SINGAPORE: COVID-19 has been a highly disruptive period for individuals and societies the world over, as we learn to adjust to a lifestyle where social distancing and virtual communication are the norm, replacing physical intimacy and interactions.
While social media has been an integral part of our lives for the past decade, COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented surge in social media usage.
Consulting firm Kantar’s global study on media habits conducted from Mar 14 to Mar 24 found a 61 per cent increase in social media engagement over normal usage rates. As more countries have gone into partial or full lockdown mode since then, this figure is likely to have increased.
Millions of people worldwide have turned to social media to connect with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as to stay abreast of the latest developments regarding the pandemic.
In these trying times, social media has played a key role in keeping people connected and informed as well as fulfil certain human needs and wants, including social interaction, information seeking, entertainment, self-presentation, and relaxation.
THE WAY WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED
The unique nature of this crisis has also disrupted some of the usual ways in which social media is used and consumed, generating a shift away from more narcissistic and individualistic narratives to a more public-service oriented use of social media.
While selfies, wefies and images of activities conducted in lockdown abound – cooking, gardening, art and music have emerged as frontrunners – an increased public consciousness has also emerged on social media.
The social media video sharing app TikTok is contributing US$250 million toward pandemic relief efforts. (Photo: AFP/Lionel BONAVENTURE)
This is reflected in various ways, such as informative posts providing updates from governments and other credible sources; offering help, support, and (free) resources; messages of solidarity and hope; and expressing concern for and helping the less fortunate during this difficult time.
There also appears to be greater recognition of the inequalities that abound in our social systems, and how COVID-19 is impacting vulnerable communities, such as the elderly, daily wage labourers and migrant workers, disproportionately.
There are greater social media calls to action to provide support to such groups. One example is the effort to share information about meal deliveries by hawker centres and other eateries adversely impacted by the recent Circuit Breaker measures.
This increased public consciousness is a welcome change from the more individualistic, selfie, entertainment, lifestyle-focused, and – dare I say – somewhat frivolous content that we are used to seeing on social media.
This is not surprising as social media does perpetuate a herd behaviour – meaning that if some influential people or influencers have posted a particular message of solidarity or an appropriate social message on their pages, this is likely to influence others to follow suit.
SOCIAL MEDIA CURE FOR BOREDOM
But it is not just about causes and information. With safe distancing measures, lockdowns in some countries and the Circuit Breaker month in Singapore, social media has also become the key way in which we maintain our social engagement.
As we use social media increasingly during this period to maintain relationships and connections, the content people share has also become more interactive, often requiring the participation of one’s network. Think of all the challenges you have seen emerge on social media in recent weeks.
Apps such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype and Rave as well as Houseparty have seen increased use since virus lockdowns began. (Photo: AFP/Eric BARADAT)
During this period, we have also seen newer platforms gain a following. For instance, the sudden re-emergence and popularity of Houseparty, a “face-to-face social network” app, lies in users being able to simultaneously video chat and play games with up to eight contacts in an online “party”.
Zoom, which has traditionally been used as a video conferencing platform for work purposes has also become a tool for leisure – as friends use it to catch up with one another in real time in this stay-at-home scenario.
Similarly, the spike in viral posts and games continues as people around the world are forced to entertain themselves to stave off boredom and loneliness.
SOME THINGS WILL CHANGE
The coronavirus is an once-in-a-lifetime type of event that will reshape society in lasting ways. And with every crisis, there are opportunities.
We can use this crisis to rethink and reshape the way we use social media, moving away from our excessive consumption and unhealthy practices to a more balanced and mindful approach.
To some extent, this is already happening. Conversations on social media platforms now also focus on our fragile global ecosystem, shared futures, and the need to re-think the way we live and work beyond COVID-19.
However, this will not be a straightforward shift.
The relationship between technology and humans is a complicated one: technology is not a neutral medium, as our values and beliefs shape the way we develop and use technologies. To that extent, social media is a reflection of our true selves.
Just as hope, fear, social responsibility and moral consciousness abound in the social media landscape during this time of crisis, narcissistic behaviour, hate speech, misinformation, bullying, and crime continue to flourish online.
Much of this can be attributed to the architecture of social media platforms. Many platforms are designed in ways that perpetuate our beliefs and prejudices, creating echo chambers that seal us off to contrary opinions. Racist and xenophobic vitriol on social media during this crisis has thrived in such social media spaces.
Social media use is also driven by shares, likes, and reposts, prompting us to post content that is popular or fashionable at that time — whether it is socially conscious or not. Undoubtedly, as we get used to life under COVID-19 and as the crisis resolves itself, we will return to many of our familiar social media habits.
However, there is no denying that COVID-19 has triggered a global soul-searching, from which a greater social consciousness has emerged.
And as we share this new, frightening reality, there is no better time to introspect about our relationship with social media, and how to use it in ways that are more empowering and beneficial—not just for ourselves and our loved ones, but for the larger global community.
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Dr. Anuradha Rao is the founder of CyberCognizanz, a training and communications company that focuses on critical digital literacy and keeping people safer in cyberspace.
SINGAPORE: The conditions are functional, the rooms are basic, but COVID-19 patient Matthew’s resolve is stronger than ever – he hopes to return home to his family as soon as possible.
Matthew, a 24-year-old student who asked that his full name not be used, has been transferred around a number of locations – from a ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) to the D’Resort NTUC Community Facility. Now he is one of the patients currently being housed at a new community isolation facility at the Singapore Expo & MAX Atria.
This facility at the Expo has been operational since Friday (Apr 10), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said last week. And Matthew was one of the first few patients to set foot in it.
“I didn’t know what to expect but I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it,” said Matthew, who had been told of his transfer from NCID to the Expo on Apr 10. “But I’m quite an okay person (dealing with these things) – so as long as it was liveable, I was fine with it.”
Later that evening, Matthew, along with a number of other patients, was transported to the Expo. He was not told why he was chosen to be transferred there.
Seeing the size of the hall and the number of rooms it held drove home the message how many people were affected by the virus, a stark contrast to the days of relative isolation at D’Resort and NCID, said Matthew, who had returned from his studies in the UK on Mar 20.
He had developed symptoms on Mar 24 before being warded at NCID the following day. He was later transferred to D’Resort but was readmitted to NCID for tests after exhibiting symptoms such as a cough and chest discomfort.
“I was very shocked to see that there was such a facility that was built and could hold so many people,” he explained. “It’s one thing to see the pictures, but when I saw it in real life, I was still very shocked.”
Upon arriving, Matthew and the patients were first briefed, before being given a pack containing items such as toiletries, towels, a water bottle and snacks.
Having previously staying in the relatively luxurious D’Resort, where his room had a balcony as well as a toilet shared between him and a roommate, this was a big change of environment that Matthew had to get used to.
