method of delivering healthcare to people increased significantly after COVID-19 became a global pandemic.ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify factors contributing to the accelerated adoption of telepractice during COVID-19 in Singapore. It also sought to examine whether there are differences in the perspectives of staff in nursing facilities and caregivers in personal homes towards telepractice.MethodsA cross-sectional mixed method design was used. A survey with 20 items was adapted from the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire and translated into Mandarin. Anonymous responses were obtained from 70 patients and caregivers who had received speech therapy services via telepractice from a restructured hospital before and/or during Singapore’s Circuit Breaker period. Analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics and content analysis.ResultsSociodemographic variables of age, gender, education level and language preference did not impact user satisfaction and the likelihood of using telepractice again. Service-related factors were more influential. Participants chose to use telepractice as it saved travelling time (24.0%), was easy to use (19.3%), improved healthcare access (17.5%) and reduced waiting time (17.5%). Although all respondents expressed satisfaction in telepractice, 35.5% from personal homes and 37.5% from nursing facilities were not keen to use it again. Amongst caregivers, 26.7% from personal homes and 37.5% from nursing facilities preferred not to continue telepractice use. Technical and logistical disruptions and the lack of ‘personal touch’ were contributing factors.ConclusionImproving technological infrastructure, providing training for users and developing guidelines would help sustain telepractice as a form of service delivery beyond COVID-19.

Spatial Patterns of the Spread of COVID-19 in Singapore and the Influencing Factors

Exploring the spatial patterns of COVID-19 transmission and its key determinants could provide a deeper understanding of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this study is to investigate the spatial patterns of COVID-19 transmission in different periods in Singapore, as well as their relationship with demographic and built-environment factors. Based on reported cases from 23 January to 30 September 2020, we divided the research time into six phases and used spatial autocorrelation analysis, the ordinary least squares (OLS) model, the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model, and dominance analysis to explore the spatial patterns and influencing factors in each phase. The results showed that the spatial patterns of COVID-19 cases differed across time, and imported cases presented a random pattern, whereas local cases presented a clustered pattern. Among the selected variables, the supermarket density, elderly population density, hotel density, business land proportion, and park density may be particular fitting indicators explaining the different phases of pandemic development in Singapore. Furthermore, the associations between determinants and COVID-19 transmission changed dynamically over time. This study provides policymakers with valuable information for developing targeted interventions for certain areas and periods.

Associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with older individuals\u2019 healthcare utilization and self-reported health status: a longitudinal analysis from Singapore

BackgroundThe COVID–19 pandemic has challenged the capacity of healthcare systems around the world and can potentially compromise healthcare utilization and health outcomes among non-COVID–19 patients.ObjectivesTo examine the associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with healthcare utilization, out-of-pocket medical costs, and perceived health among middle-aged and older individuals in Singapore.MethodUtilizing data collected from a monthly panel survey, a difference-in-differences approach was used to characterize monthly changes of healthcare use and spending and estimate the probability of being diagnosed with a chronic condition and self-reported health status before and during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.SubjectsData were analyzed from 7569 nationally representative individuals from 2019 January and 2020 December.MeasuresHealthcare utilization and healthcare spending by medical service categories as well as self-reported health status.ResultsBetween January and April 2020 (the first peak period of COVID-19 in Singapore), doctor visits decreased by 30%, and out-of-pocket medical spending decreased by 23%, mostly driven by reductions in inpatient and outpatient care. As a result, the probability of any diagnosis of chronic conditions decreased by 19% in April 2020. The decreased healthcare utilization and spending recovered after lifting the national lockdown in June, 2020 and remained similar to the pre-pandemic level through the rest of 2020.ConclusionsMiddle-aged and older Singaporeans’ healthcare utilization and the diagnosis of chronic conditions substantially decreased during the first peak period of the COVID-19 outbreak. Further studies to track the longer-term health effect of the pandemic among non-COVID-19 patients are warranted.

Using WhatsApp Focus Group Discussions to Collect Qualitative Data Collection During a Pandemic: Exploring Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of COVID-19 in Singapore.

This qualitative study aimed to explore Singapore residents’ knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors around COVID-19 as shaped by different information sources. Through utilizing WhatsApp as a means of conducting digital focus group discussions (FGDs), participants were involved in five consecutive days of discussions through both synchronous and asynchronous means. We found that the use of WhatsApp as a means of conducting FGDs not only served as a means of generating essential, time-sensitive data in the community, but also advanced the quality and quantity of data generated, democratized, and enhanced the participatory nature of FGDs, and facilitated the communication of potential issues around data privacy between facilitators and participants. Although challenges around privacy and confidentiality remain, this means of collecting data is novel in terms of providing timely and relevant data during a pandemic and would be appropriate to be further utilized in the context of other health-related research beyond a public health emergency.

