When faced with an infectious disease outbreak, our authorities have implemented various precautionary measures to protect Singaporeans and contain the spread of pathogens. Leave-of-absence (LOA), stay-home-notice (SHN) and Quarantine order (QO) are implemented to slow and contain the spread of pathogens.
All of us should be aware of the definition and the dos and don’ts for each measure. For COVID-19, stay updated with the Ministry of Health website here: https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19
I have summarised the three measures below for COVID-19.
LOA
Allowed to leave their place of residence to purchase daily necessities or to attend to important personal matters
LOAs are issued to:
All students and staff who returned from overseas between 14 and 20 March 2020 will be placed on a mandatory 14-day Leave of Absence (LOA) from the date of return
What if I do not comply?
No information found on non-compliances for the LOA rules
SHM
Should remain in their place of residence at all times during the 14-day period
SHMs are issued to:
From 27 March 2020, 0900 hours, all travellers arriving in Singapore, including residents need to comply with the 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) on arrival in Singapore
What if I do not comply?
Individuals who breach their Stay-Home Notice by leaving their residence, may be prosecuted under the Infectious Diseases Act. First-time offenders can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
QO
Persons under quarantine must not leave their designated location for any reason.
QOs are issued to:
A QO is issued to quarantine or isolate an individual who is, or is suspected to be, a carrier of an infectious disease or a contact of a person confirmed to have an infectious disease.
What if I do not comply?
A QO is a directive with legal force. It has severe penalties for non-compliance.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information changes daily with the rapid development of the COVID-19 situation. Please refer to official information from gov.sg for updated information.
https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/faqs
https://www.gov.sg/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-quarantine-orders
https://www.gov.sg/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-stay-home-notice
https://www.gov.sg/article/whats-the-difference-between-a-leave-of-absence-and-a-quarantine-order