SINGAPORE – The seven McDonald’s staff infected with Covid-19 had been deployed across nine different outlets as of noon last Saturday (April 18), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday.
This spurred the ministry to advise the fast-food giant to stop its operations until May 4 at its more than 135 outlets, including its takeaway and delivery services, which it did so the next day.
“As of 12pm, April 18, 2020, seven McDonald’s employees who had worked across nine different outlets have been found to have Covid-19 infection,” an MOH spokesman told ST.
“As a preventative action to prevent a possible outbreak, and to prevent or reduce the spread of Covid-19, the Director of Medical Services, Ministry of Health, has directed McDonald’s to suspend operations of all outlets, including their delivery and drive-through services, until 3 May 2020 (inclusive).”
The Straits Times has contacted McDonald’s for comment about where these nine outlets were, what kind of roles these seven staff had and why they had been moving across different outlets.
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SINGAPORE: Budget carrier Jetstar Asia will resume partial operations to three key cities in Southeast Asia this week, with minimal onboard services and crew members decked out in masks and personal protective equipment.
From Tuesday (Apr 21), Jetstar Asia will operate five return services a week between Singapore and Manila, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Services on the “temporary network” are available only to citizens and permanent residents who are returning home or those with prior written approval for travel, said Jetstar in a media release on Monday.
The flights will operate until at least September, a Jetstar spokesperson told CNA separately, adding that the carrier is “helping to repatriate citizens and assist with freight in the region during this time”.
(Image: Jetstar Asia)
Passenger flights to Manila will operate on Tuesdays, while those for Kuala Lumpur will be on Thursdays and Sundays.
Cargo flights to Bangkok will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
While the risk of contracting COVID-19 on an aircraft is regarded as low, several COVID-19 precautionary measures will be taken onflight, including reducing passenger numbers to allow for safe distancing, said Jetstar.
A maximum of 112 seats will be available on each flight, approximately 60 per cent of capacity, the airline added.
Onboard services will also be scaled back and passengers will be served only water during the flight.
“In line with new circuit breaker measures introduced by the Singapore Government, all passengers will be required to wear a mask, at all times. Crew members will also utilise masks and PPE in accordance with guidelines,” said Jetstar.
Travel vouchers may not be redeemed for these flights.
International flights have ground to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as countries put in place lockdowns and travel restrictions to curb the spread of the disease.
Several airlines have grounded most, if not all of their flights, and placed their cabin crew and pilots on leave.
At Changi Airport, passenger traffic plunged nearly 71 per cent in March, while aircraft landings and takeoffs fell by about 50 per cent.
Jetstar announced last month it would suspend all services for three weeks until Apr 15. It subsequently extended the suspension until May 18, following strict circuit breaker measures announced by the Singapore Government.
Some of Jetstar’s crew members have taken up positions as SG Clean Ambassadors to educate the public on safe distancing requirements.
In all, close to half of Jetstar’s crew and corporate team members have taken up temporary roles with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), National Environment Agency and Raffles Medical Group, CNA reported earlier this week.
SINGAPORE: Consumers suffered about S$2.37 million in prepayment losses in 2019 due to the “sudden and unexpected closure” of businesses, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said on Monday (Apr 20).
CASE said it received at least 427 complaints last year regarding the loss of consumer prepayments due to the closures.
The bulk of these losses came from the motorcars, beauty, renovation contractors, bridal, and fitness club industries.
“While businesses generally collect some form of prepayment from consumers before the delivery of goods and services, the amounts collected for these industries tend to be substantial as they involve big-ticket items or long-term commitment,” CASE said.
In particular, CASE received 33 complaints regarding the sudden closure of at least 15 motorcar dealers, and/or the non-transfer of car ownership by these dealers.
The total amount of prepayment losses suffered by these consumers is about S$1.15 million.
In one instance, a consumer had made full payment of S$78,000 for a pre-owned car and was informed by the dealer that the car ownership will be transferred to him within 10 days.
However, the car ownership was still not transferred to him four months later and the dealer had become insolvent due to financial difficulties. Subsequently, the bank also repossessed his car as the dealer had not paid off the outstanding loan on the vehicle.
CASE said that it was “very concerned” with the amount of losses suffered by consumers and will intensify efforts to educate consumers on the risks involved when they make prepayments and how they can protect themselves.
It will also engage the relevant industry stakeholders and governmental agencies to consider targeted prepayment protection measures for the key industries.
MAJORITY OF MOTORCAR COMPLAINTS INVOLVED PRE-OWNED VEHICLES
The motorcars and beauty industries received 11.3 per cent and 10.8 per cent of the total complaints respectively.
Breakdown of complaints received for the top 10 industries in 2018 and 2019. (Image: Consumers Association of Singapore)
A total of 42 per cent of the 1,683 complaints regarding the motorcars industry involved defective goods.
Two-thirds of the complaints about defective goods involved pre-owned motorcars.
In one case, a consumer had purchased a pre-owned motorcar for S$39,135. The car broke down four times within two months due to an engine oil leak and other defects.
