Restoration of East-West MRT Line services a combined effort by foreign workers, contractors and volunteers

East-West Line disruption from 25 to 30 Sep 2024

By Esther Loi, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2024

It was a race against time for Indian national Dhandapani Vignesh and his rail welding crew to finish joining new rail segments in about three days to fix a section of damaged tracks between Jurong and Clementi stations.

Originally contracted to work on depot renewal projects under the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the 36-year-old construction manager, together with 20 other foreign workers from his team, were alerted at 7pm on Sept 26 that they were being roped in to repair the damaged tracks.

The day before, a train had caused extensive track and trackside damage along a stretch of the East-West Line (EWL), halting rail services between Jurong East and Buona Vista.

The team immediately got down to work, putting in nine- to 10-hour shifts from Sept 27 to 30 to finish welding – or connecting – the new rail segments to existing ones along the westbound track so that trains could run smoothly again. The new rails replaced the ones damaged by the faulty train.

The disruption, which lasted six days till Sept 30 and affected about 2.6 million passengers, was one of the most severe rail disruptions in the 37-year history of Singapore’s MRT system. Train services resumed on Oct 1.

Despite the pressure of the task at hand, Mr Vignesh mused that he literally “did not feel the heat much” as rail welding, which involves heating rail segments placed between ceramic moulds to join them, was done in the shade in tents.

The main challenge, he added, was having only a limited working timeframe – from around 2.30pm to midnight daily. Welding was not possible at other times of the day since the rails would expand in the daytime heat and eat into the 30mm gaps required to insert welding materials.

Mr Vignesh and his team were also heartened by the steady stream of cold drinking water almost every hour and fast-food meals provided by LTA, rail operator SMRT and even members of the public.

They were among the more than 800 workers responsible for getting the EWL train services up and running again.

Singaporeans’ behaviour not aligned with country’s world-class standards

On July 17, I landed at Changi Airport Terminal 2 after a short getaway. Like others, I was expecting the renowned efficiency of our immigration process, especially after a red-eye flight.

However, what greeted us was a single, long queue stretching across the arrival hall, with immigration officers informing incoming passengers that the automated systems were down.

While system failures are inevitable, the ensuing chaos made me question whether Singaporeans truly embody the class and character we often pride ourselves on, especially when our well-oiled machineries fail.

First, when additional counters opened, people bypassed the already-formed single line, running to be at the front of the new queues.

Those who had been queueing patiently in the single line were shocked as people behind them sprinted forward.

The lack of queue organisation by the officers on duty only exacerbated the situation.

Second, when the automated lanes were being tested to see if they could resume operating, many passengers took it as a sign they were back online and again ran to the counters.

Third, people were noticeably envious of the elderly, disabled, pregnant and the young who were invited to the front of the queue along with their travel companions.

Instead of understanding and empathy, there were mutterings and glares.

There were incessant mutterings about how the Government had “failed”. While it is natural to feel frustrated in such situations, the immediate blame game seemed unproductive and ungracious.

I could identify these complaining individuals as fellow Singaporeans by their signature red passports.

This experience made me wonder if we have taken our efficient systems for granted. When these systems falter, do we still uphold the values of patience, kindness, and respect for others?

In contrast, visitors from countries like Japan and Thailand, where the arriving flights were from and which are countries known for their people’s kindness, patience and graciousness, must have been taken aback by the behaviour they witnessed.

As Singaporeans, we pride ourselves on our first-class infrastructure and efficiency. However, true first-class citizenship is reflected in our behaviour, which should match our country’s world-class standards, regardless of the circumstances.

Sim Cheng Yu

The Straits Times Forum, 23 Jul 2024

Will you love my autistic cousin when his parents are gone?

By Ang Qing, The Straits Times, 27 Mar 2022

If you were part of the evening rush hour on the MRT earlier this month, you might have seen an excited 1.9m-tall man humming and swaying. You might have stared at him glancing around non-stop and wondered whether he was a "suspicious-looking person" because of his visibly different behaviour.

That was likely to be my autistic cousin Zack (not his real name), who ran off without his mother after his daily training programme at Enabling Village in Bukit Merah.

Zack, 22, loves travelling on the bus and MRT but he is not allowed to go home alone because he gets distracted by his surroundings.

That day, my cousin and his peers were let go 15 minutes before the usual dismissal time at 5pm, so Zack went off on his own before his mum picked him up. What ensued was a nerve-wracking ordeal for his family. While my aunt told him to alight at certain stations over a call, he went from Redhill to Pasir Ris, then back to Joo Koon before changing to the North-South line, which is the line near his home.

