3 May 2020 - Dr Jansen Koh, chief and senior consultant, CGH said non-ICU front-line staff are trained to be ICU-ready in anticipation of more cases. More training in the use of PPE is also done. The article also noted that as ICU doctors see more patients, they have relooked the need to intubate critically ill patients early.

Dr Tan Chee Keat, head and senior consultant, NTFGH said their approach to ICU patients now varies depending on the oxygen level in a patient’s blood. Patients with a low but less alarming oxygen level are first treated with “awake prone” therapy, where they are encouraged to rest and sleep on their stomach to help boost oxygen levels. This has proved useful, with some ICU patients recovering well after two to three days of therapy. Prone positioning is now also used on non-ICU patients.

SOURCE: THE STRAITS TIMES SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS LIMITED, REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION