SINGAPORE: From Friday (April 15), Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer need an SG Arrival Card to enter Singapore through their land checkpoints.
The SG Arrival Card submitted online contains the traveller’s health declaration.
All travellers entering Singapore by air or sea are still required to submit a health declaration via the Singapore Arrival Card.
In a media briefing on Wednesday, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said the move to waive the Singapore Arrival Card requirement for this group of travellers at land checkpoints is to provide greater convenience for fully vaccinated Singapore residents and long-term pass holders . , a given flow.
The ICA noted that people commute to work and study at the border with Malaysia every day.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a press release that to qualify for the exemption, travelers must not have been to any restricted category of countries or territories in the past seven days. It noted that there are currently no countries or territories under this category.
Those who have been vaccinated in Singapore must reflect their vaccination status in the TraceTogether or HealthHub mobile app.
Those who have not been vaccinated in Singapore must submit a vaccination record to the Ministry of Health (MOH) system upon first entry.
Before arrival, they can submit their digital overseas vaccination certificate through the ICA’s Vaccination Check Portal. If they are unable to do so, or if they have a non-digital overseas vaccination certificate, they must present it to the ICA officer at the manual immigration counter upon arrival in Singapore.
The ICA said those vaccinated overseas would only have to go through a single procedure to enter their vaccination records into the MOH’s systems.
Traffic conditions over the long weekend The ICA also advises travellers planning to use land checkpoints on Good Friday weekend to consider the extra time for entry and exit and to check traffic conditions before travelling.
They can do so through the Land Transport Authority (LTA) OneMotoring website.
They should also plan ahead and avoid peak times, as follows:
leave singapore enter singapore
April 14th from 4pm to April 15th at 2am
April 15th 5am to 1pm – April 17th noon to 11.59pm
“During the peak period of the 2019 Good Friday long weekend, travellers leaving Singapore by car and motorbike through land checkpoints had to wait up to three hours and one and a half hours respectively,” the ICA said.
“During the same period, those who came by car had to wait up to an hour.”
Travellers should also ensure they have all the necessary documents such as passports, valid vehicle entry permits and LTA approval emails, as well as an Autopass card if they are driving a foreign registered vehicle into Singapore.
Singapore Permanent Residents who renew their passports must also transfer their re-entry permit to the new passport. Long Term Pass holders are required to notify the ICA or the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of any changes to their passport details before entering Singapore.
Passengers must also comply with other requirements, such as not carrying prohibited items and following the “three-quarter tank” rule when leaving Singapore-registered cars.
Fasting during Ramadan carries a high risk of dehydration as food and drink are limited to before sunrise and after sunset. Furthermore, as fasting individuals are encouraged to wake up very early to have their Suhoor (or pre-dawn meal), sleep deprivation and dehydration can lead to headaches.
As the saying goes, ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. And during Ramadan, it becomes even more important!
Although skipping Suhoor to have uninterrupted sleep may sound appealing, you shouldn’t.
Skipping Suhoor prolongs the fasting period as your body will need to rely on the previous meal to provide you with all the nutrients and energy until Iftar (break fast). Due to the longer hours of fasting, you are more likely to feel dehydrated and tired during the day. Furthermore, skipping Suhoor also encourages overeating during Iftar, which can cause unhealthy weight gain.
2. Don’t overeat during Iftar (break fast)
Just as it is not advisable to skip Suhoor, overeating when it is time to break the fast can harm your body.
Iftar should be a well-balanced, nutritious meal and not a feast! Overeating and excessive consumption of high-fat foods in particular may result in indigestion and weight gain. Slow down and enjoy each mouthful of your food.
3. Avoid eating fried foods, salty foods and high-sugar foods
It is not uncommon for fasting individuals to reward themselves with rich, greasy, fried and sugary dishes come meal time. While these foods make you feel good in the short run, they can make fasting the next day more difficult.
Aside from the unhealthy weight gain, consuming fatty and sugary foods also cause sluggishness and fatigue. In addition, you should limit your intake of salt, especially during Suhoor (pre-dawn meal), as this increases thirst.
Instead, try incorporating foods from all the major food groups including fruit and vegetables, rice and alternatives, as well meat and alternatives. Consuming fibre-rich foods during Ramadan is also ideal as they are digested slower than processed foods so you feel full longer.
4. Drink as much water as possible
Drinking as much water as possible between Iftar (break fast) and Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) reduces your risk of dehydration during fasting.
Make every effort to drink at least 8 glasses of fluids daily before dawn and after sundown. Fluids include juices, milk, beverages and soups but water is the best choice. Ideally, you should also cut down on caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea and colas as these have a diuretic effect and promotes fluid loss.
A well-balanced diet is key to healthy fasting during Ramadan. Read pages 2 and 3 for the ideal foods to eat during Iftar and Suhoor.
Your computer hangs for the umpteenth time today, your boss tells you that you had better shape up or ship out, your in-tray is so full that it looks like a compost heap, your phones keep ringing and your report is overdue… Does this sound familiar? Most people would agree that their job gives them a lot of stress.
At work, as in life, there are many things that we cannot control. “While some stress is a normal part of work life and moderate amounts of stress can be stimulating, excessive stress can interfere with productivity and affect your physical and emotional health. The better you are at managing your own stress, the better you will perform at your job,” says Dr Fong Yuke Tien, Senior Consultant and Director of Occupational Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group.
1. See the big picture
Ask your boss what are your key deliverables. Be clear about your job objectives and how you can add value to your department. Don’t get bogged down by your various tasks, but prioritise and do one task at a time.
2. Take time out
Have a relaxing chat with your colleague or friend, have a stretch at the photocopy machine or pop downstairs to buy a snack. Getting a breath of fresh air will help you to cool off your feelings of stress, anger or irritation.
3. Don’t smoke, eat or have caffeine to de-stress
“Nicotine is a powerful stimulant which can lead to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety. Coffee contains caffeine which can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also has a mild addictive effect. To relax your mind, drink less coffee,” says Dr Fong.
Stress may also make you reach for junk food, such as potato chips or doughnuts which are high caloric snacks. Where possible, try to reduce snacking. When you really must snack, eat healthily and stock up your work desk with healthy alternatives, such as:
Soy chips
Small packets of nuts and dried fruits like raisins
Whole wheat crackers
Fruits and vegetables
Explore other avenues to reduce stress and increase participation in healthy activities.
4. Escape for an instant
Think of one instance in your life when you were happy and relaxed. Hold that image in your mind for at least one minute. Keep a postcard or cut-out image of your favourite landscape on your wall and look at it when you are stressed.
5. Don’t be a hero
If you over-commit by taking on too many projects with unrealistic deadlines, you will not only lose credibility at work but you will also stress yourself out unnecessarily. If you can delegate or share the responsibility for some projects, go ahead.
6. Get enough rest
Give your body the sleep it needs – at least seven to nine hours a night. Your stress levels will drop when you are well rested and you will be able to take on your job challenges with more composure.
7. Get adequate exercise
Regular exercise is not only important in keeping you physically healthy but it also promotes mental well-being. Exercise produces endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers, leading to improved sleep and reduced stress levels. World Health Organization recommends that healthy adults should target to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity a week.
8. Don’t be so hard on yourself
Much of our stress is self-imposed. Most of us set targets regarding desired salaries or positions on the corporate ladder. When we don’t achieve our targets, we get stressed and depressed. Recognise that success is in the eye of the beholder, and that ambitions take time, opportunity and, often, luck to materialise. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
From treating tonsillitis to sleep disorders, it’s all in a day’s work for Dr John Loh.
One of the most basic surgical skills that ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists are trained to perform is a tonsillectomy, or the removal of the tonsils.
At Changi General Hospital (CGH), Dr John Loh and other ENT surgeons go through about 100 cases of adult tonsillectomies every year, making up about a third of the nation’s total cases.
