1.COVID-19 - where do we go from here?
Singapore medical journal 2020;61(7):343-344
2.A midpoint perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Li Yang HSU ; Po Ying CHIA ; Shawn VASOO
Singapore medical journal 2020;61(7):381-383
3.Of migration, macaques, mice and men.
Jun-Yang TAY ; Shawn VASOO ; Yee-Sin LEO
Singapore medical journal 2021;62(11):562-562
5.Positive RT-PCR detected in patients recovered from COVID-19.
Glorijoy Shi En TAN ; Ying DING ; Lin CUI ; Tze Minn MAK ; Chee Keng MOK ; Asok KURUP ; Purnima PARTHASARATHY ; Wan Ni CHIA ; Lin Fa WANG ; Raymond T P LIN ; Yee Sin LEO ; Shawn VASOO
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2021;50(2):191-194
8.Narrative synthesis of psychological and coping responses towards emerging infectious disease outbreaks in the general population: practical considerations for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Qian Hui CHEW ; Ker Chiah WEI ; Shawn VASOO ; Hong Choon CHUA ; Kang SIM
Singapore medical journal 2020;61(7):350-356
INTRODUCTION:
Emerging infectious disease outbreaks, such as the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, often have a psychological impact on the well-being of the general population, including survivors and caregivers. Our study aimed to synthesise extant literature regarding the combined psychological responses and coping methods used by the general population in past outbreaks.
METHODS:
We conducted a narrative synthesis of the published literature over the last two decades with a quality appraisal of included articles that reported both psychological responses and coping strategies within infectious disease outbreaks.
RESULTS:
A total of 144 papers were identified from the search, 24 of which were included in the review. Overall, 18 studies examined the psychosocial responses of the general population towards the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, four studies focused on the Ebola epidemic and two studies covered the H1N1 outbreak. Common themes in psychological responses included anxiety/fears, depression, anger, guilt, grief and loss, post-traumatic stress and stigmatisation, but also a greater sense of empowerment and compassion towards others. Coping strategies adopted included problem-focused coping (seeking alternatives, self- and other-preservation), seeking social support, avoidance, and positive appraisal of the situation.
CONCLUSION
Amid the range of psychosocial responses seen in past infectious disease outbreaks, practical considerations for the current COVID-19 pandemic need to focus on the individual in the context of the larger social environment, with an emphasis on raising awareness of the range of possible psychosocial responses, access to psychological help, self-care, empowering self-support groups and sustained engagement with updated, reliable information about the outbreak.
Adaptation, Psychological
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physiology
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Betacoronavirus
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Coronavirus Infections
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epidemiology
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psychology
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Health Personnel
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psychology
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Humans
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Mental Health
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Pandemics
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Pneumonia, Viral
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epidemiology
;
psychology
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Stress, Psychological
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epidemiology
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etiology
;
psychology
10.Coronavirus disease and home recovery: a Singapore perspective
Trevor Tan ; Joachim Wen Kien Yau ; Matthias Paul Han Sim Toh ; Shawn Vasoo ; Yee Sin Leo
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response 2023;14(5):09-15
Objective: At the beginning of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Singapore, the strategy initially involved aggressive ring-fencing of infections, before pivoting towards managing recurrent local interspersed outbreaks of COVID-19. A key feature of Singapore’s efforts to preserve health-care capacity was the implementation of the nationwide Home Recovery Programme (HRP), whereby patients were allowed to recover at home as long as they met certain criteria. The programme was centrally coordinated by Singapore’s Ministry of Health and was supported by telemedicine providers, primary care physicians and government agencies. This report aims to highlight Singapore’s experience in coordinating and implementing the HRP, the challenges faced and the outcomes.
Methods: Published and internal data from the Ministry of Health in Singapore, along with policy documents, were reviewed together with a brief literature review of similar programmes conducted globally.
Results: Implementation of the HRP led to the majority of patients (98%) recovering from COVID-19 in the outpatient setting, with similar mortality rates to inpatient settings. Hospitalization rates for COVID-19 cases were reduced as compared to previously, alleviating strain on the health-care system.
Discussion: The HRP was largely successful at preventing health-care capacities from being overwhelmed, while keeping fatalities to a minimum. Nonetheless, the risks of emergent variants of concern remain present, and heightened vigilance and potential modification of existing protocols based on fluctuations in virulence and infectivity are still needed.
Result Analysis
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