On the first three occasions, the car dealer agreed to repair the car for free. However, the dealer was unwilling to bear the full repair cost for the fourth time as they had already absorbed the full repair costs on the first three occasions.
After CASE’s intervention, the dealer agreed to absorb the fourth repair cost of S$780 for the vehicle.
Under the law, consumers are entitled to a repair or replacement of goods that do not conform to the contract.
“If a repair or replacement is not possible or if the same cannot be done within a reasonable time and without causing significant inconvenience to the consumer, he can request for a reduction in amount to be paid for the non-conforming good or to rescind the contract,” CASE said.
To address complaints on defective pre-owned motorcars, CASE previously introduced the Standard and Functional Evaluation (SAFE) Checklist in 2017 to guide consumers on the checks they should perform and to encourage them to send the pre-owned car for independent evaluation before they make the purchase.
CASE said it intends to step up its efforts to engage consumers and industry stakeholders to increase the adoption of the SAFE Checklist to help reduce disputes between consumers and car dealers.
PRESSURE SALES TACTICS IN BEAUTY INDUSTRY
About one-third of the 1,598 complaints involving the beauty industry were about salespersons taking advantage of consumers by using pressure sales tactics.
In one instance, a consumer had visited a beauty salon for eyebrow embroidery treatment at a promotional price of S$99.
The consumer complained that the salon staff member proceeded to embroider one side of her eyebrow and then informed her that she had been given a premium eyebrow embroidery treatment costing S$2,280.
The staff member then allegedly told the consumer that she will not embroider the other eyebrow unless she paid for the premium treatment. The consumer was left with no choice but to pay S$2,280 for the premium treatment.
Under the law, it is an unfair practice for a supplier to take advantage of a consumer by exerting undue pressure or influence on the consumer to enter into a transaction. Consumers have the right to seek recourse against retailers under such a circumstance.
In response to consumer complaints, CASE issued an advisory in July 2019 to alert consumers to aggressive pressure sales tactics used by the industry and to remind consumers who do not wish to enter into a purchase transaction of their right to decline and walk away.
CASE added that it has been educating consumers on their rights and will continue to do so through various communication channels.
S$2.6 MILLION RECOVERED
CASE received a total of 14,867 complaints last year. Of these, 85 per cent of the complaints were instances when consumers were given advice on how to follow up directly with the businesses.
The remaining 15 per cent were filed with CASE, which meant that CASE negotiated and/or mediated the complaints on behalf of consumers.
About 70 per cent of the filed cases were resolved, with nearly S$2.6 million in-cash and in-kind recovered for consumers.
“We are deeply concerned about the amount of losses suffered by consumers due to sudden business closures. In view of the current economic landscape and as more businesses are affected, it is likely that this issue will remain a pressing concern for consumers,” said the president of CASE Lim Biow Chuan.
“We would like to call on consumers to be vigilant and exercise caution when they make advance payments. CASE will engage industry stakeholders and governmental agencies to consider targeted prepayment protection measures to protect consumers.”
The global economy is heading towards a storm. How do we continue to put food on the table as our jobs take a hit from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic?
The Government announced a slew of measures under the Unity, Resilience and Solidarity Budgets totalling $60 billion to help tide Singaporean workers over these trying times.
One example is the enhanced Jobs Support Scheme, which aims to save jobs, support workers, and protect their livelihoods.
How do these measures help you? Read on for more details.
1) Helping local workers save their jobs
If you’re a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, the Government will provide a wage subsidy of 75 per cent for the first $4,600 of your monthly salary in April.
For the rest of the year, the percentage of co-funding for the first $4,600 of your pay will vary depending on the sectors you work in – 75 per cent for those in the aviation and tourism sectors, 50 per cent for those in food services, and 25 per cent for the rest.
This Jobs Support Scheme will help 1.9 million local workers.
Aside from social distancing, flattening the curve, and uh… covidiot, another term that entered the coronavirus lexicon is something called contact tracing.
It’s a simple and logical system that existed even before Covid-19 reared its deadly head. The process is designed to halt the chain of transmission of any infectious pathogen, a tool being employed en masse during the ongoing global pandemic.
How it works is by identifying who’s been in contact with newly identified people infected with the disease. By thoroughly tracing back a list of people who’ve been in the vicinity of the infected, the authorities can get them to self-isolate and prevent any risks of further transmission.
SINGAPORE: Crime-fighting has continued during the COVID-19 outbreak, albeit with precautionary measures for inmates, suspects and accused persons, agencies told CNA.
In the prisons, where no coronavirus case has been detected as of Apr 10, inmates have been issued with a reusable mask each.
Newly admitted inmates are housed separately from the general population and monitored for 14 days, said the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).
IN THE PRISONS
All inmates have their temperatures taken twice daily and safe distancing measures are in place to reduce the gathering of inmates, for example during yard time.
Inmates who feel unwell are required to put on the issued masks and are immediately separated and monitored. Should they fulfil the Ministry of Health’s case definition of COVID-19, they will be tested for the virus.
