SINGAPORE: IKEA Alexandra and a Omakase Burger at Wisma Atria were among the new locations added on Saturday (Aug 1) to the list of places visited by COVID-19 cases in the community during their infectious period.
COVID-19 cases had also visited Ananas Cafe in Choa Chu Kang, a Giant supermarket at Sunshine Place in Choa Chu Kang, as well as CT Hub in Kallang, according to the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) daily update.
The new places added to the list on Saturday are as follows:
Those identified as close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases would have been notified by MOH, said the ministry.
It added that people who were at these locations during the specified timings should monitor their health closely for 14 days from their date of visit.
“They should see a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of acute respiratory infection (such as cough, sore throat and runny nose), as well as fever and loss of taste or smell, and inform the doctor of their exposure history,” said MOH.
“There is no need to avoid places where confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been.”
The National Environment Agency will also engage the management of affected premises to provide guidance on cleaning and disinfection.
SINGAPORE: National Day Parade 2020, which will be held at the Padang and The Star Vista on Aug 9, has been declared an “enhanced security special event” under the Public Order Act.
The areas around these two locations have also been designated as special event areas, meaning tight security measures will be in place.
There are zones with the special event areas where stricter security checks will be conducted, said the police on Saturday (Aug 1). All vehicles and anyone entering these zones will be screened.
The special event area and special zone will take effect on Aug 9 at the Padang from 5am to 2pm, and at The Star Vista from 3pm to 11.59pm.
Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones will not be allowed in the special event areas. Offenders may be arrested and if convicted, they face a jail term of up to 12 months and a fine of up to S$20,000.
The police also listed items that are prohibited within the special event area:
Any noxious or offensive substance
A marine flare and signal, landing flare, highway fuse, smoke generator, distress signal or other pyrotechnic device intended for signalling, warning, rescue or similar purposes
Any petroleum or flammable material within the meaning of the Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations (Cap 109A, Rg 7)
An explosive within the meaning of the Arms and Explosives Act (Cap 13).
Any arms within the meaning of the Arms and Explosives Act
An item capable of attaching a person to an object or another person, or preventing removal of any locking or connecting device
An aerosol paint container or other implement or substance that is capable of being used to mark graffiti
Any sound amplification device, such as a loud hailer
Any of the following things that contains or displays any message, picture or image, or any explicit or implicit reference or comment that can reasonably be regarded as intended to demonstrate support for or opposition to the views or actions of any person, group of persons or any government, to publicise a cause or campaign, or to mark or commemorate any event: A banner, flag, placard, T-shirt or any other article of apparel, an umbrella or an inflatable object
Any public address system, electronic equipment, broadcast equipment or similar device which may interfere with broadcast equipment or similar devices being used by the event organiser of the special event or police officers at or for the special event; or any other person, authorised by the event organiser or under the Act, to use broadcast equipment or similar devices at or for the special event
A remotely piloted aircraft system for a remotely piloted aircraft, comprising the remotely piloted aircraft, every remote pilot station associated with the remotely piloted aircraft containing the equipment used to pilot that aircraft, the command and control links between the remotely piloted aircraft and its remote pilot station or stations and other command; and any other components, as specified in the type design of the remotely piloted aircraft system, to fly that aircraft
Anyone found in possession of these items may be arrested, the police said. If convicted, they could be jailed for up to 12 months, fined a maximum of S$20,000 or both. The items will also be seized.