“A viral or bacterial infection may cause the tonsils to get inflamed, which is a condition known as tonsillitis. When patients have chronic or recurrent tonsillitis, a tonsillectomy is recommended,” said Dr Loh, Associate Consultant, Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, CGH.
Tonsils are a pair of ovalshaped pads found at the back of the throat and are part of the body’s defence system to prevent infections. A patient with tonsillitis may experience severe sore throat, high fever, or enlarged lymph nodes that feel like lumps along the neck.
Although tonsillitis is a common condition, Dr Loh cautions against taking it lightly.
“Sometimes, the inflammation can be serious enough to cause airway obstruction or form abscesses. We look out for danger signs like difficulty in swallowing, poor food and fluid intake, dehydration, and difficult or noisy breathing,” said Dr Loh.
He is also wary of asymmetrical enlargement of one tonsil, a non-healing ulcer, or enlarged neck lymph nodes, which could be signs of tonsil cancer.
Apart from tonsillitis, Dr Loh manages a diverse range of conditions affecting the head and neck region, such as allergic rhinitis, and cancers of the thyroid, head and neck.
“I find the head and neck region fascinating because of the complex anatomy and close proximity to many sensory organs. I also have a particular interest in sleep medicine and surgery, as the effects of sleep disorders are far-reaching.”
In the course of his work, he has seen how sleep disorders, such as snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), not only affect the quality of a person’s sleep, but also cause tiredness and fatigue during daytime, and in some cases even lead to higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Most people sleep for a third of their life, and yet sleep disorders tend to be under-diagnosed.
An especially challenging and as patients usually have several co-existing medical problems requiring the help of a multidisciplinary team. Dr Loh works with specialists from the respiratory, psychiatry, psychology and neurology departments to ensure that the care plan is individualised, while taking into consideration the patient’s anatomy and lifestyle needs.
“This way, we can achieve optimised outcomes for the patient,” said Dr Loh.
He once had a patient who was barely getting an hour of quality sleep every night due to OSA. A home sleep study revealed that complex condition to treat is OSA, he experienced severe drops in oxygen levels caused by frequent and repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. While the levels generally returned to normal once regular breathing restarted, Dr Loh knew frequent breathing gaps can pose serious health concerns. He then started the patient on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment.
“After the treatment, the patient felt energised with eight hours of quality sleep, compared to previously where he felt lethargic even with more than 10 hours of sleep,” said Dr Loh.
It is moments like these that give Dr Loh a sense of satisfaction, knowing that he has helped improve and resolve patients’ problems.
On working days, Dr Loh is in the hospital by 8am to do his ward rounds, during which he follows up on patients who have been admitted for ENT conditions. Once a week, he is in the operating theatre to perform ENT-related surgeries.
Other than clinical duties, he teaches medical students from the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Nanyang Technological University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. He also mentors junior doctors.
“As a beneficiary of countless hours of mentorship, I feel it is now my responsibility to guide the next generation of doctors and students along their journey,” he said.
To unwind, Dr Loh enjoys regular exercise and an occasional glass of wine. While not quite an adrenaline junkie, he used to look forward to regular diving and snowboarding trips overseas before the COVID-19 pandemic.
These days, he has found a different outlet in the form of monthly jamming sessions with a hobby band called ‘Haphazards’, with whom he plays the drums.
SINGAPORE: Transport operator SMRT said on Tuesday (April 12) that it had lodged a police report after seeing a man without a mask smoking a cigarette on a train.
A video of the incident, posted on an Instagram account on April 8, shows the man’s mask being pulled to his chin. He appears to be smoking an e-cigarette while using his phone.
In response to CNA’s inquiry, SMRT chief communications officer Margaret Teo said: “We have received an undated video on social media showing a man not wearing a mask vaping on a train. Report to the police.”
She added: “SMRT takes this type of behavior that affects the safety of others seriously.”
“We strongly encourage our commuters to wear masks at all times in order to adhere to safe commuting guidelines and to report such incidents to our staff immediately.”
