File photo of a health worker performing a swab test for COVID-19. (Photo: iStock)

Singapore: A man who went to a polyclinic with COVID-19-related symptoms was told that a swab test must be done. Tan Fuyu did not comply, but absconded from the clinic and was tested only nine months later.

The day after the consultation, the 20-year-old also went to a tattoo studio, where his chest was smeared with ink and bleeding too much.

On Friday (November 26), Tan pleaded guilty to a charge of running away from home without a valid reason, even though he received a medical certificate requiring him to stay at home, and considered a second similar charge when sentencing.

The court learned that Tan went to the Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic on December 8 last year due to a dry cough and itchy throat.

The doctor diagnosed him with an acute upper respiratory infection and instructed Tan to take a swab for COVID-19.

He also issued a medical certificate to Tan saying that he had an acute upper respiratory infection and asked him not to go to work or school for three days. The certificate states that Tan is required by law to stay at home until his COVID-19 swab test results are negative.

The doctor told Tan that he could not leave his home during his medical certificate or until he got a negative swab test result.

Tan admitted to the explanation, received his medical certificate, and walked out of the clinic. However, Tan did not go to take the COVID-19 swab test and collect the medicine, instead he left the polyclinic and took the bus home.

The nurse tried to contact him by phone many times, but he did not answer.

The next day, Tan left home and took a Grab bus to Xinming Road to make a tattoo appointment.

The prosecutor said that the tattoo artist applied ink on his chest and observed that Tan was bleeding too much.

After the operation, Tan left the studio and took the bus home. He did not receive any COVID-19 test that month, only underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on September 19 this year and tested negative for COVID-19.

The court documents did not explain why Tan was tested for COVID-19 in September. 

He will return to court next month to commute and sentence his sentence.

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