“With the balcony at D’Resort, I could get some sunlight and fresh air, I think that was the biggest difference,” he said. “There’s also no doors (for the rooms), just curtains (in their place). So, it’s a totally different feeling … You just have to make do with it.”
The food collection point at the Singapore EXPO & MAX Atria’s community isolation facility. (Photo: Matthew)
The Expo community care facility will initially have one hall catering to about 480 patients, Health Minister Mr Gan Kim Yong said speaking at a press briefing last Thursday.
It will “progressively expand” as the demand goes up and number of cases increase, he added. The first of such facilities was initially set up in D’Resort in Pasir Ris, which can take in about 500 people.
The facility at the Singapore Expo will house two types of patients – recovering patients and “early patients”.
Recovering patients, Mr Gan said, are the ones who have been to hospital and have “more or less recovered” from the infection, but may still have the virus in them.
Early patients, Mr Gan explained, comprise confirmed COVID-19 cases who are mostly “quite well”. Some of these patients will be sent directly to community care facilities without having to go to the hospital first, and then later get sent back to the facilities.
Shower facilities at the The Singapore EXPO & MAX Atria’s community isolation facility. (Photo: Matthew)
The daily routine at the Expo facility is simple and communal. The lights go off by 11.30pm and come on before 7.30am, said Matthew.
“I was honestly expecting that the sleeping area would be a bit more comfortable,” he admitted. “But I’m used to it (now). Sleeping is not an issue for me – but I’ve been told that I’m a heavy sleeper and I can sleep quite easily.”
Meals are distributed at a collection point three times a day and while patients have to queue for their food, it takes about five minutes to reach the front of the queue, he added.
“The queues move very fast, everything is already packaged and it’s the same so we can just grab and go,” he explained.
Patients at the Expo facility are able to choose between different types of food, with the standard comparable to what was served at D’Resort, added Matthew. Patients get to choose between different types of cuisines such as Halal, Western, Chinese and Vegetarian food.
“The food is decent,” he said. “Honestly, I’ve also lost my sense of taste and smell and I’m only just getting it back … The quality of food is around the same as D’Resort.”
While the toilets are shared among users, they have been kept extremely clean, said Matthew. “It’s really, really clean, I think they clean it at least twice a day,” he explained. Cubicles on the second floor of the hall have also been repurposed into shower facilities.
While patients are allowed to move within the hall freely, most choose to stay in their rooms, he said. There is also a medical facility for patients should they wish to seek help.
A plus of staying at the Expo has been the quick WIFI, said Matthew, and this was not so much the case at D’Resort. For now, he spends most of his time chatting with friends, surfing the net and watching shows on Netflix.
Toilet facilities at the Singapore EXPO & MAX Atria’s community isolation facility. (Photo: Matthew)
For now, most of the rooms remain empty, Matthew said. A number are occupied by foreign workers, while all the patients in this particular hall seem to be men, he added.
“It’s still not super crowded yet, but I can feel that every day there are more people coming in,” he explained. “On the first day it was really empty, but now it’s starting to get filled up slowly.”
Matthew’s next swab test will be on Tuesday (Apr 14). Should that and his next test be negative, he will be discharged. And having spent 20 days in the hospital and the various community isolation facilities, he is looking forward to finally being able to leave.
“That is all that I’m hoping for right now,” he said. “I’m really really determined to get out. But that’s dependent on my body, and not up to me.”
SINGAPORE: A woman who refused to leave her meal at an Aljunied food centre and a group playing tennis were among those caught breaking elevated safe distancing measures, said the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) in a press release on Monday (Apr 13).
In all, more than 200 fines will be issued to members of the public who flouted the rules, said MEWR.
Singapore has closed non-essential businesses and introduced strict measures as part of a “circuit breaker” period to stem the spread of COVID-19.
But in spite of the tighter safe distancing measures, members of the public were still seen loitering or using facilities, playing fields and areas that had been cordoned off on Sunday and Monday, said MEWR.
A group of people were caught playing tennis at the closed Tanglin Tennis Academy, while another group was seen playing at an open field in Tanjong Rhu. Enforcement officers also caught a group playing baseball in a closed private field at Tanglin Rugby Club.
Some members of the public caught on Monday were uncooperative and the police had to be called in, said MEWR.
These included a woman who sat on a marked seat at a food centre in Block 117 Aljunied Avenue 2.
A woman refused to leave a food centre in Aljunied despite being told to do so. (Photo: Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
“Police assistance was required as she refused to leave, continued eating and refused to provide her particulars,” said the ministry.
More than 2,900 enforcement officers and ambassadors were deployed on Monday to ensure people were complying with the rules.
The ministry also cautioned against handing money to people who claim to be enforcement officers, saying its officers will not demand payment of fines on the spot.
“Notices will be issued to offenders in hard copy either on site, or through the mail. No immediate payment or handing over of cash is required,” said MEWR.
SINGAPORE: Two male youths were arrested this week for a series of e-commerce scams involving Nintendo Switch consoles on Carousell, said the police on Monday (Apr 13).
In a news release, the authorities said they received multiple reports on Apr 10 and Apr 12 from victims who were purportedly cheated by online sellers selling Nintendo Switch consoles on the shopping platform.
According to a screengrab provided by the police, a pre-order offer for a Nintendo Switch Gen 2 console was put up on Carousell for S$649. The advert said the item would arrive on Apr 15 but there first needed to be a deposit of S$50 put in.
Advert for Nintendo Switch Gen 2. (Image: SPF)
After payments were made for the gaming console via bank transfers, the sellers became uncontactable, said police.
The two suspects aged 19 and 20 were arrested on Monday and Sunday respectively after officers from the Commercial Affairs Department identified them through follow-up investigations and close collaboration with Carousell.
Several handphones, SIM cards and a used Nintendo Switch console were seized as case exhibits. Investigations revealed the duo could have been involved in more than 80 cases of e-commerce scams involving S$30,000.
Only one set of Nintendo Switch was found in the 20-year-old accused’s house. (Photo: SPF)
Several handphones, SIM cards and a used Nintendo Switch console were seized as case exhibits. (Photo: SPF)
The older suspect will be charged in court on Tuesday with cheating. He faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine if found guilty. Investigations against the other suspect are still ongoing.
The police advised members of the public to use payment options that only release the money to the seller upon delivery and to purchase from authorised sellers. They also cautioned people against falling for scammers who entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging platforms by offering a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them.
SINGAPORE: A man was arrested for his suspected involvement in a rash act and possessing 18 airsoft guns, after a victim reported being hit by a plastic pellet in Kembangan, said the police on Monday (Apr 13).
At about 7.30pm on Apr 7, police were alerted to the incident which had happened along Lorong Melayu, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release.
Officers from Bedok Police Division established the 47-year-old man’s identity through ground enquiries, and arrested him on Apr 9, it added.
They also seized 18 airsoft guns with pellets, SPF said, adding that investigations are ongoing.