Smoking on public transport is illegal in Singapore, and offenders can be fined S$200 if caught, or up to S$1,000 if convicted in court.
In addition, e-cigarettes are banned in Singapore under the Tobacco Act. Offenders who buy, use or possess one can be fined up to S$2,000.
SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Desmond Lee announced on Tuesday (April 12) that a network of new Labrador Nature Parks with more than 200 hectares of green space will be established, adding 30 kilometres to Singapore’s nature trails and park links .
He pointed out that this is almost 1.5 times the size of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Mr Lee said the new network of natural parks will include core habitats such as the Labrador Nature Reserve, mature secondary forests along the southern ridge, and surrounding green spaces such as Labrador Nature Park, Berlayer Creek and Pasir Panjang Park.
He added that the green space reserved on the Keppel Club website will also be part of the network.
On Tuesday, Mr Lee announced that about 6,000 Housing and Development Board (HDB) units would be built there, with the first build-to-order project expected to launch within three years.
Mr Lee said the ministry’s ecological analysis work showed the Keppel Club site was an “important ecological link” between mature secondary forests along the South Ridge and the Labrador Nature Reserve.
He added that within the Keppel Club grounds, about 10 hectares of green space will be set aside for parks and open spaces, accounting for 20 per cent of the area, or 18 football pitches.
“These green spaces will form four green fingers throughout the estate, serving both as habitat, as a link between flora and fauna and the surrounding natural areas, and as a recreational space for residents.”
The ecological analysis work also revealed “significant ecological links” between the South Ridge and Labrador Nature Reserve, through parts of Alexandra through the Keppel Club, and forested areas at Berlayer Creek, Mr Lee said .
He added that these corridors will be enhanced through the network, introducing several new green spaces of over 25 hectares.
These include a new nature park along Alexandra Creek, a new extension to Pasir Panjang Park, a new nature park at Berlayer Creek, and a new park at Kings Wharf above the reserved space on the Keppel Club grounds , said Mr. Lee.
“We will also restore and enhance existing habitats in the Labrador Nature Reserve, including coastal hills and coastal beach forests,” he added.
Mr Lee said the new nature park network will add nearly 30km of new nature trails, park connectors and nature pathways.
“This will provide a total of 40km of such space for Singaporeans to explore in the region,” he added.
He added that the MND commissioned an environmental impact study covering some 77.8 hectares to ensure the development plan was “sensitive to the surrounding terrestrial and coastal environment”.
The study found the site contained more than 390 plant species and 380 animal species, most of which were located in three areas of high conservation value, the HDB said in a separate fact sheet.
This includes primary secondary forests at Bukit Chermin and mangroves adjacent to Berlayer Creek, one of two mangrove habitats in the southern part of mainland Singapore.
Primary secondary forests are forests that have regrown on sites cleared before the 1950s and are dominated by native tree species.
HDB said the third area consists of seagrass meadows and rocky coastal habitats that naturally form in marine coastal areas and are used by many species of flora and fauna.
It said in the fact sheet that “additional mitigation measures” would be implemented to minimise potential impacts to flora and fauna in the surrounding area.
“We will also stage clearing activities to avoid bird breeding season and allow wildlife grazing before site clearing. A tree sanctuary will also be established to protect large trees,” HDB said.
It added that it will develop an environmental monitoring and management plan to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures, and closely monitor and manage any potential impact of infrastructure and construction works on the environment.
Mr Lee added: “When we need land for our development needs, we try to utilise brownfields first as much as possible.
“Even doing this, we remained sensitive to the surrounding natural areas and realised that if we needed to develop green spaces, we could minimise our impact on the environment. We used a science-based approach to identify and enhance ecological connectivity across the city. “
He added that the development of the Keppel Club grounds and wider network of natural parks exemplifies this approach.
“Working with our communities to integrate nature into our urban fabric. Transforming Singapore into a natural city where our people and our biodiversity can thrive together.”