The special event area around the Padang is marked by the following boundaries:
1. Marina Boulevard 2. Marina View 3. Central Boulevard 4. Cross Street 5. Upper Cross Street 6. Clemenceau Avenue 7. Penang Road 8. Handy Road 9. Bras Basah Road 10. Prinsep Street (towards Selegie Road) 11. Footpath between lamp post 7 along Prinsep Street, and fire hydrant in front of 30 Selegie Road (Selegie Arts Centre) 12. Prinsep Street (towards Middle Road) 13. Prinsep Link 14. Bencoolen Street 15. Middle Road 16. Queen Street 17. Rochor Road 18. Raffles Boulevard 19. Temasek Avenue 20. Bayfront Avenue
The special event area around the Star Vista is marked by the following boundaries:
1. Ayer Rajah Expressway 2. Clementi Road 3. Ulu Pandan Road 4. Holland Road 5. Queensway 6. Portsdown Avenue
The special zone around the Padang is marked by the following boundaries:
1. OUE Link 2. Collyer Quay 3. Battery Road 4. Fullerton Square 5. Cavenagh Bridge 6. Northern bank of the Singapore River 7. South Bridge Road 8. North Boat Quay 9. Hill Street 10. Victoria Street 11. Bras Basah Road 12. Nicoll Highway 13. Esplanade Drive 14. Collyer Quay
The special zone around The Star Vista is marked by the following boundaries:
1. Dover Close East 2. Dover Rise 3. Commonwealth Avenue West 4. North Buona Vista Road
SINGAPORE: The National Day Parade (NDP) mobile column this year will travel along five routes across Singapore to cover more heartland estates.
The north and northeast routes cover areas like Yishun, Sengkang and Tampines, the south and southeast routes include Bishan, Queenstown, Paya Lebar and Marine Parade, while the western route covers places like Jurong West and Bukit Batok.
The mobile column will travel about 200km in total – the longest distance for this event in the heartlands, said organisers on Saturday (Aug 1).
An SAF personnel adjusts the Singapore Flag on his vehicle during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
From 10am to 1pm on Aug 9, residents can get up close to the display of hardware and other vehicles from the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
A total of 66 assets will be featured – spread across the five routes – including the Singapore Army’s Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle, which will join the mobile column for the first time, along the southern route.
A Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks lined up on the road, waiting for their cue to begin moving during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Its Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tank and Bionix Infantry Vehicle will also be featured, as well as the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s Mounted-Portable Search and Target Acquisition Radar and the Navy’s Harpoon Anti-ship Missile.
A Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
The Singapore Police Force’s next-generation Fast Response Car and the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s 6th Generation Ambulance will also make an appearance.
HONOURING FRONTLINE WORKERS
As Singapore marks 55 years of independence amid COVID-19, this year’s mobile column will pay tribute to frontline and essential workers involved in the fight against pandemic.
About 100 of these workers from various groups such as healthcare, essential industries and the social services sector will be onboard the mobile column’s vehicles as they make their way across Singapore.
Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks lined up on the road, waiting for their cue to begin moving during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
SAF personnel during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
“The mobile column will also travel past Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Sengkang General Hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hopsital and Singapore Expo, where it will perform a salute to all healthcare workers for their spirit and resilience as they battle against COVID-19,” said the organising committee.
For CPT Eastina Tan from the 2nd Singapore Infantry Regiment, one of the people she will be saluting is her mother, who is a palliative care nurse.
Captain (CPT) Eastina Tan poses for a photo during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
“During circuit breaker, she continued to take care of her patients,” said CPT Tan.
“She constantly went to her patients’ house to do house visits, care for them, dispense medicine and monitor them,” said the Formation Liaison Officer for the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle.
“So this is a way of honoring frontline workers, especially their perseverance and dedication during such a pandemic. We are very honoured to be able to do something like that for them.”
During a training session for the frontline workers who will join CPT Tan and her team onboard their Terrex vehicles, the 29-year-old also realised that it wasn’t just healthcare workers who are involved in the fight against COVID-19.
“We encountered one frontline worker who was actually doing cleaning and sewage disposal in the foreign worker dormitories where they were plagued with COVID-19.
“It showed the rest of my crew that frontline workers are not just doctors and nurses – it’s also people behind the scenes who work tirelessly in this effort to fight the pandemic,” she said.
SAF personnel during a rehearsal of the mobile column in Tuas South on Aug 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Organisers said residents are encouraged to watch the mobile column display from their homes, and to wear a mask and practice safe distancing where necessary.
A portion of the mobile column will be broadcast live on Mediacorp’s free-to-air television channels on the NDPeeps YouTube channel after the end of the morning parade at the Padang.
SINGAPORE – There were 307 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Saturday noon (Aug 1), taking Singapore’s total to 52,512.
They include one community case, who is a Singaporean, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
There were also five imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notices upon arrival in Singapore.