A victim reported being hit by a plastic pellet. (Photos: Singapore Police Force)
Airsoft guns or any other guns that shoot pellets using compressed gas are regulated as arms in Singapore, and a licence is required for the possession of such arms.
Anyone found guilty of possessing a gun without licence may be jailed up to three years and fined up to S$5,000.
For importing or exporting arms or explosives, an offender may be jailed up to three years and fined up to S$10,000.
Committing a rash act can land an offender in jail for up to six months or a fine of up to S$2,500, or both.
BELGRADE: Last month, six Chinese medical professionals stepped off an Air Serbia jet in Belgrade to a red-carpet welcome from President Aleksandar Vucic and an array of cabinet ministers. After elbow-bump greetings, Vucic kissed Serbia’s flag, then China’s.
In Serbia, one of Beijing’s closest European allies, and a handful of other friendly countries, China is providing on-the-ground guidance to help battle the coronavirus that has swept around the world.
The outreach is part of a wider push by Beijing to assert global leadership in battling COVID-19 after facing criticism from Washington and elsewhere that it fumbled its early response to the outbreak, believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
These efforts by Beijing come as western governments, already wary of China’s rising influence around the world, including through its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, are struggling with their own mounting coronavirus death tolls.
They are part of a long-running effort by China to strike a benevolent posture abroad to offset worries about its growing economic and military might, while presenting alternatives – such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank it set up in 2016 – to Western dominance of global institutions.
“There is no doubt that China will use the COVID-19 outbreak to further what China views as acting in its own national interest,” said Gordon Houlden, a former Canadian diplomat and the director of the University of Alberta’s China Institute.
“That will include pushing its own governance model, in this case its methodology of epidemiology,” he said.
That methodology is based on the aggressive and comprehensive approach China took to combat the virus, including the lockdown of Wuhan, and the know-how it has built as the first country to suffer an outbreak of the disease.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, at a press conference on Thursday (Apr 9), said the aim of sending medical teams was to share China’s experiences combatting the virus, not to export its governance model abroad.
In addition to Serbia, Beijing has sent medical teams to Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Pakistan, Venezuela and Italy, the only G7 nation to join the Belt and Road Initiative and which has been devastated by the coronavirus. Last week, a 12-member Chinese medical team arrived in the Philippines to aid in the fight against the virus.
The outreach is on top of the donation or sale of supplies to some 90 countries, including rivals such as the United States, as well as numerous video conferences with countries and international organisations to share its know-how, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
“We hope that other countries will not repeat China’s tragedies,” Peng Zhiqiang, a specialist from the Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and head of the Chinese team in Serbia, said by phone from Belgrade.
FILE PHOTO: Cars drive by a billboard depicting Chinese President Xi Jinping as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Belgrade, Serbia, April 1, 2020. The text on the billboard reads “Thanks, brother Xi”. Picture taken April 1, 2020. REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic
“TRUST CHINESE EXPERTS”
Chinese medical teams are advising some host countries on building makeshift hospitals – evoking the 1,000 bed hospital China built from scratch in eight days in Wuhan – and rolling out virus management measures similar to those that helped it slash new infections at home, according to Peng and Liang Wenbin, a member of a Chinese team sent to Cambodia last month.
Those practices include the quarantine or isolation of people with mild symptoms to curb the early spread of the virus, methods of treating complications and widespread temperature checking for entry into public places.
On the Chinese team’s advice, Serbia began quarantining people with mild symptoms and deploying troops to build field hospitals for patients with mild symptoms.
Serbian officials said they welcomed the input, which they say has helped slow the spread of the virus.
“We changed our approach, and with the support of Chinese experts, we went for more widespread testing,” said a source close to the Serbian presidency, who was not authorised to speak with media and declined to be named.
“Chinese doctors have welcomed the measures taken by Serbia, and we have embraced the Chinese model, which is to reach and treat as many people as possible – all who are infected,” the person said.
QUARANTINES AND VISA CURBS
In Cambodia, which has been a loyal supporter of Beijing in Southeast Asia, the issuance of visas for international visitors was sharply curtailed at the suggestion of the team. The country is bracing for an influx of returnees for the Khmer new year this month.
Cambodia is also considering the team’s advice to refit hotels and schools for possible quarantine of returnees, said Liang, the member of the Chinese team.
“The latest restrictions to limit the mobility of personnel and to ban foreigners from coming to the country are the control measures China used,” she said.
The Cambodian government did not reply to requests for comment.
“THANK YOU, BIG BROTHER XI”
Despite its medical outreach efforts, China has faced sharp criticism in Washington and elsewhere for suppressing early information on the virus and downplaying its risks.
“I am sceptical that many countries will soon forget China’s early missteps that contributed to the global spread of the virus,” said Ryan Hass, a senior Asia director in the Obama administration’s National Security Council who is now at the Brookings Institution.
The response to the outreach from China in countries like Serbia, however, has so far been positive.
In Belgrade, the Chinese team visited a memorial to those killed in 1999 when American bombs hit China’s embassy there in what Washington apologised for as an accident.
After the team’s arrival, a placard was mounted on a central Belgrade street with a picture of China’s leader and big letters in Chinese and Serbian: “Thank you, big brother Xi”.
SINGAPORE: The Government is looking at “a couple of cases” of fraudulent COVID-19 Temporary Relief Fund (TRF) claims, and action will be taken against those who cheated the system, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.
“I’ve told the police: Investigate, and if this is cheating, it carries a heavy jail sentence. I think we have to send that message,” Mr Shanmugam said in an interview with the media on Monday (Apr 13).
Announced as part of last month’s Resilience Budget, the fund provides immediate financial assistance to those in need.
The scheme provides immediate one-off cash assistance of S$500 for lower- to middle-income Singaporeans and permanent residents who have lost their jobs or faced an income loss of at least 30 per cent due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and require urgent help with basic living expenses.
Mr Shanmugam said that it is premature to give an update on the exact number of cases under investigation, but they are a small minority.
Still, “we are going after a small number who are taking advantage because if we don’t, that will encourage others to try,” he said.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the police said they were looking into a case of a 41-year-old Singaporean man who had claimed that he was able to obtain the aid without any documents, and that the system was “so simple to cheat”.
The authorities said they were also aware of social media advertisements “purportedly selling forged payslips for the purpose of making fraudulent TRF claims”.
A screenshot from an internet user who said that he was able to successfully claim for the S$500 Temporary Relief Fund without any documents. (Facebook/Desmond Lee).
“MSF and the police treat such cases seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who abuses and/or facilitates the abuse of the TRF,” said MSF and the police in a press release.
Abuse of the TRF could constitute a cheating offence and will be immediately referred to the police for investigation, said the two bodies.
Anyone convicted of cheating could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
Mr Shanmugam said there will be a “fair bit of checking” on the back-end to verify applications but gave the assurance this will not affect the application and disbursement process.
