SINGAPORE - SBS bus services 20 and 35 will call at a total of three additional bus stops along Changi Business Park Vista and Aviation Park Road from Dec 26. Bus service 20 will call at a new bus stop after Changi Business Park Crescent. The stop is opposite the Haite Building and Rigel Innovation Centre, and en route from Tampines bus interchange to Changi Business Park Avenue 3. Bus service 35 will call at two new bus stops along Aviation Park Road, with one before Changi Coast Road towards Bedok bus interchange, and one after Changi Coast Road towards Alps Avenue. The new bus stops will better serve the travel needs of commuters, SBS Transit said on Monday (Dec 13). It added there will be no change to the buses' routes and operating details. More on this topic Related Story Three bus services plying sectors along Downtown Line to be rerouted Related Story Public transport fares to rise by 3 to 4 cents for adults from Dec 26
SINGAPORE - Shops at the airport terminals and those at Jewel Changi Airport mall are starting to see some signs of life again, bolstered by the easing of social restrictions and the launch of vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs). But the looming threat of the Omicron variant has some retail staff concerned, even though there has not been a significant drop in foot traffic. When The Straits Times visited Terminals 1 and 3 on Wednesday afternoon (Dec 1), some restaurants were already half full at 5.30pm. Mr Martin Lee, who works at Le Shrimp Ramen, said: "The lunch crowd is a hit or miss, but the dinner crowd is definitely busier. On weekends, it can be a full house and the waiting time can stretch up to 20 minutes." The restaurant, which is located at the basement of Terminal 3, started to see a spike in traffic about two weeks ago, when up to five people from different households were allowed to dine out. While customers are still mainly locals, some shops are also starting to see travellers trickling in, with the launch of air VTLs. Singapore has so far announced a total of 27 air VTLs. Countries on the scheme include Indonesia, Australia and India. Mr Priyara Singh, manager of TGM & Root98 at Terminal 1, said the restaurant has extended its operating hours by about three hours to cater to the increased number of travellers and the school holidays. It saw about five tables of guests between 6pm and 7pm on Wednesday evening, some of them travellers. This was seldom seen before the launch of the VTLs and the relaxation of measures, Mr Singh said. At Jewel, the mall had significantly more people than at the two terminals. Queues and small crowds were already forming at the entrance of some restaurants at about 6pm, and seats around the mall were also mostly taken up by families with young children. But retail staff are wary about how long this momentum in foot traffic can last, given the emergence of a new variant, Omicron, in the past week. Singapore has two imported cases which tested preliminary positive for the variant. "Jewel would definitely be affected if the new variant starts to spread more widely. It would be one of the first malls to get hit," said Ms Lisa Mannuel, a retail store assistant at Timberland in Jewel. She added that the store had just started to see more customers last weekend. More on this topic Related Story Return of the road warrior: Be patient with Changi Airport and other tips for business travel Related Story Changi Airport registers first net loss amid dip in passenger numbers owing to Covid-19 Ms Regine Amoyo, manager at Andes by Astons at Terminal 1, said the new variant is indeed worrying, given how the airport had been shuttered after a large Covid-19 outbreak in May. Terminal 2, which is currently being renovated, and Terminal 4 were closed after a steep decline in passenger traffic due to the pandemic. But despite the uncertainty surrounding the tourism sector, some old and new tenants still see a value in having a presence at Jewel. Mr Dellen Soh, chairman and chief executive of Minor Food Singapore, said the company is set to open two new outlets - Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffe, and Poulet Bijou - by February next year. The two outlets cost about a million dollars in total, and despite the Omicron variant, things will still go as planned. Mr Soh said: "The carparks are easy, they have attractions for families. Jewel's design with the waterfall, you don't see that anywhere in the world. It is an iconic landmark for overseas visitors as well as locals." Another tenant, Sift & Pick, an online marketplace, opened its second physical outlet in Jewel earlier this August, after its first outlet in Terminal 3 in 2019. The store is still seeing healthy sales and is expecting sales to pick up with the year-end