Migrant workers living in dormitories made up the vast majority of the other cases.
More details will be announced on Saturday night.
On Friday, a six-year-old Singaporean girl was among three imported Covid-19 cases announced by the MOH.
She arrived from India on July 3 and was confirmed to have Covid-19 on July 30.
The two other imported cases are a 13-year-old boy, a permanent resident who arrived from India on July 19; as well as a dependant’s pass holder, a 28-year-old woman who arrived from India on July 19.
All were asymptomatic and were tested while on stay-home notice at dedicated facilities.
Most were migrant workers staying in dormitories, but there were also three community cases – a work pass holder, a work permit holder and a short-term visit pass holder.
For many nurses, the past seven months have been the most challenging they have experienced, as they battled on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. This Nurses’ Day, Shabana Begum speaks to some of them about their experiences.
Treated patients as brothers
National University Hospital Assistant director of Nursing and Advanced Practice Nurse Katherine Leong. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
The migrant workers who streamed out of the buses and stood in front of the community care facility (CCF) in Tuas South looked dazed and nervous.
But they seemed more at ease when they saw the group of healthcare workers, clad in thick personal protective equipment (PPE), waving to and welcoming them.
Ms Katherine Leong, 49, who led the nursing team at the Tuas South CCF, knows a smattering of Bengali and Tamil from meeting patients and families as an advanced practice nurse with the Khoo Teck Puat – National University Children’s Medical Institute at the National University Hospital (NUH).
Drug raids have netted around $800,000 worth of narcotics, including more than 11kg of heroin, and 10 arrests. Those arrested were all Singaporeans – nine men and one woman – aged between 28 and 62.
Apart from the heroin, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers seized 101g of methamphetamine, also known as Ice, 30 ecstasy tablets and fragments, one Erimin-5 tablet and $18,400 in cash.
In one raid on Thursday, two CNB officers observed two men in Woodlands Avenue 6 getting into a private-hire vehicle. The duo, aged 43 and 51, were arrested when they alighted in Woodlands Street 13.
Officers found 12 packets containing 90g of heroin and seven packets with 87.5g of Ice on the 43-year-old. A search of the vehicle unearthed 50 packets containing 375g of heroin, as well as $8,400 in cash.
A reader of The Straits Times, who heard shouts from his window, saw what he believed to be two plainclothes officers trying to pin down a man. Photos given to ST show another suspect sitting slumped against the wall while another man keeps watch over him. The two were later arrested.
Three 13-year-old boys who were caught on camera throwing killer litter down a multi-storey carpark in Toa Payoh are currently assisting with police investigations.
Stomp contributor E witnessed the incident taking place on the roof of the carpark at Block 60A Lorong 4 Toa Payoh on Wednesday (July 29), at around 5.15pm.
E, a resident in the vicinity, told Stomp: “I was cooking when I heard the loudest sound from the carpark and saw these kids playing on the roof.
“After that, I saw them starting to throw heavy things down the block.
“It was very dangerous so I started recording a video in case someone got injured.”
A video that E submitted to Stomp shows the trio, who were in their school uniform, on the roof of the multi-storey carpark.
One of the boys can be seen picking up an unidentified white object and throwing it down the block, causing it to land with a loud crash.
The same boy then picks up a metal object and bangs it against the ledge several times, and louds clangs can be heard.
SINGAPORE: Another S$320 million has been set aside to extend foreign worker levy rebates for firms in the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Saturday (Aug 1).
The move follows feedback that the majority of about 15,000 firms in these sectors are still facing financial difficulties, as they are unable to resume work due to COVID-19 measures, said MOM in a press release.
“This situation is likely to persist until the foreign worker dormitories are fully cleared in August 2020 and their workers are progressively allowed to resume work thereafter,” said MOM.
As of Tuesday, about 85 per cent of foreign workers – or about 262,000 workers – have either recovered or been tested to be free from COVID-19, up from the 247,000 reported last week, according to an update by MOM on Wednesday.
Many of them are staying in cleared dormitories or blocks for recovered workers and can only resume work once dormitory operators, employers and workers have made the necessary preparations to help minimise the risk of new infections.