Communicative strategies for building public confidence in data governance: Analyzing Singapore's COVID-19 contact-tracing initiatives

Effective social data governance rests on a bedrock of social support. Without securing trust from the populace whose information is being collected, analyzed, and deployed, policies on which such data are based will be undermined by a lack of public confidence. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalization and datafication by governments for the purposes of contact tracing and epidemiological investigation. However, concerns about surveillance and data privacy have stunted the adoption of such contact-tracing initiatives. This commentary analyzes Singapore's contact-tracing initiative to uncover the reasons for public resistance and efforts by the state to address them. The government's contact-tracing program encompassing its proprietary TraceTogether app and physical token initially triggered vociferous public criticisms of Big Brother style surveillance. Using a dialogic communication framework, we analyze the TraceTogether initiative to interrogate the communicative strategies that were used to overcome public resistance. We argue that these strategies reflect a top-down approach that prioritizes transactional dissemination of information, in line with Singapore's technocratic stance toward governance. We further assert that such communicative tactics represent missed opportunities to foster public confidence in social data governance through greater trust building. We propose solutions for more dialogic communicative forms that build trust, so that officials can develop a sound understanding of the public concerns, increase the level of public engagement, and incorporate public feedback into policies that govern data use.

The COVOSMIA-19 trial: Preliminary application of the Singapore smell and taste test to objectively measure smell and taste function with COVID-19

Sudden loss of smell and/or taste has been identified as an early symptom of SARS-CoV-2 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and presents an effective target for prompt self-isolation and reducing community spread. The current study sought to develop and test a novel, rapid, self-administered test to objectively measure smell and taste losses associated with COVID-19, and administered self-report questionnaires to characterise symptoms associated with COVID-19 in Singapore. Participants (N = 99) completed questionnaires to record recent changes in smell and taste ability. This was followed by the ‘Singapore Smell and Taste Test’ (SSTT), a personal, objective testing kit for daily self-assessment of smell and taste function at their place of residence. Seventy-two recruited participants were confirmed as COVID-19 positive at baseline, of which 58 completed the SSTT at home. Of these, 36.2% had objectively measured smell and/or taste loss. The SSTT measures of smell and taste function were positively associated with participants’ self-reported smell and taste acuity, and rated smell intensity of 6 common household items. This study presents the first application of the SSTT as a rapid, cost-effective, objective tool to self-monitor smell and taste function in a residential setting, and ensures comparability across individuals through the use of standardised stimuli. The SSTT has potential for future application in populations with limited access to formal COVID-19 testing as a self-administered objective method to monitor sudden changes in smell and taste, and to prompt early self-isolation, in order to reduce community transmission of COVID-19.

Does precise case disclosure limit precautionary behavior? Evidence from COVID-19 in Singapore

Limiting the spread of contagious diseases can involve both government-managed and voluntary efforts. Governments have a number of policy options beyond direct intervention that can shape individuals’ responses to a pandemic and its associated costs. During its first wave of COVID-19 cases, Singapore was among a few countries that attempted to adjust behavior through the announcement of detailed case information. Singapore’s Ministry of Health maintained and shared precise, daily information detailing local travel behavior and residences of COVID-19 cases. We use this policy along with device-level cellphone data to quantify how local and national COVID-19 case announcements trigger differential behavioral changes. We find evidence that individuals are three times more responsive to outbreaks in granularly defined locales. Conditional on keeping infection rates at a manageable level, the results suggest economic value in this type of transparency by mitigating the scope of precautionary activity reductions.

Teledental Consultations Using a Messaging Application during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience from a Singapore COVID-19 Community Care Facility

IntroductionDuring the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore from April to June 2020, governmental policies restricted the practice of dentistry nationwide to the provision of emergency treatment only, regardless of the patient’s COVID status. As such, teledentistry was used as an alternative means to continue providing some form of dental care to COVID-19–positive patients who were admitted to a COVID-19 Community Care Facility.DescriptionThe patients were physically triaged by physicians who would send clinical photos to the author via a messaging application, who would in turn triage the patients and assess if they required referral for emergency dental treatment. For patients who did not meet the criteria for referral, the author would advise the physicians on the subsequent management plan which included, but was not limited to, the provision of symptomatic relief.ConclusionsThis article shows the feasibility of undertaking teledental consultations using clinical photos transmitted via a messaging application. The practical implication is a reduced barrier for patients and healthcare professionals to access teledentistry, without having to resort to sophisticated equipment. Hopefully, this will translate into the continued provision of some form of dental care to patients during the ongoing pandemic as opposed to no care at all.