At the same time, my aunt informed the MRT staff of the situation and they alerted all control stations to look out for a young man wearing an orange T-shirt. Some 90 minutes later, my cousin's phone went dead because the battery ran out.

Three hours after boarding the train, Zack was finally spotted wandering around a bus interchange near his home by his younger sister. He was wearing his orange top but it was covered by a blue jacket that he uses during training.

That is just a snapshot of the daily struggle of caring for those with special needs.

Although it might be exhausting for family members to look after them, there are many sides to them that make them lovable. For one, Zack is the most responsible citizen I know because he scans the SafeEntry QR code of every shop and station. Inadvertently, this leads to some embarrassing situations when he enters shops like salons, which are only for women.

He also never forgets the birthdays of all 19 (living) members of our extended family. Before a long day at work, it brightens my day to receive texts from him asking what I am doing.

While he can perform basic tasks like brushing his teeth, showering and mopping the floor with supervision, there are certain things that he will never be able to understand.

He sees the world literally.

Heaven is in Mandai Crematorium because this is where his loved ones - my grandfather and my 10-year-old cousin - went when they died.

Zack also cannot understand social cues. This means he can get uncomfortably close to you and will not understand why you inch away.

After receiving numerous stares from strangers gawking at Zack's behaviour whenever we go on family outings, I learnt early on that he would need a lot of care and patience for the rest of his life.

The struggles of parents with children born with special needs are many and will only pile on as they get older: the high costs for support and the onset of burnout, with the greatest concern being who will take care of their children after they are gone.

Return used trays and crockery: Fines for hawker centre diners who do not clear their tables from 1 September 2021

Mandatory for diners to return trays, clear own litter from 1 June 2021

Advisory period from 1 June to 31 August 2021, enforcement action to be taken from 1 September 2021

Singapore Food Agency will work with NEA to roll out enforcement progressively at coffeeshops and food courts in the fourth quarter of the year

By Adeline Tan, The Straits Times, 15 May 2021

It will be mandatory for diners to return their trays and clear their table litter from June 1, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said yesterday.

Table litter includes used tissues and wet wipes, straws, canned drinks, plastic bottles and food remnants.

In an effort to help diners adjust, no enforcement action will be taken until after Aug 31. During the three months, they will only be advised to follow the rule.

From Sept 1, enforcement action will be taken against those who do not comply with advice to clean up after themselves at hawker centres.

First-time offenders will be given a written warning. Second-time offenders will face a $300 composition fine, and subsequent offenders may face court fines, which can go up to $2,000 for the first conviction.

The Singapore Food Agency will also work with NEA to roll out enforcement progressively at coffee shops and foodcourts in the fourth quarter of this year.

NEA said the move, which comes amid a public health crisis, follows years of extensive educational efforts to change the behaviour and mindsets of diners at public places.

Its deputy chief executive of public health and director-general of public health Chew Ming Fai said: "We've been talking about these clean tables since 2013, and there's been a lot of education effort that has been put out over the years."

One example is the Clean Tables Campaign launched in February.

Mr Chew said: "Following that exercise, we've seen a small uptick in terms of tray return rates from 33 per cent to 35 per cent, but unfortunately I don't think that is significant enough."

NEA will be setting up more tray return infrastructure across the hawker centres.

Currently, there are about 900 tray return racks installed across 111 hawker centres.

During the advisory period, safe distancing ambassadors, SG Clean ambassadors, community volunteers and NEA officers deployed at hawker centres will continue to remind diners to clear their dirty trays, crockery and litter.

Visual cues such as posters and banners will also be progressively put up at hawker centres.

NEA said Covid-19 has underscored the need to maintain high public hygiene and cleanliness standards, and various members of the public and institutions have called for stronger measures to raise cleanliness standards, including the use of legislation.

Clearing dirty trays, crockery and table litter will protect not only other diners but also the cleaners, who are usually elderly folk.

Mr Chew said that while enforcement efforts will not be scaled back even after Covid-19, NEA will monitor the ground situation and make adjustments accordingly.

He said: "This is a long-term goal to raise public hygiene and cleanliness levels in Singapore. Even as we tackle the current Covid-19 crisis, we believe that this measure will be something that we need to put in place for the longer term."

Report symptoms of COVID-19 to a doctor

Singapore wasn't the first country to ease COVID-19 restrictions; we took our time and cautiously entered into phases one and two of our reopening only after being sure that we were ready.

