Temasek Foundation giving free oximeter to every Singapore household

The Temasek Foundation is giving out a free oximeter to every Singaporean household, it announced on Thursday (Jun 24). 

The oximeter is a device that checks the oxygen level in the blood, which helps in detecting early signs of a deterioration in health. 

In light of COVID-19, the oximeter helps to detect silent pneumonia, a consequential side effect of the virus where bloody oxygen levels can drop dangerously low even when an individual is feeling well. 

A leaflet with a redemption tab will be mailed to every household by Jul 3. In order to collect the oximeter, residents have to bring the leaflet and the redemption tab along.

Collection for the oximeter will begin on Jul 5 and end on Aug 5.  

The participating supermarket and pharmacy outlets include NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Giant, Cold Storage, Watsons, Unity and Guardian islandwide. 

You can check for the nearest collection points here. 

Residents may also collect the oximeter on behalf of their friends and neighbours by bringing along their household leaflets with redemption tabs.

Blood oxygen levels between 95 and 100 per cent are considered healthy while blood oxygen levels between 90 and 94 per cent are considered low. 

Individuals with a dangerously low blood oxygen level of less than 90 per cent should visit an Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) immediately, the Temasek Foundation advised. 

However, the foundation also warned that readings on the oximeter may be inaccurate due to trembling hands or the use of nail varnish. 

The Temasek Foundation also stressed that bloody oxygen level readings cannot and do not replace a COVID-19 test and low blood oxygen levels could be caused by other complications apart from COVID-19.