A quarantine order is not equivalent to a staycation. Not even close. You will probably get comments like "free staycation from the government" or "use the time to relax" but nope, it's not going to be blissful memory for you, that's for sure. As Singapore ramps up efforts to reopen the nation and economy, the authorities have been rigorous in handing out Stay Home Notices (SHN) and Quarantine Orders (QO) to those who have come in close contact with a positive Covid-19 case. Unfortunately, last week I was one of them. Here's how I got by with the help of care packages, observing ants and following the Olympics really closely.
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With TraceTogether and contact tracing made a mandatory thing for everyone in Singapore, it's easy to track and alert the authorities when we might have come into contact with a carrier of the virus. It is important to keep the tech running in the background while you go about with your day.
If you do get the notice for SHN or QO though (usually via text), the date and time where the 'contact' happened would be revealed – it would be helpful if you keep track of your own movements to avoid it happening again. I got the text when I was out visiting my in-laws for Hari Raya Haji and immediately panicked.
What you should do: Keep calm and return home – someone from the Ministry of Health would be in contact with you on what to do next.
What happened: I returned home and anxiously read the document they attached with the text. One of the instructions was to download an app called Homer which would track your movements and ensure you don't break quarantine laws. However, the app could not identify my postal code and in my state of panic, I called the hotline.
The first call was short – I was told that someone would call me in ten minutes. An hour passed and still, I didn't get a call. I called the hotline again and this time, I was told that someone would pick me up to send me to a quarantine facility the next day.
A home quarantine is also optional but that means imposing the QO on the rest of the family members and having to segregate the space so you'll never be in contact – plus officials having to come to your house for random checks and swab tests seemed like a headache to me so I opted of the government facility.
My quarantine order was for nine days so naturally, you pack enough for that amount of time. The phone call seemed so surreal that I spent the night thinking it was a scam and halfheartedly packed mostly loungewear, some shirts to inspire me during work hours and a set of activewear. I naively packed five books to read, thinking I'll be in a zen state of mind in a hotel room for nine days and assorted electronics like my work laptop and iPad.
What you should do: Pack smart and light – enough for however long you're in quarantine. Remember to pack any medication you're on! For me, it was my trusty asthma inhalers.
What happened: I'm a creature of comfort so on top of the essentials like clothes and electronics, I also threw in the bag my usual soap, facial products, daily supplements, crystals (haha), tea, coffee, sugar – and even my favourite David Shrigley mug.
Surrounding myself with familiar things kept me sane throughout the stay. The laundry situation is a little bit iffy (will get to that later) so having a fresh and different shirt to wear each day was comforting.
All the waiting and not knowing what is happening next can be very anxiety-inducing. When are they picking me up? Am I going to get swabbed? What time will I get swabbed? How will they know if my results are negative? Time is truly a concept when you're in quarantine. Of course for some people who don't mind living on the edge or 'going with the flow', quarantine might be a breeze for you.
The social distancing begins even before you get to your room. You'll wait in the car until your turn comes – so there is no contact with anyone else. Even with my backpack and additional duffel, I thought I had packed light but I managed to spot some people checking in with a single tote bag or backpack.
Check-in was quick – all you need to present is your ID and after a bag check – or skim – I was allowed to wait at the lift lobby for my designated lift.
It's a quarantine so there's nowhere you can go except your room. Everyone is made to download the Homer app which prompts you to send three selfies (yup, not joking) and three daily reports of your temperature. You also have to disclose any symptoms you have at the moment. And if you do have any symptoms, someone from the Ministry of Health (MOH) will follow up on you almost immediately.
There's only one thing that is constant in quarantine – you will get swabbed. Several times. In total, I had to go for three separate swabs in quarantine. It's mildly uncomfortable but nothing you won't survive.
After my first swab sesh which turned out negative from Covid-19, my sinuses reacted badly and I ended up with a runny nose and dry cough for an entire day – which I logged into my Homer app. A few hours later, someone from MOH informed via a call that there will be a video consultation with a doctor.