This will help us as we can learn lessons from other societies that have reopened, such as Beijing, Melbourne and Seoul.

I believe a second wave of infections is inevitable. If we accept this premise, we can then look into the potential causes of this second wave. I posit that the most likely cause of a second wave is residents being infected with the coronavirus and not reporting their symptoms to a doctor, perhaps fearing that if the number of cases in the community suddenly goes up, Singapore will reinstate circuit breaker measures.

People may mask their symptoms with over-the-counter drugs to quell their fever and herbal remedies to soothe their cough. This will trick the system in place to prevent sick individuals from spreading the virus, but will not trick the virus.



Some of them may never know they have the virus and continue to spread it in the community - this is not what we want.

I urge individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 to seek medical care immediately.

It takes maturity to cancel plans with friends and family to prevent the virus from spreading to our loved ones.

It's imperative that we remain socially responsible and keep our community safe from this unforgiving virus.

Harsh Hiwase, 19
Full-time national serviceman
ST Forum, 6 Jul 2020

Phase 2 of Singapore's COVID-19 reopening will be test of public hygiene habits: Masagos Zulkifli

Government may consider rules to make picking up after oneself at eateries mandatory, says minister
By Audrey Tan, Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 20 Jun 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of personal hygiene, but the test of whether it has changed people's habits will be in phase two of Singapore's reopening, when people are allowed to dine in at food and beverage outlets again.

Diners will be reminded by safe distancing ambassadors to pick up after themselves at hawker centres and coffee shops.

But the Government may consider rolling out regulations to make this mandatory, said Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

"We may even resort to regulations... We have to see how things evolve," he said in an interview with The Straits Times and Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao that was broadcast yesterday.

"Most importantly, I hope that we embrace this, understand how it affects our public health, as well as how it affects people around us," said Mr Masagos.

Compassion and care for the environment and those around us should be what spurs people to be more hygienic when eating out, he said, and not regulations.

Mr Masagos heads the SG Clean Taskforce, which was set up in March to raise hygiene standards across the country and to change social norms so that they become Singapore's first line of defence against current and future outbreaks of infections.

While the question of how clean Singapore is has been a perennial one, it has come into stark relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.



In March, a check by The Straits Times at five hawker centres islandwide found that many diners still left their dirty dishes, leftovers and used tissues on the table for workers to clean up after them.

This occurred even though a number of customers were observed wiping the tables with hand sanitisers and disposable wipes before sitting down for their meals.

Used tissue paper or wet wipes - which Mr Masagos described in earlier interviews as being "little biohazards" - can be contaminated, as they are often used to cover a person's nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, or to wipe respiratory discharge and sputum.

Contact with such contaminated droplets is considered the primary way that the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, is transmitted from person to person.

Mr Masagos said: "We (want) to remind the population that (public hygiene) is not just for COVID-19. We have to adjust our basic habits so that whether it's COVID-19 or other viruses, we are not spreading them."

This includes practices such as not sharing utensils and not leaving used tissue paper behind.

"In phase two, we will come back with full force and raise the cleaning standards both by the industry as well as to instil good habits in our population," Mr Masagos added.



Earlier this week, the National Environment Agency, which Mr Masagos oversees, said it will introduce a toilet improvement programme for coffee shops and hawker centres that have ageing infrastructure.

These premises will get co-funding to refresh the designs of older toilets and to speed up the adoption of new technologies and productivity measures to make the toilets easier to clean and maintain, the agency said.

The programme will also factor in downstream operations and maintenance issues. More details will be given later this year.

But Mr Masagos said people must also ensure that they flush properly when they use public restrooms, citing recent scientific findings on how COVID-19 patients' stool may contain traces of the virus.

There have not been reports of patients getting the disease through such a transmission route so far, but the findings raised the possibility of a faecal-oral route.

"There have been many studies, although not verified fully, on issues around the hygiene of public toilets in terms of whether they can pose a risk to other users if one of them has COVID-19," said Mr Masagos.

"But it is better to take precautions - in terms of how we clean, how frequently we clean, as well as advising users on the right way of using them."

Don't let social distancing become anti-social

Look out for the vulnerable and disabled among us in public spaces such as the MRT
By William Wan, Published The Straits Times, The Straits Times, 28 Mar 2020

COVID-19 is the new normal now. At the start of this year, not many of us would have thought that in a short three months (it's not even April!), we would be subject to a public health pandemic worse than SARS, that the optimism of the new year would give way to prospects of a looming recession and anxieties over personal health. Terms such as telecommuting, split teams and social distancing are now on everyone's lips.