The financial assistance scheme was intended to be “quick, fast, effective (and) very much on the spot” to help those who had honestly needed the help, he said.
After Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee wrote about the issue on Facebook last Tuesday, some claimants have returned the money to the Government, saying that they do not need the money.
Mr Shanmugam said it is unlikely that action will be taken against them even if they had committed an offence.
SINGAPORE: In the past month, Singapore has fast-tracked a slew of regulations and laws aimed at limiting the number COVID-19 cases, which crossed the 2,000 figure on Friday (Apr 10).
Some of the measures are also designed to help cushion the financial impact of the global pandemic on local businesses and members of the public.
Lawyers told CNA that some of these laws have been passed at uncommon speed, in a single day compared with the usual months-long period.
While the situation bears some resemblances to the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, the current crisis is unique in its severity, and the legal steps taken are necessary to combat the situation, they said.
The Bill for the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, a set of laws imposing restrictions on the movement of people and the conducting of business during the circuit breaker period between Apr 7 and May 4, was read and debated on on Apr 7 before being passed on the same day.
Under the Act, gatherings of any size are not allowed whether outside or at home, and only those in essential services are allowed to continue working. Penalties listed in the Act go up to a maximum six-month jail term, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
Before this, the Ministry of Health (MOH) put the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020 into effect from Mar 26, to give legal force to safe distancing measures and provide enhanced enforcement for breaches of stay-home notices.
Already, some have been charged under the new laws – for breaching stay-home notices and for organising a gathering of more than 10 people for an illegal car race.
That a few people have already been charged under the new laws signals the need for authorities to have the requisite powers to deal with a variety of issues arising from the COVID-19 outbreak, which is not only the severest public health threat Singapore has faced but has also wreaked havoc on the economy, said Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan.
THE SPEED AND URGENCY OF CORONAVIRUS-RELATED LAWS
Laws typically take at least a few months to come into force, and the speed at which these COVID-19-related regulations have been introduced is “fairly unprecedented”, said Mr Chooi Jing Yen, partner at Eugene Thuraisingam LLP.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the introduction of circuit breaker measures on Apr 3, so it became necessary to introduce additional regulations to give these the force of law, said Mr Chooi.
He said the introduction and passing into law occurred “at breakneck speed in relative terms to the timeframe in which laws are usually passed”.
“Before a Bill is tabled in Parliament, there is usually a consultative process that can last several months, where relevant stakeholders are invited to give their input,” he said, adding that this process can take years for complex legislation.
The Cabinet practising safe distancing in April 2020. (Photo: Facebook/Lee Hsien Loong)
“In contrast, the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill came into force almost immediately after being read in Parliament, without the usual gap between time of passing and time of commencement,” he said.
Ms Diana Ngiam, associate director at Quahe Woo & Palmer, said the passing of the laws was “intentionally expedited because of the severity of the situation”.
“It is not common, to my knowledge, that laws are passed so expeditiously,” she said, adding that she found it a necessary move given the unprecedented situation Singapore is in.
“Typically, a Bill can be read a second time after at least 10 days have passed after it has been printed and circulated to Members of Parliament. Thereafter, there will be a third reading of the Bill, before it is subsequently passed by Parliament and then assented by the President before it becomes law.”
Lawyer Josephus Tan, managing director at Invictus Law, said the COVID-19-related laws are urgent as they concern public safety and any delay in enactment “could lead to a persistent large increase in COVID-19 cases in Singapore”.
Agreeing, Withers KhattarWong partner P E Ashokan added that “these are extraordinary times, and there was a dire need for Singapore to respond swiftly to the threat which the outbreak poses to Singapore’s public health, economy and society”.
LAWS PASSED QUICKLY, BUT IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE
However, while the laws tackling the coronavirus spread were passed exceptionally quickly, it has been done before and shares similarities with how the Singapore government tackled SARS in 2003.
Mr Tan pointed to how the Government amended the Infectious Diseases Act in 2003 during the SARS outbreak under a Certificate of Urgency.
Mr Ashokan said the related Bill was introduced on Apr 24, 2003, before being read a second time a day later and passed on Apr 25.
He also referred to how the Housing and Development (Amendment) Bill was read three times and passed on the same day in July 2010, in an urgent response to prohibit the use of sale proceeds of HDB flats as security or collateral.
Further back in 1973, the Control of Essential Supplies Bill was read thrice and passed on the same day, in order to empower the Government to respond to the fluctuating prices and supply of essential goods like rice, bread and oil at the time.
Most legislation in Singapore is written by the Cabinet as a Bill, explained Mr Ashokan. It is introduced in Parliament with a first reading, and debated in a second reading at least 10 days after this unless it is an urgent Bill.
Any amendments to the Bill will be introduced in the third reading, after which Parliament will vote on it.
After this, the Presidential Council for Minority Rights will review the Bill to ensure that it does not discriminate against any racial or religious community. The exceptions to this step are Money Bills, Bills affecting Singapore’s defence, security or public safety, and Bills certified urgent by the Prime Minister.
The President will give assent to the Bill after this and it will become law. The entire process could take weeks or months, depending on the situation.
WHAT SETS COVID-19 LAWS APART
The laws enacted in relation to COVID-19 can be distinguished from other laws in their urgency, latitude and flexibility, as well as how they are targeted and temporary, said Mr Ashokan.
Generally, other types of laws are quite specific about the type and extent of powers that the Government may wield, but the COVID-19 laws give the Government “the necessary latitude and flexibility to respond swiftly, dynamically and decisively to the COVID-19 outbreak, especially if the situation suddenly worsens or calls for an urgent intervention by the Government”, said Mr Ashokan.
While other types of laws are intended to remain in force and apply until specifically repealed, these laws are specifically targeted at the coronavirus outbreak and are meant to be temporary.
Tables and chairs at a hawker centre in Singapore are covered to prevent people from dining in, as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19, Apr 9, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
“For example, the temporary measures introduced by the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, such as temporary relief for inability to perform contracts, are intended to last for only six months,” said Mr Ashokan. “However, if the COVID-19 situation calls for it, the relevant minister may order for this six-month period to be extended or shortened.”
He added that the COVID-19 laws can be adopted, with necessary amendments, for similar situations in the future such as another disease outbreak.
SARS VERSUS COVID-19 LAWS
While the laws passed during the SARS crisis and the current outbreak are similar, one major difference is in how the COVID-19 laws are specific and temporary.
“Nevertheless, both were passed to combat new and evolving situations and the unique challenges posed by the particular pandemic and the circumstances of the time,” said Mr Ashokan.
When SARS broke out, the Infectious Diseases Act was already in force, but SARS led to several amendments to the act.
These include making it an arrestable offence to break home quarantine or refuse compliance with quarantine conditions, making it an offence to provide false or misleading information for related investigations, requiring suspected cases to submit to medical examination or treatment and requiring people suspected to have exposure to the disease to act in a socially responsible manner.