holiday season, its spokesman said. More on this topic Related Story Changi Airport, SIA and Jetstar Asia inch forward with recovery Related Story Crucial for Changi air hub to reopen: Experts Mr Howard Lo, the co-owner of Empire Eats Group which owns Tanuki Raw, said the school break and the holiday season have resulted in "encouraging turnout", after crowd levels dropped significantly when Covid-19 heightened measures kicked in earlier this year. He said: "I believe people are still enjoying being allowed to dine in groups of five again, and since there is still much unknown about Omicron, they have adopted a wait-and-see approach." Changi Airport Group's general manager for landside concessions, Ms Phau Hui Hoon, said there has been increased footfall to Terminals 1 and 3 since the start of the December school holidays, together with festive activities by the airport. Jewel Changi Airport will also continue to reach out to more local residents until it is able to welcome more tourists, its head of corporate and marketing communications, Mr Nigel Chia, said. Related Stories: Related Story S'pore tightens border measures, halts further easing of social measures over Omicron variant fears Related Story Omicron poses 'very high' global risk, countries must prepare: WHO Related Story The week that Covid-19 sucker punched the world Related Story What do we know about the new Omicron Covid-19 variant? Related Story Pfizer or Moderna booster - which is more effective? 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SINGAPORE - A recalcitrant offender who is currently serving a jail sentence for earlier offences has had his prison stint extended after he bit off part of a fellow inmate's left ear in a fight. The 53-year-old victim, Lim Lee Yat, is now permanently disfigured as doctors could not reattach the severed part of his ear. His attacker, Teo Chye Lye, who has been in and out of jail since 1998 for crimes including assault and criminal intimidation, was last sent to prison in 2016 for drug-related offences. The 56-year-old Singaporean was on Friday (Aug 6) sentenced to 10 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Lim. He will start serving this sentence after completing his earlier one. Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Lim said that the two inmates were in a workshop at Changi Prison shortly before the fight broke out on Dec 15 last year. They were packing coffee sachets when Teo used his hand to push some of the spilled coffee mix to Lim's side of the work table. As a result, the younger man had to work on more packages. A quarrel broke out between the two and Teo told Lim to "not be so calculative". The DPP said: "The verbal dispute then escalated when the victim punched the accused in the face. The accused retaliated by punching the victim. "During the scuffle... the accused forcefully bit the upper portion of the victim's left ear. This caused the victim's left ear pinna to be completely bitten off." Teo suffered bruises on his face. The fight ended when a prison officer ordered them to stop. He found the severed body part on the floor and alerted the medical team. Lim was taken to Changi General Hospital, but doctors could not reattach the ear part. He was also given given a stern warning. On Friday, the DPP urged the court to sentence Teo to between 10 and 15 months in jail, stressing that he is a recalcitrant offender. For committing the offence, he could have been jailed for up to five years and fined up to $10,000. More on this topic Related Story New technology on trial at Changi Prison can detect cell fights through video analytics Related Story Man, 93, sentenced to 6 months' jail for beating shelter home roommate with walking stick
SINGAPORE - The Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre (RHCC) will play a role in helping countries in the region that have been badly hit by a deteriorating Covid-19 situation. The centre, located within Changi Naval Base, held a meeting on Wednesday (July 14) with representatives of local and foreign governments, as well as international agencies and non-governmental organisations that deal with humanitarian assistance work. The video conference discussed multilateral cooperation on Covid-19 relief efforts, information-sharing, and the transfer of critical medical supplies to affected places, said the Ministry of Defence. The RHCC will coordinate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in hand with ongoing work by Asean and the United Nations Office, added Mindef. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen noted that in crisis conditions, the command, control, and coordination capabilities which militaries are trained in are needed to deal with huge logistical challenges. This was why the RHCC was set up following a series of humanitarian crises in the region such as Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which cliamed over 138,000 lives. "Unfortunately, countries globally, including Asean member states, are now facing waves of COVID-19 infection," Dr Ng wrote on Facebook. "Appropriately, the RHCC has been placed on higher alert status, in anticipation of a worsening situation." Director of Changi RHCC, Colonel Melvin Tan, said the centre can use its Opera Computer Information System web-portal to provide a regional situation picture for its partners. He said: "With our operational experience and network of international liaison officers and linkages with regional militaries, non-governmental organisations and external partners, the Changi RHCC can also facilitate matching and collaboration of efforts, such as in the transfer of medical equipment and supplies. "We seek to contribute to our partners' efforts and work with them in this fight against Covid-19 in our region." Since its launch in 2014, the Changi RHCC has helped coordinate the deployment of foreign military assistance in response to natural disasters in the region. It sent disaster relief teams and emergency supplies to Nepal in 2015, and to Laos in 2018. More on this topic Related Story S'pore humanitarian organisation to send 4 tonnes of relief supplies worth $85,000 to Gaza Related Story Singapore Red Cross raises over $3.2 million in 2 weeks for India's Covid-19 fight
SINGAPORE - Dawn had not yet broken at 6am on Sunday (June 27) but people were already out on the mudflats of Changi Beach, exploring the area at low tide. As they peered into tiny holes in the seabed and sought marine creatures among the blades of seagrass, volunteers and staff from the National Parks Board (NParks) kept a close watch. "Just look, don't touch," Madam Doreen Foo, 44, one of the volunteer guides, was overheard reminding a family of four. She pointed out to them a cake sea star that had been exposed by the retreating waters. A rare find, she added. Madam Foo, a marketing assistant manager, was among those who volunteered with NParks to patrol the nation's accessible seashores over the weekend, to remind beachgoers not to handle marine life in a way that could be harmful. Other than Changi Beach, patrols were conducted in other places such as Pasir Ris Park. Tides on Saturday and Sunday were low, exposing large tracts of the seafloor and the bounty that lie in and on them: warty sea cucumbers, anemones, sea stars and many different types of crabs. The patrols by NParks staff and volunteers come after crowds were seen flocking to the intertidal areas of Changi Beach, during the last low tide on June 13 that exposed large areas of the seashore. The crowds were armed with pails, shovels and tongs. Posts circulating on social media showed families poking and digging up creatures such as anemones, crabs and jellyfish as well as placing them in buckets. Touching marine creatures causes them unnecessary stress, and soft-bodied organisms could also get injured from being handled. It was not immediately clear from the photographs and videos if the creatures were being harvested as seafood. Animals not typically consumed, such as sea anemones, were also seen in the buckets. Other than certain rare species, such as giant clams, invertebrates - marine and land creatures without backbones, including shellfish and crabs - are not protected under the Wildlife Act. The Act, which came into effect last year, is meant to extend greater protection to Singapore's native wildlife. NParks said that it would be taking extra steps to prevent beachgoers from manhandling marine creatures in intertidal areas. ST PHOTO: AUDREY TAN NParks later said that it would be taking extra steps to prevent beachgoers from manhandling marine creatures in intertidal areas, including putting up more signs and stepping up patrols by staff, volunteers and nature groups. The situation seemed to have improved this time round. More on this topic Related Story Endangered eagle ray killed after being caught at East Coast Park Related Story 'Monstrous' fish at MacRitchie: Don't breed species if you can't keep them, say fish collectors During the three-hour period on Sunday when the tides were low, The Straits Times saw only one couple at Changi Beach picking out marine creatures with a bucket and tongs. Many others were observed practising good etiquette instead. Some, for instance, picked up trash as they walked along the exposed shoreline. Crowds exploring the bountiful shores of Changi Beach at low tide on June 27, 2021 Punggol Primary School pupil Kayden Chan, 10, was seen with a fistful of discarded fishing hooks and lines. He said he had disentangled a crab trapped in a hook