The Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) is a disease crisis management plan in Singapore.
The system is colour-coded reflecting the disease situation in Singapore. Beside showing the disease situation, it also outline the impact on the general public and what the general public should do.
History
In 2003, after the
SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-1), the first identified strain of the SARS coronavirus species, ''sever ...
outbreak in Singapore, the
Ministry of Health created the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan which included DORSCON.
DORSCON was first used during the
2009 swine flu pandemic in Singapore.
The plan was further updated after the swine flu pandemic is over.
In 2013, then-Health Minister
Gan Kim Yong
Gan Kim Yong ( zh, s=颜金勇, p=Yán Jīnyǒng; born 9 February 1959) is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Minister for Trade and Industry since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party, he has been the Member of P ...
announced a revised DORSCON framework. The framework now considers disease severity in addition to the spread of diseases in Singapore, thereby indicating the overall public health impact in Singapore. In addition to that, control measures are no longer hard-wired to each phase but are modular for MOH's continually assessment of the risks, hence making the framework more flexible with four colour alerts instead of five. This allows the framework to be used for both mild and severe diseases.
In 2023, Health Minister
Ong Ye Kung
Ong Ye Kung ( zh, s=王乙康, p=Wáng Yǐkāng; born 1969) is a Singaporean politician and former civil servant who has been serving as Minister for Health since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Mem ...
announced plans to replace the colour-coded DORSCON framework with a 4-tiered public health situational framework.
DORSCON levels
Status change
*28 April 2009, Raised from Green to Yellow.
*30 April 2009: Raised from Yellow to Orange.
*11 May 2009: Reduced from Orange to Yellow.
*12 February 2010: Reduced from Yellow to Green.
*22 January 2020: Raised from Green to Yellow.
*7 February 2020: Raised from Yellow to Orange.
*26 April 2022: Reduced from Orange to Yellow.
*13 February 2023: Reduced from Yellow to Green.
[{{Cite web , last=cue , date=9 February 2023 , title=Masks no longer required on public transport from Feb 13 as Singapore moves to Dorscon green {{! The Straits Times , url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/masks-no-longer-required-on-public-transport-from-feb-13-as-singapore-moves-to-dorscon-green , access-date=9 February 2023 , website=www.straitstimes.com , language=en]
References
Healthcare in Singapore