FOREIGN WORKER LEVY WAIVER EXTENDED UNTIL DECEMBER
Under the Fortitude Budget, all firms in the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors received a 100 per cent waiver for levies due in June and a 50 per cent waiver for levies due in July.
MOM said on Saturday it will increase the waiver for levies due in July to 100 per cent. Employers who have paid the 50 per cent levies originally due in July will have the amount refunded to them, said the ministry.
Levies due in August and September will also be fully waived, said MOM.
Additionally, the foreign worker levy waiver support will be gradually tapered down until the end of the year, a move that is aimed at giving firms more time to adjust, said the ministry.
As such, employers will have 75 per cent of the levies due in October waived, followed by 50 per cent for levies due in November and 25 per cent for levies due in December.
S$375 FOREIGN WORKER LEVY REBATE EXTENDED FOR 2 MONTHS
MOM also said in its release that the S$375 foreign worker levy rebate for July that was announced in the Fortitude Budget will be extended for another two months.
This means that firms in the three sectors will receive a S$375 rebate per S Pass and Work Permit holder for August and September. This replaces the S$90 rebate announced on Jun 27.
The rebate will remain at S$90 between October this year and December 2021.
“These have been very challenging times for the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors,” Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
“With many of their foreign workers unable to be deployed while the dormitories clearance process is ongoing, firms have been facing financial difficulties. Cashflow is a major concern, especially since payment is tied to completion milestones and firms still have high overheads.”
Mrs Teo said the Government recognises the challenges faced by the industries and is “working hard” to complete the dormitories clearance process and implement COVID-Safe Restart measures so that work can resume safely on worksites.
She added, however, that even after the dormitories are cleared in Auguts, it will take some time for the situation to “fully stabilise”.
“Much as we want to speed things up, we have to be sure we do a thorough job, so that the sector is not affected by another outbreak,” she said.
A van driver was caught on video pointing his middle finger and challenging a driver to fight at Punggol Way on Saturday (July 25).
Stomp contributor KM alerted Stomp to the incident that was caught on his in-car camera.
According to the video’s timestamp, the incident occurred at 11.23am.
“I was turning right from Punggol Field into Punggol Way at the junction near Block 258B Punggol Topaz when a van sped up to cut into my lane,” the Stomp contributor shared.
“I pressed the horn to warn the van driver of the danger of getting into the same lane and he gestured aggressively, cursed and swore at me.
“He then suddenly applied the brake and came out of his van barefooted.
“I did not think it was rational to alight and get into a fight so I changed lanes and drove off,” he added.
As KM was driving off, the van driver pointed a middle finger at him.
“I could hear him cursing and swearing too,” the Stomp contributor shared.
KM also added that he found it dangerous to have drivers on the road who do not respect the safety of others.
SINGAPORE: Think “plastic surgery” and most likely, gory invasive procedures involving going under the knife, a long recovery process, and dramatic before-and-after photos come to mind.
In popular culture, the term has often been associated with procedures that aim to enhance the appearance and aesthetic appeal of a patient.
While openness towards plastic surgery has improved over the last few decades, in 2020, they’re still generally a “hush hush” affair that most who have done the deed wouldn’t admit to people they have just met.
There are many reasons why people still frown upon its use.
Conservative folks think you shouldn’t alter your God-given features. Practical people think it’s ridiculous to subject yourself to medical risk in the name of beauty.
Others think it confers advantages to those who have the resources to look “better”.
The only exception to this finger-wagging judgement? Reconstructive surgery that help restore functions to defective body parts arising from accidents, birth defects or trauma, or surgery required to save lives.
This was the subject of a CNA Insider story, which highlighted the work by Dr Pek Chong Han, a plastic surgeon at a public hospital, who had operated on a pair of bacteria-infested feet, allowing the patient to play sports again, and a cancer-ridden tongue which aided the patient in speaking, among others.
His job title reads “plastic surgeon”, but it is not only about beautifying his patients. Even during the COVID-19 “circuit breaker”, when non-essential surgeries were postponed, he had many emergency cases.