“At the time that Singapore was facing SARS, it was still working out the kinks in its policies of quarantine, surveillance, contact tracing and social distancing measures when faced with a relatively contagious and lethal disease,” said Mr Ashokan. “These amendments to the law, passed during the SARS crisis, reflect the refinement of such measures.”
The measures were general in nature and meant to remain in force and apply to all infectious diseases, in contrast to the COVID-19 laws.
Mr Chooi said that the difference in the coronavirus laws from the SARS ones “is stark”.
“To the best of my recollection, SARS did not prompt the government to enact laws specifically to deal with it … There was certainly no enactment of a targeted parent act such as the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 which gives the health minister sweeping powers to enact subsidiary legislation to curb the movement of people,” he said.
A cordoned-off playground near Block 878A Tampines Street 86. (Photo: Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
However, Singapore is not alone in this – several emergency COVID-19 Bills have been passed very quickly in other countries too, reflecting the severity of the pandemic, said Mr Ashokan.
For example, the UK Government announced the Coronavirus Bill 2019-2021 on Mar 8 and received royal assent on Mar 26, leading to the Coronavirus Act 2020. The Act imposes restrictions and prohibitions on events and gatherings and grants the authorities powers in dealing with potentially infected people.
IMPLICATIONS OF PASSING THE LAWS SO QUICKLY
Passing the laws so quickly in Singapore could mean that the problem “gets arrested as early as possible”, said Mr Ashokan.
“It is really anyone’s guess at this juncture, but if the COVID-19 laws were not passed so quickly, Singapore might be looking at far higher numbers of confirmed cases,” he said.
Mr Chooi said that the key implication of the new laws being passed so quickly is “public confusion over what is permitted and prohibited”.
“Nothing like this has been done in Singapore before, and there has been an urgent need to quickly educate the public,” he said. “Otherwise, the authorities would be faced with the unenviable task of bringing large numbers of ignorant offenders to court, or of having to pick and choose its prosecutions – neither of which is a desirable outcome.”
Ms Ngiam acknowledged the possibility that people might not be fully aware of the scope and extent of the new laws that are passed in such a short span of time.
However, she added that the risk of this has been minimised substantially “by the efforts of the government to promulgate and educate the public of what can or cannot be done during this period, in simple and non-legalese language, for instance, through the Gov.sg WhatsApp broadcasts”.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Currently, the control period or circuit breaker period lasts till May 4 under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
Lau Pa Sat food centre at mid-day during the circuit breaker (Photo: Jeremy Long)
However, its parent, the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, can be in force for a six-month period, and the law minister can extend or shorten this period as necessary, said Mr Chooi.
“How long these measures actually last, therefore, really depends in large part on whether or not we manage to contain the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
“Since Part 7 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 gives the health minister the power to make control orders to curb the spread of COVID-19, it is not inconceivable that we may see stiffer measures being introduced if there is no improvement in the situation. As we have seen, this can be done in a matter of days.”
But the enactment of laws alone is not enough, said Invictus Law’s Mr Tan.
“In my view, in order for such expedited measures to be thoroughly effective, it must be coupled with expedited enforcement to send out an effective message of deterrence,” he said.
SINGAPORE: No more jostling with the rush-hour crowd in the Central Business District to make it to the office on time for morning team meetings.
There is even time now in between conference calls to do the laundry or whip up something in the kitchen. One can even attend virtual meetings in pyjamas.
Since Tuesday (Apr 7), even more employees in Singapore have been working within the confines of their homes, along with the pros and cons that come with such an arrangement.
While some firms have implemented telecommuting earlier amid the COVID-19 outbreak, non-essential businesses and services came to a halt on Tuesday after circuit-breaker measures kicked in to stem a rising tide of infections, which reached the 1,000-mark on Apr 1.
Our interviews with Singaporeans found that working from home has its own set of challenges such as technical problems, unreliable Internet connections or unconducive environments.
For some, their biggest challenge comes in the form of a screaming toddler or a needy elderly parent.
For Ms Josephine Tan, a 53-year-old public servant, having to juggle her official duties and family demands can drive her crazy at times.
The mother of three, aged 27, 23 and 16, said on top of having two children working from home and one on home-based learning, she also has to keep an eye on her 87-year-old mother who has dementia.
For Ms Chris Tan, a writer and editor for an engineering consultancy, working from home means having to take a conference call at times with an infant in tow.
Yet while frustrations are aplenty, there have also been many tender moments with their loved ones which would have not have been possible if not for the enforced stay at home.
Ms Bianca Loo, 35, was grateful to have witnessed her nine-month-old son picking up a sippy cup for the first time, for example.
While not spending time in her office, her work at technology company Criteo involved lots of jet setting prior to the outbreak. Now, she gets to spend lots of quality time at home with her son.
A 27-year-old public servant, who wished to be known only as Ms Hanis, was thrust into the role of primary caregiver for her 83-year-old grandmother.
For the past week, they have been taking walks in the corridor of her flat, doing flower arrangements together and watching newly-added Bollywood films on Netflix.
Working from home has also allowed her to know her grandmother better, she said.
But while some have the luxury of working from home amid concerns of a community spread of the virus, frontline workers such as paramedic Hidayah Jamari do not have such an option. Ms Hidayah, 38, will still have to operate from her workplace daily.
For this group, there is a different set of challenges including having to work out alternative care arrangements for their children or elderly parents at home.
Nevertheless, as people here prepare to stay home till May 4, many have started to come up with creative ways to deal with their various challenges and make the best of this circuit-breaker period.
They range from teaching children how to garden and plan fashion shows, to virtual clubbing and organising a global sporting event online — all within the confines of their homes.
JUGGLING CHILDCARE AND WORK
Keeping children occupied is not an easy task, and parents said they were doing their best to engage the kids now that everyone has to spend more time at home.
Some said that they have planned puppet shows, obstacle courses and even make-believe adventure quests to keep boredom at bay for the young ones.
Ms Violet Chan, 43, a partner of boutique agency The Style Atelier, said that she has come up with a whole month’s calendar of activities with her eight-year-old twins.
“Some of them include indoor picnics where we would lay out a picnic mat in our room and maybe have some nuggets or something.”
Ms Violet Chan having an indoor picnic session with her children. (Photo: Violet Chan)
“We also plan to have a fashion show where I will give them some clothes and they can dress themselves up… They can also do their hair and make-up. It will be very fun to see them walk down an imaginary catwalk,” she said.
Polytechnic lecturer Lucas Chiam, 37, created obstacle courses using cones for his sons, four and six, to navigate using a toy car.
“It is a constant effort to keep them occupied but I find that if I give them directions or challenges in their activities, it helps them concentrate longer,” he said.
Mr Chiam also plays pretend with his children, where they will set up a make-believe cafe or go on adventure quests in the living room.
