Singapore abandons PCR as criteria for releasing COVID-19 patients

Singapore said Thursday it will stop using polymerase chain reaction test as a criteria for releasing COVID-19 patients and will now adopt a time-based discharge policy, allowing such patients to go home after just 21 days of isolation."With immediate effect, all COVID-19 patients who are assessed to be clinically well by Day 21 of onset of illness can be discharged without the need for further PCR tests," the Health Ministry said in a statement.The decision is based on new scientific evidence that the virus fades away after the second week from the onset of illness "despite the persistence…READ FULL ARTICLE