Going back to physical events, 1 Antigen Rapid Test at a time

Safe resumption of business events have started in Singapore since Oct'20 and participants are required to undergo pre-event testing in the form of an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) and be tested negative before being allowed to participate in the event. And we at 1000meetings were thankful for the opportunities to attend TravelRevive and the Asia broadcast of PCMA's Convening Leaders 2021 in person. It's safe to say that participants generally share the same sentiment - we're glad to see each other and feel the priceless vibe of a live event again! 

And we feel that it'll be helpful to share our experiences of the adminstrative process of ART since this will likely be a standard procedure for larger business events in the foreseeable future.

1) Registration via the Antigen Rapid Test Pilot Registration Form

Have your residency ID ready. Upon arrival at the ART zone, you will be given a card issued by the Ministry of Health that contains a serial number that will be unique to only you. Scan the QR code and fill in a couple of details, all of which would take just a minute. The team will verify your details and a successful registration before directing you to the ART test zone. 

This is one half of the full set, the lower half will be taken by the medical team to tag your swab.

2) The Swab Test 

You will be led to a swab station, be seated and once again, details will be verified against the serial number. (We wouldn't want a mixup, do we!) 

A quick note on what to expect at this point but be rest assured that you will be guided through the process. 

• Pull your mask down to reveal only your nose. Tilt your head back slightly.
• You will be swabbed in both nostrils.
• There would be some slight discomfort and possibly the urge to sneeze. 
• Done! 

This process takes all but 5 seconds, 10s max from what we've experienced. 

3) And now we wait

You wil be directed to a waiting zone and results are usually available after 20 minutes. Remember the SMS confirmation earlier? Click on the link to look at a countdown ticker while waiting for the results. 

Don't worry if you decide not to anxiously stare at the countdown because another SMS will be sent to you once the results are available. 

Rejoice! 

Each ART is valid for 24hours, which implies that if you are attending a multiday event, ART swabs will be done on a daily basis. Getting our noses swabbed is unlikely to be something anyone looks forward to. However, it is but a small compromise on our end to keep each other safe and contribute to the Herculean effort of rebuilding our industries and communities. 

And now, go forth and enjoy the event!