But as we get used to the new normal, we need to understand that even before the coronavirus reared its ugly head, life as per "normal" was already a challenge for some members of the community.

People who suffer from physical disabilities or visual impairment often need more care when navigating the streets and corners of Singapore.

Whether it is ramps and lifts for wheelchair users or tactile paving (those raised dots on footpaths, stairs, pedestrian crossings and train stations) for the blind, there is infrastructure in place to aid them. Nevertheless, a helping hand is always welcome, whether it is on the train or bus, or on pavements.

But now, in the time of COVID-19, when social distancing encourages us to be no closer than 1 metre of each other, how can we extend a hand to help when we can't even get near enough to touch?

Mr Chong Kwek Bin, who is in charge of advocacy at the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), said: "The visually impaired typically need two types of help: information and taking them to some place."

Information such as bus service numbers can be provided without physical contact. But guiding them to a place, such as the toilet or to a seat or door, requires physical contact and cannot be done effectively otherwise.

Mr Chong told me that SAVH is concerned that this might lead to the general public becoming less willing to offer assistance.



Psychotherapist and social advocate Cassandra Chiu, who is blind and uses a guide dog, said: "Friends have shared in the last couple of days that when they ask for help, people are either very far away or do not respond to them.

"Social distancing is necessary given the current situation, of course, but it is posing a challenge to those who are blind or suffering from vision loss. This is because we do require a fair amount of help, especially those of us who don't have a guide dog."

Social distancing doesn't just affect those who are blind. And neither is its effects limited to those in Singapore.

Human rights advocate Catalina Devandas Aguilar, who is the World Health Organisation's (WHO) special rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, warned on March 17 that across the world, little has been done to provide guidance and support to people with disabilities.

"People with disabilities feel they have been left behind," she said.

"Many people with disabilities depend on services that have been suspended and may not have enough money to stockpile food and medicine, or afford the extra cost of home deliveries."



Another WHO officer, Ms Lindsay Lee, who uses a wheelchair, explained in a Q&A session hosted on the WHO Twitter account that people with disabilities can suffer a higher risk of getting COVID-19. For example, some may have difficulties in implementing the additional hygiene practices needed, or be unable to practise social distancing because they need care or support.

She said: "These (difficulties) can be exacerbated in crisis situations."

Singapore COVID-19 spread caused by socially irresponsible behaviour

1 in 5 patients went out or carried on with work despite being ill

Social activities for seniors organised by government agencies will be suspended for 14 days from 11 March 2020

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong urges people not to go out or doctor-hop if unwell
By Goh Yan Han, The Straits Times, 11 Mar 2020

One in five confirmed coronavirus patients here went out despite being unwell, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday.

One in four also consulted more than one doctor, he said at a press conference, giving an update on the COVID-19 situation.



Urging Singaporeans not to go out or doctor-hop if they are unwell, he said: "I am very concerned that many of the locally transmitted cases resulted from the socially irresponsible actions of a few individuals who continued to go to work, and attended events, and participated in activities despite being unwell, and went on to spread the disease to their family, friends and other contacts."

About 35 of the 160 earlier confirmed cases did not minimise social contact despite developing fever or respiratory symptoms, or consult a doctor early when unwell.

More than a fifth continued to work or carried on with their daily routine despite being sick.



The dinner at SAFRA Jurong, for example, was attended largely by seniors who took part in singing classes and activities like line dancing and qigong at some community clubs and residents' committee centres.

Many were in multiple groups across the island. One person who was unwell attended the event on Feb 15 and later tested positive for the coronavirus.

This could have led to 18 additional cases that were also at the dinner and later tested positive, Mr Gan noted.

Of the 18, 10 continued with daily activities despite feeling unwell, spreading the virus to another 17 people who were not at the dinner.

Meanwhile, the Wizlearn Technologies cluster had three staff members who continued with their daily activities despite feeling unwell. One of them spread the virus to a family member who also continued with daily activities while ill.

This resulted in an extra four cases that did not work for the company.



Mr Gan also said that of the confirmed cases, 38 had gone to more than one general practitioner.

In fact, eight of the 38 visited three or more GP clinics.

The minister urged the public to refrain from doctor-hopping so that the same doctor can follow up on each case, and make the appropriate assessment if a patient needs to be tested for COVID-19.