and line, and held onto the debris, picking up others along the way. "I enjoy seeing the sea animals," he added. "But my favourite is the crab because it can go sideways." It was his first time to the intertidal areas, said his mother Wendy Chan, 42. The housewife added that she was aware of the previous incident in which people were seen digging out marine life. "As much as we are curious, we should just take pictures and try not to touch them," she added. She noted that the guides helped to make the lessons come alive for the children. Punggol Primary School pupil Kayden Chan, 10, picked up a fistful of discarded fishing hooks and lines. ST PHOTO: AUDREY TAN Teacher Nazurah Omar, 36, so loved exploring the intertidal areas of Changi with her husband and daughter on Saturday that they went again on Sunday. "My husband usually doesn't like nature walks. But after we came yesterday, he was impressed with the nature that we have here. He thought that such wildlife can only be found overseas," she said. More on this topic Related Story Death by drift net: Critically endangered sea turtle among casualties of indiscriminate fishing Related Story Overfishing caused global numbers of oceanic sharks and rays to fall 71% in past 50 years Minister for National Development Desmond Lee was also at Changi Beach on Sunday, interacting with beachgoers and volunteers. Speaking to The Straits Times, he said he is aware that many Singaporeans are exploring different parts of the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. "In recent weeks, there has been some news about some behaviours that resulted in some of our habitats being affected adversely," he added. There are two ways to approach this, he said. One is to close areas off and stop people from visiting sensitive habitats and prohibit certain behaviours. "But we prefer a balanced approach, including public education… galvanising our volunteers, our community, to reach out to Singaporeans who are maybe for the first time exploring natural areas of Singapore," said Mr Lee. "We hope this is a window of opportunity, instead of one where people get turned off from visiting natural areas," he added. "So please come properly attired, be safe, enjoy and marvel at the rich biodiversity that urban Singapore has to offer. Because we are a City in Nature after all."
SINGAPORE - A thousand front-line workers at Changi Airport will get ez-link cards with $50 worth of stored value as a gift next month. The move to help with transport costs is the result of a ground-up initiative by about 70 Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) officers who wanted to show their appreciation for the workers. Calling themselves the Friends for Aviation (FAA), the group of officers, said on Saturday (June 12) that cleaners, trolley and baggage handlers will be among the workers to benefit. It said some of these workers now needed to travel more often for their routine Covid-19 testing, following stepped up measures at the airport last month to guard against another cluster of Covid-19 cases emerging. A total of 43 workers at Changi tested positive for Covid-19 last month. It resulted in the closure of the terminal buildings to the public for an initial two weeks. The closure has now been extended indefinitely, to allow the airport community to adjust to new safety measures. FAA's founder, Ms Angela Ng, who works as an aviation policy officer at CAAS, said the Covid-19 outbreak at Changi has added to the challenges in the aviation sector, which has been hit hard by the pandemic. "So everybody needs some encouragement, especially our frontliners who don't have the opportunity to work from home to stay safe," she said. "Their jobs and livelihoods are tied to what they do at the frontline." FAA said it has pooled together $25,000 to fund the EZ-Link card distribution. The remaining $25,000 needed will come from Temasek Trust's oscar @ sg fund, which has agreed to match FAA's contribution on a dollar-for-dollar basis. CAAS director-general designate Han Kok Juan said that the initiative complements the $15 million fund that the authority and Changi Airport Group had set aside to help aviation workers. He praised the initiative as "a great example of the strong community spirit" at Changi Airport. Members of the public who want to show support to aviation frontliners can submit messages of appreciation and encouragement by June 25. The messages will be printed and given out together with the EZ-Link cards. Submission details can be found on the Friends For Aviation Instagram page. More on this topic Related Story Jewel to reopen on June 14; Changi Airport piloting breath tests for workers Related Story Changi Airport takes steps to reduce risk of Covid-19 infections: What are they?