Since Apr 7, the prisons have suspended all programmes that require external partners to enter the premises, such as work, family and religious programmes.
The entrance gate of Changi Prison. (File photo: Singapore Prison Service)
They continue, however, to work with volunteers from religious organisations to provide videos and reading materials for inmates.
Essential services such as food and linen services continue to operate, with added safe-distancing measures in place.
Family members of inmates are not allowed to visit their loved ones during the circuit breaker period from Apr 7 to May 4, as SPS has suspended all family visits.
Instead, inmates can make local phone calls to their families or communicate via email and traditional mail.
If the inmates need to be produced in court, video-conferencing is used when possible, otherwise SPS works closely with the courts to implement safe distancing for those who need escorting to court.
AT POLICE STATIONS
The police have also adopted certain measures to protect their officers, members of the public and suspects during the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
File photo of handcuffs. (Photo: TODAY)
While a Singapore Police Force spokesperson told CNA that police services are “largely unaffected”, frontline officers are issued with personal protective equipment including masks and gloves.
The force has also implemented precautionary measures such as temperature screening and maintaining a minimum of a metre’s distance between suspects in police lock-ups.
Those in custody who need to be quarantined are housed separately from the rest, and a suspect who has flu-like symptoms or is believed to be ill will be referred to a medical practitioner.
The police have also increased their use of video-conferencing in order to produce accused persons in court.
The force said it remains committed to its mission to prevent, deter and detect crime, and is also supporting the Government’s efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation in Singapore.
IN THE COURTS
Most court hearings originally scheduled during the circuit breaker period have been adjourned, the Chief Justice previously announced.
However, cases that are urgent and essential continue to be heard, albeit with extra precautions.
Urgent and essential cases include those that are time-sensitive or are subject to legal requirements stating that they must be heard within a specified time frame.
For example, the charge courts remain open as arrested persons must be produced in court within 48 hours as per the Criminal Procedure Code.
Those who continue to come to court must fill out health and travel declarations, and those at the State Courts have their temperatures scanned before entering, a spokesperson for the Supreme Court told CNA.
Anyone who displays symptoms of sickness or are on any type of quarantine or stay-home notice will be denied entry.
The court cases that do go through are heard via video-conferencing as far as possible, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) told CNA.
Video conferencing being used in a court hearing. (Photo: Supreme Court)
“AGC is digitally ready and has made the necessary arrangements for our prosecutors to attend court hearings from home using video-conference systems,” said a spokesperson.
Currently, pre-trial conferences, plead guilty mentions and appeals are heard this way, and video trials are in the works.
Prosecutors consult and clear prosecution decisions with their supervisors via Skype and other means.
Other prosecutorial work such as making charging decisions, dealing with representations from accused persons and their counsel and formulating sentencing positions can be done from home.
Some measures put in place to allow for this include digitising investigation papers and permitting remote access to databases and resources, said AGC.
“Those who need to return to the office stagger reporting and knock-off times and monitor their health closely,” said the spokesperson.
“The dynamic and evolving COVID-19 situation has presented the AGC with a set of unique challenges and changed the way our prosecutors go about doing their work,” said AGC.
It added that it continues to be fully operational to deal with prosecution matters, so that the criminal justice system “continues to function in these extraordinary times”.
Last Sunday, on Easter, my father died after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 76.
Under normal circumstances, we would have had a three- or five-day wake and many of my parents’ friends and relatives would have come to pay their respects to him.
But with Covid-19, these are not normal times. In the end, we had only a two-day, one-night wake and he was cremated last Tuesday.
The night he died, the funeral director told us we would not be given many tables and chairs because only 10 people would be allowed at any one time.
We were supplied forms for mourners to write down their particulars for contact tracing purposes. There was even a column for their temperature.
It has been tough on my mother, 73, to lose her husband of 52 years and she wanted to mourn him properly.
Like having their friends from church, line dancing circle and our many relatives say goodbye to him. But the virus robbed her, my sister and I, of all that.
My mother wanted family and friends to celebrate his life with a dinner after his cremation. Just like how her family did when her mother died 15 years ago.
In a foreign land in the grip of a pandemic, the two young women kept to themselves in public.
But what was supposed to be a simple grocery run turned into a nightmare for the Singaporean and Malaysian undergraduates, who were verbally abused and assaulted in the heart of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, last Wednesday.
A video circulating on social media shows the 18-year-old Singaporean and her 20-year-old friend being attacked.
Believed to be racially motivated, the incident has drawn strong criticism from the Australian authorities.
The Victoria Police said the victims were walking along Elizabeth Street near the Queen Victoria Market at about 5.30pm on Wednesday when the two alleged perpetrators began verbally abusing and assaulting them.
The area is within the city’s Central Business District.
Describing the attackers as skinny Caucasians, the police said they reportedly shouted “coronavirus” repeatedly and hurled death threats at the victims.
Melbourne’s Nine News reported that the students were also told to “go back to China” and were attacked when they responded to the taunts.