Separately, the Ministry of Education said yesterday that the student passes of two international students will be terminated for breaching 14-day leave or stay-home rules.

One is an international postgraduate student at Nanyang Technological University's National Institute of Education (NIE), who breached his stay-home notice repeatedly and provided false information on his movements to the institution and NIE's board of discipline.

The other, a National University of Singapore international exchange student, was found to have breached the requirements of her leave of absence and made a false travel declaration to the university.

SG Clean Taskforce formed to raise hygiene standards beyond COVID-19 outbreak

Govt push to boost hygiene levels as coronavirus fight intensifies
New norm in battle entails benchmarks on cleaning public places and new social habits
By Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 7 Mar 2020

An ambitious exercise has been launched to take cleanliness and public hygiene to the next level and to change social norms so that they become Singapore's first line of defence against current and future infection outbreaks.

This means that not only will new benchmarks be put in place to keep public places clean, but people will also be nudged to pick up new habits and give up some old ones to stop the spread of disease.

In addition, new rules later this year will require hawker centres, schools, childcare facilities and eldercare centres to be cleaned at prescribed minimum frequencies, with owners responsible for the cleanliness of their spaces.

The new SG Clean Taskforce, headed by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, has been set up to raise hygiene standards across the nation.



The wider challenge will be to persuade residents to wash their hands with soap regularly, take their temperature daily and use serving spoons while sharing food.

"We need to step up cleanliness and hygiene, to make this our new norm. This is our best way forward because this is how we can carry on with our lives," Mr Masagos said at a news conference yesterday.

Also speaking on this new norm in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the co-chairmen of the multi-ministry taskforce battling the spread of the virus noted that with COVID-19 now spreading rapidly around the world, Singaporeans would have to brace themselves for the health, social and economic impact this would have.

More cases of the disease could be imported and, as has happened elsewhere, there are likely to be deaths from it here too, warned Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Further steps to manage the inflow of people might also be needed, while existing border restrictions might be relooked in the light of developments.

But the most immediate way to deal with the situation is for people to help themselves by stepping up efforts to keep their surroundings clean.

Mr Gan said social norms "are in fact the first line of defence, rather than border controls".

"Even if you have restrictions on travel, you still have Singaporeans coming back; you cannot stop them from coming back to Singapore. Therefore, personal hygiene is the most important."

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong added: "We are not helpless in this scenario."

Social and individual responsibility - even through actions which may seem simple - will effectively slow down the spread of the virus.

Current clusters in Singapore have developed from close contact among people, such as at religious or social gatherings.



The stepped-up effort comes on the back of the SG Clean campaign launched on Feb 16 to raise cleanliness and safeguard public health amid the coronavirus outbreak

On its part, the Government is making sure that hygiene standards are up to scratch - that public toilets are clean and dry, and stocked with soap, for instance.

The idea is that the authorities set the standards, and owners of premises such as hawker centres, schools, factories and malls commit to maintaining them.

But individuals, too, must do their bit, Mr Masagos stressed, and make new habits a way of life.



This entails thinking about things differently. For example, pieces of tissue paper should be considered small "biohazards", he pointed out, and people should dispose of these items themselves, rather than leaving them for cleaners. At hawker centres, people are encouraged to eat on their trays so that food drops on trays - not tables.

The effort to change habits is aimed at addressing future outbreaks, too. "SG Clean is not a one-time exercise for COVID-19," said Mr Masagos.

Total Defence Day 2020: Government to ensure minimal retrenchments as Singapore deals with COVID-19, says Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen

Govt to work with unions to keep retrenchments to minimum
By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 15 Feb 2020

As Singapore's economy is hit by the coronavirus crisis, the Government will ensure that retrenchments are kept to a minimum, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

"Even as we deal with the viral outbreak, we must ensure that our economy can function to keep jobs and livelihoods for Singapore," he said in his Total Defence Day message yesterday.

"The Government will work with companies and unions to ensure that retrenchments are kept to a minimum, if at all."



Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had said earlier that the Government will unveil a support package at Budget 2020 to help businesses affected by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19.

In his message, Dr Ng recounted how, in 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had caused sickness and death. The fear of being infected gripped citizens everywhere, tourists stopped travelling and people stayed home, he said.

As a result, jobs were lost and retrenchments went up.

"In some countries, this fear created distrust and divided people. But in Singapore, we rallied through Total Defence, stayed united, overcame the SARS crisis to emerge intact and stronger," he said.

The national defence framework has to come into action again against the coronavirus, Dr Ng said.