SINGAPORE - In less than a month, the Covid-19 cluster at Changi Airport has swelled to more than 100 people, including airport workers whose jobs did not require them to interact with passengers, family members of front-line staff and visitors. It is now the largest active cluster in Singapore, and accounts for four of the 30 new community cases reported on Friday (May 21). Stringent measures - including strict limits on social gatherings and proactive testing of airport staff - are currently in place to ring-fence the cluster and prevent further transmission in the wider community. But how did Singapore land itself in this situation? Border controls In early April, Covid-19 cases in India began to rise, leading to questions being raised about whether Singapore should take pre-emptive measures to stop flights from the country. On April 22, the country announced it would ban all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who had travelled to India in the past 14 days. A week later, these restrictions were extended to four neighbouring countries: Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But by then, the new, more transmissible B1617 strain had already made significant inroads here. As an outward-looking country with a globalised economy, highly dependent on workers from abroad for several key industries, Singapore took "the strategic decision to remain open as long as possible", noted Associate Professor Natasha Howard from the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. It was therefore to be expected that some cases would be imported even with rigorous border control measures, given how differently the virus has been controlled in many countries, she said. In other words, cutting off flights from high-risk countries would simply have delayed the inevitable, said Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, also from the Saw Swee Hock School. Even so, this delay could have been crucial in "bolstering the bulwarks", Prof Lim added. "Could we have closed off for a short period, to review and tighten our defences?" Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, vice-dean of global health at the school, also pointed out that the World Health Organisation and other agencies classified the B1617 strain as a variant of concern only in early May, after the infections in Singapore had occurred. "I think hindsight is 20/20 here," he said. "Although the overwhelming outbreak in India - and perhaps more importantly, the displacement of all other variants in India by this variant - would have signalled that greater caution was necessary here." More on this topic Related Story Singapore's largest active Covid-19 cluster: How it all began Related Story Total of 43 Changi Airport workers have tested positive for Covid-19 Spreading the virus Phylogenetic test results from an initial batch of infected airport workers found that they had the B1617 variant, and were similar enough that they pointed to a common source of infection. Early signs suggest that this initial transmission could have occurred through an airport worker who had assisted a family from South Asia, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group in a joint statement on Friday (May 21). The family later tested positive for the virus. It remains unclear exactly how the virus subsequently spread to other workers and members of the public, although doctors have pointed to the air-conditioned environment as a possible contributing factor. Some infected workers having their meals in the Terminal 3 foodcourt could also have exposed other diners to the virus. Masked passengers at the arrival hall of Changi Airport Terminal 1 on April 30, 2021. As the more transmissible Covid-19 variants appear able to spread in enclosed spaces despite existing infection prevention and control protocols, these measures may need to be enhanced, one expert says. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG In addition, the airport has segregated the immigration halls, baggage belts and toilets used by incoming passengers from different risk categories, suggesting that these areas may also be suspect. As the more transmissible Covid-19 variants appear able to spread in such enclosed spaces despite existing infection prevention and control protocols, these measures may need to be enhanced, Prof Howard said. It is also possible that the current polymerase chain reaction tests may not have picked up some infections caused by virus variants, added infectious diseases expert Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection. "That may have contributed to silent transmission by people who may have tested negative, but had actually been infected," he said. The discomfort of working long hours in personal protective equipment - including N95 masks, face shields and medical gowns and gloves - may also have increased the likelihood of lapses in infection control measures, said Dr Leong Hoe Nam, another infectious diseases expert from Rophi Clinic. "I have trouble myself... Wearing full headgear without a break is extremely challenging," he said. "Hence, implementation and practicality is a big concern." More on this topic Related Story Changi Airport cluster originated in zone that received travellers from higher-risk places Related Story What lies beneath the unhappiness over Covid resurgence in S'pore? All the experts stressed the importance of vaccination in helping to keep cases mild and the cluster under control, with Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School, summing