His work is laudable and I have utmost respect for how surgeons like him have vastly improved the lives of patients.
But let’s look at the other side of this conundrum – what’s wrong with procedures that make you look better?
JUST TO DEFY AGEING? THINK AGAIN
Most people think that only those who are vain and wish to forcefully defy the effects of time would consider plastic surgery, but many actually go for cosmetic procedures to feel more confident.
These old mindsets make sweeping assumptions about people’s motivations.
Think about that man who gets teased when he wears tight-fitting shirts because he has a medical condition called gynecomastia (commonly known as “man boobs”).
Think about the woman who feels self-conscious about her obvious eye bags and is tired of constantly being asked if she had slept poorly the previous night.
While reconstructive plastic surgery solves a visible physical defect, these treat a often hidden psychological concern and is a highly personal decision.
After you’ve exhausted exercise, diet and routines, shouldn’t you have the autonomy to reach for a different set of options?
MORE NON-INVASIVE PROCEDURES AVAILABLE
What constitutes plastic surgery has changed over the years because of advancement in medical technology.
Thirty years ago, if you were looking to achieve a more defined jawline, get rid of wrinkles and a double chin, chances are a rhytidectomy (commonly known as a “face lift”) would be your best, if not only, option.
A traditional facelift involves making several incisions on the face, before the doctor redistributes fat and even reposition tissues and muscles to sculpt how the face looks. Finally, the doctor redrapes the skin before trimming away excess skin to complete the procedure.
In other words, it is an invasive surgery, with recovery a long, painful journey.
Today, to address the same concerns, you can pick from an array of non-invasive aesthetic procedures that do not involve surgery.
(Photo: Unsplash/NordWood Themes)
Aesthetic doctors are likely to recommend a combination of botulinum toxin (to relax wrinkles and to sharpen jawline), fillers or skinboosters (to fill in “hollow” areas that make the face look old), ultrasound or radiofrequency skin tightening, and fat-freezing (to reduce double chin).
Each can be performed over a lunchtime break in a few minutes. The patient can head back to the office after the treatment, with enough time to spare to get food from their favourite hawker stall.
Most people wouldn’t hesitate to invest in a concealer to hide acne scars and dark eye circles, or to go for brow embroidery so they can wake up to full and defined-looking brows. Such aesthetic treatments, as more permanent ways of making yourself look better, are simply an extension.
Why should there be less stigma in applying an anti-ageing serum compared to getting a botulinum toxin injection?
There’s no denying even the best things in life can take a sinister turn when it’s done excessively and obsessively.
There are ample tales of people who have gone for multiple, extensive surgeries in pursuit of unattainable beauty standards. These are the cases that anyone should be deeply concerned about and should discourage.
No amount of surgery can satisfy those never contented with how they look and yearn for “perfection” in their appearances.
It’s one thing to go for an aesthetic treatment so you look like a 40-year-old who takes good care of your appearance, and another to be a 40-year-old trying to pass off as a 20-year-old.
“I got addicted to surgery and yet was never satisfied with myself. I am not against plastic surgery but you have to be yourself instead of turning into others,” Sun Yibing, a internet celebrity in China, told AFP. (Photo: AFP/Fred Dufour)
Those who do go for one surgery after another to constantly improve or preserve their looks may be trying to complete the void in their hearts that can only be filled with a better sense of self-acceptance.
But what if you’re considering aesthetic procedures that can fix beauty concerns that bother you and help you feel more confident once and for all? I say, go for it.
JUDGE PEOPLE LESS
I’ve booked an appointment next month to get botulinum toxin jabs between my brows to relax my frown lines. They have become deeper in the last few years and they make me look tired, worried and even angry at times.
These injections, which used to treat problems like excessive sweating, neck spasms and migraines, are now most commonly known as an anti-ageing treatment.
My frown lines bug me and I can’t wait to get rid of them.
Does it bother me if people judge the decision I’ve made? Perhaps. But then again everyone who’s met me for the first time will have no idea.
And maybe after they do get a chance to know me better, they’ll judge me less.
Kristen Juliet Soh is the editorial director and co-founder of Daily Vanity.