Mr Lucas Chiam playing ping pong with his six-year-old son. (Photo: Lucas Chiam)
“Sometimes they will write down a list of cafe items on a menu and they will pretend that one of them is a chef and the other is a waiter to serve my wife and I.
“Or they will pretend that the floor is lava and have to move around without touching the floor,” he said.
Ms Noretta Jacob, who teaches a literacy programme for children aged five to seven, has planned puppet shows, musical performances and storytelling sessions with her two daughters.
Ms Noretta Jacob keeps her two daughters busy by conducting puppet shows at home. (Photo: Noretta Jacob)
Since the circuit-breaker took effect, her husband — who is an essential services worker as a private-hire driver — has to work daily, leaving her to tend to her children, aged three and seven, who are on home-based learning.
“I see the beauty of sitting at home with my kids, but kids are kids, their attention spans are so limited … they have been pushing me out of my comfort zone as an educator to come up with more creative activities,” she said.
When she is conducting her programme that has now gone fully digital, she makes sure her children are occupied with activities such as painting or colouring.
But the usual cry for attention can still sometimes be heard, Ms Jacob added.
Still, it has been a rewarding experience for the family as they adjust to staying at home most of the time.
In fact, when they need a breath of fresh air, the family would lay their mat outside to have breakfast and enjoy the sun — in the corridor of their Housing and Development Board flat.
To get some fresh air, Ms Noretta Jacob and her children eat their breakfast in the corridor outside their flat. (Photo: Noretta Jacob)
Ms Chris Tan, the editor, also faces the same struggle of trying to keep her two young children occupied.
As her husband works in the essential banking sector, working from home could mean having to take a conference call with a six-month-old strapped on her in a baby carrier and a toddler screaming for all to hear.
“Sometimes during the call, everyone could hear my four-year-old screaming for me in the background … so I forgo the conference calls and just tell (my co-workers) to update me afterwards,” she said.
Nevertheless, she is thankful that schools are now closed as she is concerned about the safety of her children, and they can have more time together.
She has bought her older daughter a micro-gardening kit for her to learn about growing pea shoots.
“She tends to it every day so that frees up some of my time to actually work … because seriously working from home isn’t easy, especially with kids,” she said.
Ms Chris Tan bought her older daughter a micro-gardening kit for her to learn about growing pea shoots. (Photo: Chris Tan)
Asked if her work has been affected by the need to look after her children, she pointed out that employers and co-workers need to adjust to mothers working from home, and set reasonable expectations.
Similarly, Ms Nur Anis, 27, whose husband is a frontline medical staff, said working from home can sometimes put her in a difficult position.
“I face the risk of being a bad employee because it is not possible for me to face my laptop from 8am to 6pm with my child at home, and I’d rather feel guilty about neglecting work than my child,” said the administrative and facilities management worker.
Ms Anis said she has no choice but to seek help from her ageing parents — who lives together with the family — to keep an eye on her 11-month-old baby boy, even though they are also taking care of her autistic nephew who stays over in their place on most days.
“Sometimes I feel guilty and helpless especially when my bosses are rushing me to finish a task and I can’t spare a minute to help my parents … because they (bosses) will keep calling my phone,” she added.
Despite such problems, some parents such as Ms Loo say the silver lining to working from home is to be able to witness their children’s milestones.
Ms Loo heads Criteo’s sales team for big customers in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“If this was any given day where we were not working from home, I would be travelling once every month to some Southeast Asian countries and missing some important milestones (of her child’s development),” she added. “Or if I were working in the office, I would feel the fomo (fear of missing out).”
Ms Loo said she recently witnessed her nine-month-old son pick up a sippy cup, clap his hands or dance to a song for the first time.
“I am likely to witness his first steps and so that’s kind of exciting,” she added.
With the closure of swimming pools during this period, Ms Loo has also bought a baby pool for her son to splash in.
Ms Bianca Loo’s nine-month-old son playing in the baby pool she had bought. (Photo: Bianca Loo)
TENDING TO THE ELDERLY AT HOME
While children are already a handful for parents working from home, an equally — if not more — daunting task awaits those who suddenly find themselves having to double up as a caregiver to elderly parents.
Two public servants said it can be particularly stressful when they are dealing with more work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of them, Ms Hanis, said she has become the caregiver to her 83-year-old grandmother.
Her grandmother’s helper had returned to Indonesia late last month.
While waiting for a replacement helper, Ms Hanis’ aunt, who lives nearby, used to send her grandmother to stroke rehabilitation sessions while she and both her parents — who are in essential services — are at work.
But with non-essential activities halted and contact with other households discouraged, Ms Hanis has taken over the caregiver’s role since her aunt has to stay at home now.
“Managing the mountain of work I have plus looking after an elderly is definitely more difficult than I thought.
“There was once I had to take a call from my boss and my grandma was fussing over her lunch. A minute later, she kept poking me because she wanted to go to the toilet… I ended up talking to my boss while propping her up on the toilet bowl,” Ms Hanis said with a chuckle.
But the past week has also allowed Ms Hanis to know her grandmother better: They have been taking walks in the corridor of her flat, doing flower arrangements together and watching newly-added Bollywood films on Netflix.
“I never knew my grandma’s favourite actor is Shah Rukh Khan!” she said, referring to the renowned Bollywood actor.
For Ms Josephine Tan, the public servant whose elderly mother has dementia, the past week has also been bittersweet.
She has given her helper more time to rest as her family members are now at home and can take turns looking after her mother, whom she described as “very energetic”.
In fact, the elderly woman has been walking around the house more often now, looking over her children’s shoulders to see what they are doing on their laptops.
“My youngest son has been teaching his grandma how to watch Netflix on his tablet,” Ms Tan said with a laugh.
However, she added that working from home can sometimes “drive her crazy”.
“Everyone will be sitting around the dining table and it can get very chaotic. My eldest daughter will be calling her boss and my mum will be screaming for my helper.
“At the same time, my son is trying to finish his homework and I’m trying to clear my pending tasks,” she said.
But the madness aside, Ms Tan is happy that the “circuit-breaker” has brought the family together as they have more time to prepare and eat dinner, play board games and organise movie nights after everyone has logged off.
“Since all of us are staying at home all week… I think my mum is enjoying the circuit-breaker period the most,” said Ms Tan.
Retiree Ms Jasmine Chua, who has been caring for her 84-year-old mother with muscular dementia for the past three years, noted that it can be very challenging for first-time caregivers.
“Caregiving is something that you may have a lot of questions that you don’t have the answers to,” said the 47-year-old, who had stopped sending her mother to the NTUC Health daycare centre for dementia therapy as she was afraid of a community spread.
For example, when her father died in 2017, her mother refused to eat or drink and kept searching around the house for him.
Ms Chua did not know how to help her mother then, and it took years of research and trial-and-error for her to understand how to support someone with dementia.