The video call happened after an hour of the MOH call and I informed the doctor it was probably a sinus reaction and I should be fine after an antihistamine – which they agreed to send over. Plot twist time: within hours of the call with the doctor, I got a call from the hotel saying that an ambulance was coming to fetch me to the NCID for further tests and I had to pack everything.
At the centre, I went through another PCR test and a chest x-ray. After the tests, I was informed that I would be transferred to a 'pending facility' while I had to wait for the results. Confused and very disoriented, I took my second ambulance ride of the day to another facility where I stayed overnight.
Three catered meals will be provided to you every day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The situation is different at every hotel – you'll usually get asked for your dietary restrictions when you check-in and then it's a wild card from there. I started excited about the arrangement (sometimes I enjoy airplane food), but as the days went by...
More misses than hits, there were some pretty memorable and amusing meals like this breakfast plating:
And sad ones like this which gave depressing vibes to be honest:
On the upside, getting food delivered to your room is allowed – I would like to thank everyone who has sent something to me – a special shout out to my colleagues for sending sambal and a plant – and also to the staff who had to deliver goods to my room sometimes several times a day.
Sure you may be in a hotel – but will you enjoy the same services and facilities you would if you were on a staycation? There answer is a hard no. Bestie, you're in quarantine not a week-long detox wellness retreat. Pool privileges – none (it was where we had our swab tests actually), hotel bar – none (alcohol is strictly prohibited anyway), room service – limited, housekeeping – are you joking?, laundry – very limited. While some places don't offer laundry services – meaning it's DIY time – some quarantine facilities allow a maximum of three pieces to be washed by the hotel.
Sometimes isolation can be a great thing – we all need some space from each other. But when left alone with a lot of uncertainty, isolation can be quite terrifying. Most of the time in quarantine, we're usually waiting for instructions on what to do next. Often, no timeframe is given so a big part of the day is spent waiting.
How to fix it: Talk to yourself! No one is going to judge you anyway or have regular calls with loved ones just so you can hear other people's voices. Sometimes when collecting meals, neighbours along the same hall would say hello to each other briefly. I also kept the telly on a lot for white noise and as a result, I'm an expert at fencing and gymnastics now (shout out 24/7 Tokyo 2020 Olympics coverage). I also have a very popular TikTok account now with an overwhelming 30 followers.
If you're a naturally anxious person (like me), an experience like this would most likely heighten your anxiety. On my first night as I was trying to sleep after the late-night swab sesh, I started thinking about how it was the only time I would get to breathe fresh air. Out of nowhere, it triggered a mild panic attack and I had to utilise my Ventolin inhaler, my Vicks Vaporub and some meditation to calm down (on top of panic texting friends). After I returned from the facility where I had to stay while waiting for my secondary swab results, I realised I had to return to my previous hotel room which they left untouched (trash not taken out and towels not changed). It made me stay up that night cleaning – most of the time it was a case of what do I trigger first, my anxiety or my asthma.
How to fix it: Pack your meds if you have any, don't overthink and try meditating. I used the app Insight Timer which help me calm down my thoughts. Another MVP was also my Vicks Vaporub ointment which tricked me into thinking I was breathing fresh air.
As much as I was grateful for the efficiency of our government, there were moments that left me frustrated due to the lack of communication. The magick behind contact tracing still astounds me but the lapses between communication can be very confusing. On my second night in the facility, I got a call from MOH telling me I have a QO on me which led me to reply: "I know... I'm in the quarantine facility...?" The caller simply replied, "Oh okay then, bye!"
When I was told to pack up as the ambulance was coming to pick me up also left me perplexed as my video call with the doctor concluded that it was a sinus episode and nothing serious. Later on, medicine from the virtual consultation was sent to my first quarantine facility and not the one I was housed in while pending results.
How to fix it: Keep asking questions!
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