A PERSONAL ACCOUNT:

GETTING INFECTED BY COVID-19

A SCC Member since 1993, 62-year old Huw Evans works in the Oil & Gas industry and is an active member of the Football Section. In March, he unfortunately contracted COVID-19; this is his story.

I first arrived in Singapore in 1981 and after leaving for a few regional postings I returned to Singapore in 1993, joined the SCC and have been an active member of the Club and the Football Section since then. I witnessed first-hand the Asian financial crisis and because I was also in Singapore during the SARS outbreak, I quickly realised the significance of COVID-19 and began to personally track it from January. From the outset, it was clear that COVID-19 was not just a simple flu and I monitored and recorded the infection numbers daily. I also had the leadership role in the company and so was responsible for all the monitoring, prevention, and sanitary measures that we put in place. Thus, as a company, we were early adopters and personally I was very aware of the risks. had to make one last trip to London to clear some urgent company while offices had put in place sanitary measures, people were still

morning, I woke up with a sniffly nose and watery eyes but with a normal temperature. I thought it best to go to check with the doctor who directed me to NCID where I took a swab test and was told to go home and self-isolate. The next day, almost exactly 24 hours after my test, I received a call and was told I was positive for COVID-19 and that in three hours an ambulance would take me to NCID for medical isolation. Obviously this was a bit of a shock and I spent the next few hours calling my office and emailing all my contacts in the UK to advise them of my positive test. Two hours later, there was the dreaded ring of the doorbell and I threw clothes into a small case and in another bag I packed my laptop, phone and chargers. For some By early March COVID-19 was becoming a serious problem, but I What happened when you were admitted to NCID? business. While there, my daughter and I were going to decide In March there was still enormous apprehension about COVID-19 whether she should leave her University mid-term and come back so when two ambulance men turn up to your front door clad from to Singapore. head to toe in full Hazmat level PPE, it does make you think about Unlike Singapore, the UK had not landed on firm guidance and was then driven off with full claxons and flashing lights. reason I took my passport as well; I still don’t know why. the grave consequences. After being guided into the ambulance, I riding public transport and gathering in pubs and restaurants - all The ambulance journey itself was quite sobering and upon arrival with zero temperature checks. Concerned about the consequences, at NCID the anxiety levels continued to rise as a series of full-body I decided against visiting my parents who are vulnerable and in PPE clad orderlies and nurses escorted me through a dedicated their 90’s. Decision-making in the UK Universities was poor and lane and then a lift to an isolation ward. ultimately, I flew back on my own to Singapore. I was assigned an Isolation room which I shared Leaving London was an eerie experience on a with another patient. I was provided lilac pyjamas Sunday morning as the gravity of the situation was finally being realised. The morning I left, the “OVERNIGHT which was the standard issue for the duration of my stay. The rooms are a reasonable size 7m x London streets and trains were empty although the SQ check-in desk was chaotic. Singapore had just introduced a mandatory home quarantine of 14 I DISCOVERED I WAS 6m, with two single beds, sink, bathroom, TV and telephone. It was the telephone in the room that I first got days for anyone returning from Europe; many were CASE 588.” acquainted with as it was the primary form of stressed-out Singapore students rushing back to communication; every new arrival receives many Singapore with all their worldly possessions. telephone calls particularly from the contact tracers We all landed prior to the SHN being in force and who did an excellent job. I had prepared all the so the next day I was able to return to my office to prepare our contact information that they asked for and it was during these computers and work systems to enable us to work from home from calls that I was told that several people from my SQ flight from the following week. Fortunately, I had the foresight to work from a London had tested positive. more isolated part of the office as a precaution and went directly Medical checks started from the moment I entered my isolation home after work. Equally fortunate was that the Padangtiques (the room; there was a huge flurry of activity at first; I was fitted with a SCC Vets Football team) voted to cancel the normal Friday game wireless thermometer for 24/7 temperature checking which then on the Padang, meaning that I had avoided all social contact that settled down to medical checks every four hours. My symptoms week including not visiting the SCC at all. were not well developed, e.g. no significant temperature, and I did How did you find out you had COVID-19 and what were not need any medication. the symptoms? My roommate had been admitted six days before me and was quite After returning from the UK I showed no symptoms and it wasn’t until the 8th day that I had the first subtle clue. I had five single dry coughs over a period of three hours late on the Monday afternoon frankly in a much sicker state than I was; he was a Singaporean who like me, had returned from London and had developed symptoms around six days after his return. but no elevated temperature or any other symptoms. The next Overnight I discovered I was case 588.