She added that in the current situation, it could be harder for caregivers to seek support.
“The general practitioners can’t help you, and to get the help of specialist doctors or counsellors now is very difficult because everyone is busy trying to settle in to the new arrangements,” Ms Chua said.
THOSE IN ESSENTIAL SERVICES
While those who work from home now have the luxury of spending more time with their families, some workers in essential services — which remain in operation during this period and include food establishments, healthcare and social services — are seeking alternative arrangements to care for their loved ones.
Paramedic Hidayah, whose husband works in the telecommunications sector, initially planned to send her three-year-old daughter to her mother’s house, which is a 15-minute walk away.
But after Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced on Thursday (Apr 9) that parents will no longer be allowed to drop off children at their grandparents’ home on a daily basis as part of care arrangements, Ms Hidayah said she might consider taking leave to tend to her daughter at home and let her return to preschool when the “numbers have stabilised”.
Since she and her husband are both essential services workers, Ms Hidayah could have sent her child to a preschool. Such schools remain open for children of parents who are employed in essential services or unable to find alternative caregiving arrangements.
But she decided not to as her toddler falls sick quite easily.
“Maybe I’m just being a kiasu parent but with all the cases I see every day, I just don’t want my child to be infected. I feel more at ease knowing that they are with my parents as they rarely go out of the house,” she added.
Ms Hidayah has also prepared arts and crafts materials and interactive games for her daughter to play, as well as allowing her two hours of screen time a day during this period.
Unlike Ms Hidayah, single mother Siti Khasy, 21, continues to send her six-year-old daughter to preschool while she does her rounds as a GrabFood delivery rider.
“This (arrangement) is good because she can continue to go to school while I go to work,” she said, adding that she is the sole breadwinner for the pair.
Asked if she is concerned that her child might come into contact with an infected person, Ms Siti said she was not as there are not many students at the centre during this period.
Another parent who provides an essential service is 41-year-old Shi Mei, who runs a hawker stall with her husband in Bedok South.
While the couple are at their stall for about eight hours daily, their children, an 11-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, are left to their own devices at home as they do home-based learning.
“Previously, they used to study in front of our hawker stall after school where we can watch after them, but now they must be at home so we can’t supervise them as much,” Ms Shi said.
Nevertheless, she drops by their flat occasionally to pass lunch to her children or to check on how they are doing.
Although the circuit-breaker measures have made it harder for her to observe her children’s progress, she trusts them to be independent.
“Our children are already old enough … we can count on them to be proactive,” she added.
KEEPING ACTIVE, HAVING FUN, GOING GLOBAL — ALL FROM HOME
The Government has repeatedly stressed that the only way to reduce the number of COVID-19 infections is for Singaporeans to stay at home.
On Monday (Apr 6), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post that the multi-billion dollar initiatives unveiled in the three Budgets since February to help firms, workers and households will be “in vain” if Singaporeans do not comply with the circuit-breaker measures.
“Everyone needs to be serious about staying at home, and not go about unless absolutely necessary. If you have to go out, practise safe distancing,” Mr Lee stressed.
With more people staying home now, the Government has said it will enhance digital fitness and entertainment services.
More television and streaming content will also be made available here, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced earlier this week.
IMDA said that it will be working with local broadcaster Mediacorp, pay-TV operators Singtel and StarHub, and other content providers to make more news, educational and entertainment content available across free-to-air and over-the-top platforms.
The IMDA initiatives could benefit Singaporeans like Mr Derrick Yeo, 35, who have gone on a quest to come up with interesting activities to fill their time.
Mr Yeo has replaced his weekly visits to nightclub Zouk Singapore with its free livestream service called “Cloud Clubbing”.
Mr Yeo, who owns a firm selling sewing machines, would join the livestream on mobile application Bigo Live with his friends and family over drinks at his home.
But with the latest social-distancing measures, where social gatherings of any size are not allowed in homes or public places, his friends would no longer be able to come over and join him.
During the livestreams, viewers can watch dancers perform to the tracks played by a disc jockey.
“I tried (cloud clubbing) because this is my first time hearing about it and I wanted to try it out of curiosity. Anyway, it is not safe or responsible to go out into a big crowd now,” Mr Yeo said.
He has donated S$2,000 to Zouk and spent S$5,400 on coupons which can be used to buy bottles of alcohol when the club reopens.
Asked which he likes better— clubbing in the virtual or real world — Mr Yeo said he does not have a preference.
“I like both, if I am too lazy to go out, I can enjoy the music at home, but going to the club allows me to enjoy the vibes better,” he added.
Meanwhile, to help Singaporeans keep fit even as they stay home, Sport Singapore has called on the sport industry to create innovative home-based programmes in April and May as part of its annual GetActive! Singapore campaign.
Industry players can submit proposals for online infotainment videos, physical exercise and movement series, talk shows and workshops under the Active Enabler Programme, which has a grant budget of S$2 million. Its first call for proposals was launched on Thursday for digital content and virtual activities.
Apart from these programmes, some Singaporeans are using video conferencing app Zoom — which is being used by many organisations for virtual meetings, although security concerns have emerged of late — to exercise or take part in physical activities at home.
Ms Sue Seah, who is in her 30s and self-employed, said she had attended two online classes for Street Jazz and Urban Hip Hop with dance academy O School.
Viewers would follow the dance instructor’s steps through a mass video call of up to 100 people. Both classes which Ms Seah attended were almost full.
“I think that in real life, the energy is really different … but the instructors have put in so much effort to make it interactive and fun so it is definitely better than having nothing,” she said.
Ms Chloe Ng, 40, a senior financial services manager, started to host complimentary online yoga and High Intensity Interval Training classes this week for her friends and other mutual acquaintances. Each lesson has about 10 students.
“I wanted to start this because it is one way to keep in touch and for community support,” she said.
“It allows us to exercise together too, which is fun and keeps us accountable to a friend so that we will be motivated to continue exercising.”
Ms Chloe Ng hosts complimentary online yoga and High Intensity Interval Training classes for her friends and other mutual acquaintances via video conferencing app Zoom.
She added that the classes are interactive and students can pose questions. But they had experienced a few technical difficulties during previous classes.
“If I am doing a class physically, I can just walk over and correct their postures immediately which is easier,” she said.
Some Singaporeans are also using this period at home to devote more time to their hobbies.
One of them is undergraduate Remus Ng, 22, who has been buying and restoring broken gaming consoles for about a year.
Mr Ng said he would buy the broken gaming consoles such as Playstation 1 and 2 through online marketplaces such as Carousell. He would then diagnose the technical issues and source for replacement parts on sites such as Ebay and Amazon.
Undergraduate Remus Ng devotes more time to his hobby of buying and restoring broken gaming consoles. (Photo: Remus Ng)
“For older consoles, it is more romantic to play with the original console rather than trying to run the software on a computer,” he said.