As part of social defence, everyone has to practise good hygiene and stay away from others if sick, he urged. "At the same time, we must show empathy and compassion to help those who are infected or under quarantine."

Psychological defence has to be strengthened to withstand the ups and downs from the virus outbreak, he added.

Daily life can go on with sensible precautions, such as washing one's hands and keeping them away from the face, he said.

Singaporeans also have to guard against digital threats such as false information during this period, he added.

The minister said digital defence, the latest pillar of Total Defence, was a timely and necessary addition as dealing with the virus outbreak has shown.

False information about the disease or messages to incite hatred against any group do much harm, he noted. "We must never let these 'drums' - distortions, rumours, untruths, misinformation and smears - be heard, lest they sow discord, divide our people and ultimately weaken our will to defeat the outbreak and defend Singapore."

Total Defence Day is commemorated on Feb 15 every year - the day Singapore fell to Japan in 1942, which was followed by 31/2 years of Japanese Occupation.

Digital defence was added last year as the sixth pillar of Total Defence. Economic, social, psychological, military and civil defence make up the other five pillars of Total Defence.

Dr Ng also said the country's civil and military defences are "in good working order".

He offered his condolences to families of victims who have suffered, and saluted front-line staff, such as doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who treat patients daily.

As Singapore marks Total Defence Day, he said he has every confidence Singaporeans will again rally and win the fight against the coronavirus. "If we maintain that resolve, with each Singaporean committed to doing their part, then Singapore can continue to be a shining example for many years to come."



In a Facebook post yesterday, President Halimah Yacob said this year's Total Defence has a poignant significance, as Singapore is currently dealing with a national and global health crisis.

"It is a timely reminder on the importance of strengthening our social and psychological defence to rally our nation together in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak," she wrote.

COVID-19: Show support for healthcare workers on front lines, says Health Minister Gan Kim Yong

Broader community joins battle against coronavirus as infection hits 50 cases as of 12 Feb 2020
By Salma Khalik, Senior Health Correspondent and Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 13 Feb 2020

As more cases of coronavirus infection surface, this is the time for people to rally around healthcare workers and not shun them, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.

He announced yesterday that three more people had been infected, bringing the total here to 50. But as the fight against the virus intensifies, there are signs that the broader community is rallying behind healthcare workers in the front lines.



Mr Gan urged: "Let us come together to show our support for them, and to support their work, so they continue to take care of our patients and families and our loved ones."

"Sometimes, a kind word or a warm greeting will go a long way to make them feel appreciated and give them a morale boost to continue the fight," he added.

Healthcare workers, who had been in the front lines of the fight during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003, had been shunned by those who feared they might pass on the infection. Mr Gan indicated that he does not want this to be repeated.



Meanwhile, one million masks will be distributed to general practitioners and specialists in private practice, who need them to protect themselves, their staff and patients.

"They will get the supplies that they need because they are a part of our team," said Mr Gan.

"In this challenging time, it is important for us to work together as a team, as a community and as a nation, to overcome this infection and to keep Singaporeans safe," he added.

Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee, who was also at the news conference, said 90 per cent of the drivers from private-hire company Grab are keen to join a new service called Grabcare that will "help our healthcare workers get to and from healthcare facilities".

The service will start tomorrow for those working at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, he said.



He said that for Singaporeans who are inspired by such actions, there are opportunities to contribute.

The Courage Fund that was launched for healthcare workers who battled Sars is still active.

Money from the fund helps patients, healthcare workers and their families, as well as the wider community affected by the outbreak.

Donations have started pouring in again.

In a Facebook post last night, President Halimah Yacob announced that the President's Challenge, which has been mobilising resources to help those who may be more susceptible, will be donating $250,000 to the Courage Fund to further support vulnerable groups to tide over this period.

"It is challenging times like this that will truly define who we are as a nation," she wrote.

Another $300,000 has been donated by the CapitaLand Hope Foundation.

Youth Corps will support Willing Hearts, a dignity kitchen, to distribute meals to seniors and the vulnerable, Mr Lee said.



Meanwhile, of the 50 infected, 15 have recovered and been discharged, but eight are seriously ill and in intensive care.

While most infected patients will recover, Mr Gan warned: "Some may get seriously ill, and a small number may succumb to the infection ultimately.

"We have to be prepared for the worst."

The fight against the virus ahead may get harder, he said.

Mr Gan said in Mandarin: "Because we are stepping up our surveillance and doing more testing, we can well expect to see more cases in the coming days and weeks."