Singapore’s COVID-19 “circuit breaker” interventions: A description of individual-level adoptions of precautionary behaviours

Effectiveness of COVID-19 control interventions relies significantly on behavioural modifications of its population. Differing adoption rates impacts subsequent COVID-19 control. Hence, positive and sustained behavioural modification is essential for disease control. We describe the adoption rates of behavioural modifications for Singapore's "circuit-breaker" (CB), the national public health response to the COVID-19 crisis, among the general population in the community. We conducted an interrupted-time series study using retrospective secondary data. We compared the proportion of Singaporeans who reported adopting specific behaviour modifications before, during and after CB. Behaviours of interest were working from home, performing hand hygiene, using face mask in public, and avoiding crowded areas. We compared change in incidence rates for community COVID-19 cases among the general population across the same time periods. There was an increase in face mask usage (+46.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 34.9-58.8, P<0.01) and working from home (+20.4%, 95% CI 11.7-29.2, P<0.01) during CB than before CB in Singapore. Other self-reported behaviours showed no statistically significant difference. Change in daily incidence rates of community COVID-19 cases decreased from additional 0.73 daily case before CB to 0.55 fewer case per day during CB (P<0.01). There was no significant difference among all behaviour adoption rates after CB. Daily incidence of community cases continued to decrease by 0.11 case daily after CB. Community incidence of COVID-19 in Singapore decreased during CB and remained low after CB. Use of face masks and social-distancing compliance through working from home increased during CB. However, it is unlikely to influence other sources of COVID-19 such as imported cases or within foreign worker dormitories.

‘Keep calm, stay safe, and drink bubble tea’: Commodifying the crisis of Covid-19 in Singapore advertising

AbstractAdvertisements employ multimodal configurations of semiotic resources in an effort to lead consumers to draw particular meanings from desired consumption behaviors. This analysis examines the deployment of such resources in advertising during the global Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on the Southeast Asian nation of Singapore. We identify five discourses that offer distinct framings of Covid-19 as a challenge for workers, a wellness issue, a threat to home and family, a challenge for women, and a threat to the Singapore lifestyle. Undergirded by neoliberal notions such as the productivity imperative, these discourses rationalize a range of consumer behaviors as necessary and justified in the struggle to defeat the virus. Advertisements are argued to place the burden of navigating the pandemic primarily on women via the evocation of power femininity. We propose a new framework, crisis commodification, as a means of understanding the ideological mechanisms at play in Covid-19 advertising. (Critical discourse analysis, crisis commodification, semiotic analysis, advertising, public health, Southeast Asia)*

A Personalized Mobile Health Program for Type 2 Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Single-Group Pre–Post Study

BackgroundWith increasing type 2 diabetes prevalence, there is a need for effective programs that support diabetes management and improve type 2 diabetes outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have shown promising results. With advances in wearable sensors and improved integration, mHealth programs could become more accessible and personalized.ObjectiveThe study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a personalized mHealth-anchored intervention program in improving glycemic control and enhancing care experience in diabetes management. The program was coincidentally implemented during the national-level lockdown for COVID-19 in Singapore, allowing for a timely study of the use of mHealth for chronic disease management.MethodsPatients with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes were enrolled from the Singapore Armed Forces and offered a 3-month intervention program in addition to the usual care they received. The program was standardized to include (1) in-person initial consultation with a clinical dietitian; (2) in-person review with a diabetes specialist doctor; (3) 1 continuous glucose monitoring device; (4) access to the mobile app for dietary intake and physical activity tracking, and communication via messaging with the dietitian and doctor; and (5) context-sensitive digital health coaching over the mobile app. Medical support was rendered to the patients on an as-needed basis when they required advice on adjustment of medications. Measurements of weight, height, and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were conducted at 2 in-person visits at the start and end of the program. At the end of the program, patients were asked to complete a short acceptability feedback survey to understand the motivation for joining the program, their satisfaction, and suggestions for improvement.ResultsOver a 4-week recruitment period, 130 individuals were screened, the enrollment target of 30 patients was met, and 21 patients completed the program and were included in the final analyses; 9 patients were lost to follow-up (full data were not available for the final analyses). There were no differences in the baseline characteristics between patients who were included and excluded from the final analyses (age category: P=.23; gender: P=.21; ethnicity: P>.99; diabetes status category: P=.52, medication adjustment category: P=.65; HbA1c category: P=.69; BMI: P>.99). The 21 patients who completed the study rated a mean of 9.0 out of 10 on the Likert scale for both satisfaction questions. For the Yes-No question on benefit of the program, all of the patients selected “Yes.” Mean HbA1c decreased from 7.6% to 7.0% (P=.004). There were no severe hypoglycemia events (glucose level <3.0 mmol/L) reported. Mean weight decreased from 76.8 kg to 73.9 kg (P<.001), a mean decrease of 3.5% from baseline weight. Mean BMI decreased from 27.8 kg/m2 to 26.7 kg/m2 (P<.001).ConclusionsThe personalized mHealth program was feasible, acceptable, and produced significant reductions in HbA1c (P=.004) and body weight (P<.001) in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Such mHealth programs could overcome challenges posed to chronic disease management by COVID-19, including disruptions to in-person health care access.