For Mr Allan Ong, 45, who heads the Singapore Sport Stacking Association, the pandemic has not stopped him from organising a global event.
Sport stacking — also known as cup stacking or speed stacking — requires participants to stack and unstack cups in various formations as quickly as possible.
The stage was supposed to be set for a three-day world championship event at Downtown East this weekend, with the association expecting to receive 600 participants — including spectators — from various countries.
“But we knew this (COVID-19 situation) was coming so we have already prepared to go fully digital,” he said.
Last Sunday, the association organised a preliminary competition online by separating participants into different “rooms” on Zoom where one judge will be present.
Some 50 competitors have signed up for this weekend’s championship.
Each of them will have their own timer which they would press before they start stacking and after they finish.
Mr Ong said his biggest challenge is to convince spectators and competitors that they will have a good time virtually.
“I think it’s like online shopping. Before people try it, they all say they prefer to go to the physical store and try the clothes on. But when everyone is doing it, then it feels more fun,” he said.
SINGAPORE: Within Siti Zawiyah’s first week in America, when COVID-19-fuelled panic buying began, a colleague bought her bags and bags of groceries – so many that she had to make a few trips to carry them all in from her colleague’s car.
Their contents included toilet paper, a huge bottle of water, milk, rice, frozen vegetables, halal meat and spices. “I can’t give you chicken without (any spices) to cook with, right?” said her colleague, Maria Gregg.
Siti barely knew Maria, who had her own family to look after even as stores were emptied of supplies by anxious shoppers. Yet, the American insisted on helping the Singaporean, her husband and their 16-month-old son ride out the developing COVID-19 situation.
“Maria told me that she couldn’t imagine being away from her country with her child and family without receiving any help,” said Siti.
Maria even went out of her way to get Siti and her family this halal meat. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
That was in early March, when Siti began her attachment with the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey. The 40-year-old registered nurse with the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) was there as part of the Health Manpower Development Plan.
She was supposed to spend six weeks with the New Jersey hospital’s nursing informatics team – but she was at the hospital for only five days.
On the Tuesday of the second week, as infection rates climbed nation-wide, the university hospital instructed Siti, who was considered non-essential staff, to stay home until further notice.
By week three, Siti was recalled to Singapore by the Ministry of Health – but not before experiencing how a terrible situation brought out the best in people she barely knew.
Maria and Siti worked at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
FIRST INKLINGS OF A STORM
When Siti’s family landed in New Jersey on Mar 7, there had been just a handful of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in the state, and anxiety over COVID-19 had not yet escalated.
“The day we got there, it was bright and sunny. People were out and about,” she said. “It was like any normal day.”
Siti’s family was welcomed to the neighborhood with a generous bag of groceries placed outside their apartment by their new neighbour Angela.
Three days later, Siti reported for work and an orientation tour of the hospital campus as planned.
Starting her attachment with the nursing informatics team at the university hospital. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
But already, there were signs that the situation was unravelling: A café that Siti’s family patronised no longer allowed customers to enter the store to place orders. Establishments stopped serving customers drinks in their personal mugs. Playgrounds were cordoned off.
On Mar 13, when a national emergency was declared across the United States, the panic-buying began. That’s when Siti’s colleague, Maria, appeared like a reassuring guardian angel with the groceries.
As the days passed, the family’s worries grew over the fast-deteriorating situation. A curfew was announced; schools, malls, and eventually, all non-essential businesses were closed.
Empty shop shelves in New Jersey after panic buying. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
By Mar 21, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Jersey had shot past 1,000, and four days after that, it had more than tripled. New Jersey now had the second-biggest outbreak in the US behind New York, with Governor Phil Murphy warning of a critical shortfall in hospital beds.
Meanwhile, a homebound Siti’s colleagues involved her remotely in their meetings, ensuring she continued to learn.
But then came word from Singapore. “Siti’s boss told us we should come home,” said her husband, Muhammad Fadzullah Hassan. “An official email was also sent. So we booked our ticket for Mar 26.”
Streets were emptied in New Jersey as people were told to stay home, and all non-essential businesses closed. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
Finally, it seemed, the family was going home. But days before their trip came news from Singapore Airlines: The fight was cancelled.
A desperate Siti sought help from the airline and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as a friend in the industry. “It looked like flights were full, but there was business class.
I told her, whatever it takes to get me home.
Somehow, the friend managed to get them premium economy tickets – on a Mar 25 morning flight.
Siti was taking no chances. She wanted to reach the airport early in case there were additional health checks. “I asked Maria for help to get us there. She said ‘no problem’.
“She sent us to the airport at 5.45am for our 10.45am flight, with an impossible amount of luggage fit into her car. We’re so, so thankful for her.”
On the flight back home to Singapore. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
BACK HOME, MORE KINDNESS
Upon landing at Changi Airport, Siti’s family and their fellow travellers were received by immigration officers, and ushered in small groups aboard shuttle buses which took them straight to Village Hotel Sentosa.
It was where the family would have to serve their Stay Home Notice (SHN) for the next 14 days.
“After an 18-hour flight, it was nice to see local faces smiling at us,” said Siti. “The reception staff was exceptional – they even offered a stuffed toy at check-in, when they noticed I had my son Harith with me.”
The room where they spent 14 days at Village Hotel Sentosa. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
During their stay, in between finding ways to keep Harith occupied, Siti was bombarded with messages from friends and family offering to deliver food and supplies to them.
“They asked if we needed anything for Harith: Was there enough milk? Diapers? We were locked in this confined space, but people were always in touch with me,” she added.
“The first few days, there were so many deliveries. They sent Harith milk and snacks, even put in little surprises like mee goreng, hot coffee, cakes.”
Supplies for their toddler, sent by friends. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
To avoid any physical contact, staff left deliveries and meals on stools outside each room and rang the doorbell to alert guests.
“Sometimes, we’d catch them in time to say hi. They were always so warm, and they’d tell us to hang in there.
These people are also our frontliners, if you think about it.
To thank the staff, they made a card – “we got Harith to do some colouring” – and pasted it on their door. In return, they got a handwritten note of encouragement from one of the staff.
Their thank-you note for the staff. (Source: Siti Zawiyah)
BEING WHERE SHE’S NEEDED
With their SHN completed on Thursday (Apr 9), the family could finally go home, where they’ve stayed the last few days in accordance with Singapore’s “circuit-breaker” directives.
For them, the enhanced safe distancing measures are not a new experience, after what they lived through in New Jersey.
And come tomorrow (Apr 14), Siti will return to her job in nursing informatics at SGH, while her husband works from home with their son.
Her role involves working with medical data and IT systems to support the clinical nurses – but should the need arise, Siti is well prepared to serve on the frontline. “Of course we’re concerned because we have family back home, but that’s the nature of the job.
“As a nurse, (no matter where) you are, you’ve got to be ready to be deployed to areas where you’re needed most. We need to be out there, helping,” she said.