Leveraging Twitter data to understand public sentiment for the COVID‐19 outbreak in Singapore

Microblogging has become one of the most useful tools for sharing everyday life events and news and for expressing opinions about those events. As Twitter posts are short and constantly being generated, they are a great source for providing public sentiment towards events that occurred throughout the COVID-19 period in Singapore. In this project, we perform sentiment analysis and topic modeling on the tweets about COVID-19 in Singapore, from 1 February 2020 to 31 August 2020. We accomplished this by collecting tweets discussing about COVID-19 and geolocated as ‘Singapore’, using the Python library ‘SNSCRAPE’. We used the sentiments returned from the VADER lexicon-based classifier and emotions from pre-trained recurrent neural networks to find correlations between real-life events and sentiment changes throughout the whole period. From our analysis, we discovered an increase in tweets about COVID-19 during key periods such as the circuit breaker and found that the overall sentiment polarity was dominantly positive. However, emotion analysis revealed that there were changes in the prevalence of fear and joy emotions over time, due to real-life COVID-19 developments in Singapore. Additionally, sentiment polarity was found to differ from topic to topic.

Modelling Singapore COVID-19 pandemic with a SEIR multiplex network model

In this paper, we have implemented a large-scale agent-based model to study the outbreak of coronavirus infectious diseases (COVID-19) in Singapore, taking into account complex human interaction pattern. In particular, the concept of multiplex network is utilized to differentiate between social interactions that happen in households and workplaces. In addition, weak interactions among crowds, transient interactions within social gatherings, and dense human contact between foreign workers in dormitories are also taken into consideration. Such a categorization in terms of a multiplex of social network connections together with the Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed (SEIR) epidemic model have enabled a more precise study of the feasibility and efficacy of control measures such as social distancing, work from home, and lockdown, at different moments and stages of the pandemics. Using this model, we study an epidemic outbreak that occurs within densely populated residential areas in Singapore. Our simulations show that residents in densely populated areas could be infected easily, even though they constitute a very small fraction of the whole population. Once infection begins in these areas, disease spreading is uncontrollable if appropriate control measures are not implemented.

Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in Managing COVID-19 in Singapore and Indonesia

Introduction: Singapore is one of the countries with the lowest mortality rate and the best handling of COVID-19. Singapore can be an example for Indonesia on COVID 19 pandemic handling.Methods: The method used is a literature review from google platform with these keywords: “Singapore Health Policy in COVID-19, Indonesian Health Policy in COVID-19, Singapore's success in suppressing COVID-19”. The analysis was done by comparing the policies taken from the two countries in dealing with COVID-19.Results: Singapore and Indonesia did indeed have very big differences in terms of government and in broad areas, it cannot be denied that Indonesia can have the same opportunity as Singapore in providing a good health disaster mitigation system for the community. Three factors influence Singapore's success in dealing with COVID-19: 1) having a responsive and efficient health disaster mitigation system, 2) government legitimacy which is determined by the capacity of the state. Singapore has a semi-centralized government with high legitimacy the experience of dealing with pandemics in the past, 3) Singapore's experience with SARS in the past makes Singaporeans understand very well the impact of the pandemic on their economic activities and social life.Conclusion: Several things can be emulated from Singapore in handling COVID-19 was the transparency, strong communication between community and the government, prioritizing the benefit and safety of civil society and building obedience and awareness of Covid 19 prevention.

Guidance for the clinical management of infants born to mothers with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 in Singapore.

In this paper, we provide guidance to clinicians who care for infants born to mothers with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 during this current pandemic. We reviewed available literature and international guidelines based on the following themes: delivery room management; infection control and prevention strategies; neonatal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing; breastfeeding and breastmilk feeding; rooming-in of mother-infant; respiratory support precautions; visiting procedures; de-isolation and discharge of infant; outpatient clinic attendance; transport of infant; and training of healthcare staff. This guidance for clinical care was proposed and contextualised for the local setting via consensus by members of this workgroup and was based on evidence available as of 31 July 2020, and may change as new evidence emerges.