it up as follows: "I believe the outbreak among airport front-line workers would be bigger, if not for the fact that many of these workers have already been vaccinated." Plugging the gaps What can Singapore now do to plug the gaps in its defences that the Changi Airport cluster has revealed? First, employers should ensure that front-line workers are properly trained and equipped for their tasks. Unvaccinated staff should also be redeployed to less risky environments, especially if they are elderly. "We would not send partially or untrained soldiers into battle," Prof Lim said. "The parallel here would be whether our front-line staff - like airline staff, cleaners and immigration officers - are adequately trained and resourced for the pivotal roles they play." Importantly, such workers should have access to "good quality standardised occupational health services which encourage them to get tested for all infectious diseases", Prof Tambyah added. In particular, they should be able to take medical leave without being penalised, he said. Changi Airport staff in personal protective equipment at Terminal 3 on April 30, 2021. One expert says employers should ensure that front-line workers are properly trained and equipped for their tasks. Unvaccinated staff should also be redeployed to less risky environments, especially if they are elderly. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG More on this topic Related Story Covid-19 vaccinations helped stave off 2nd circuit breaker so far: Experts Related Story Covid-19 pandemic preventable? S'pore experts weigh in on global report Next, those reviewing the cluster should look beyond the individual, scrutinising instead the complex systems involved in stopping viruses from spreading. As the healthcare sector has learnt, the design and engineering of buildings and work processes are equally important as, if not more than, the individual's role in preventing infection, Prof Hsu said. Lastly, Singapore has to remain open to the fact that new gaps will emerge, and be poised to adapt quickly to these challenges. Dr Arpana Vidyarthi, an academic hospitalist with the University of California in San Francisco, pointed out that blind spots exist and will continually evolve. "Our systems are complex and adaptive - we fix one hole, and another reveals itself," said Dr Vidyarthi, an American specialist physician who worked in leadership positions at Duke-NUS Medical School and the National University Hospital for eight years before returning to the United States. "The key is to expect them, keep fixing them, and continually search for new ones." More on this topic Related Story Changi Airport to segregate travellers from high-risk locations to stem Covid-19 spread Related Story Facing new Covid-19 waves, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam fight to hold the line Although the new variants are more transmissible, they are not impenetrable, she said, adding that Singapore has one of the most advanced public health infrastructures in the world. "Trust the experts, there are many of them." Added Prof Teo: "Despite the best planning and forward planning, there will be new gaps that emerge and we will need to remain agile." This is why the country has not eased off on measures such as mask wearing and social distancing, and continues to encourage Singaporeans to work from home to some degree, he said. "We know that there will be the inevitable spillovers from time to time, and we need to minimise the chance that these spillovers result in an uncontrollable community outbreak." More on this topic Related Story Changi Airport and other Covid-19 clusters in S’pore: What we know so far Related Story This virus is a sly enemy. To defeat it, stay home to protect our children Related Stories: Related Story Pfizer vaccine safe for kids aged 12 to 15: Expert committee in response to open letter from docs Related Story Malaysia to impose tighter MCO measures as daily Covid-19 cases remain above 6,000 Related Story Covid-19's long tail: What is it and why does it happen? 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SINGAPORE - A worker who tested positive for Covid-19 had gone to Changi Airport, loitering there for four hours after staff refused to sell him a ticket to India. Balachandran Parthiban, 25, had also left his dormitory when he was supposed to be isolated there. On Friday (May 14), the Indian national pleaded guilty to two charges under the Infectious Diseases Act. Another charge under the Act and a harassment charge will be taken into consideration for sentencing. On May 23 last year, Balachandran reported sick at his dormitory, complaining of fever and sore throat. After he was taken in an ambulance to Singapore General Hospital (SGH), he was swabbed at about 1.40pm and told not to leave SGH. But at 5.35pm, he left the hospital without informing the staff, travelling on foot and by bus to Lower Delta Road, where he took a taxi to Changi Airport. Balachandran tried to buy a ticket to India, but the staff did not sell it to him. He then loitered at Terminal 1 for about four hours before he was found by police and escorted back to SGH. On June 8, after he was found to be no longer infectious, he was sent back to the dorm to be isolated. But he left the dorm in the early hours of June 16 and went to Changi Airport again. When he was refused a ticket again, he loitered and slept at the airport. The next day, he went to a relative's home in Tampines. After entering the flat, he revealed he had left his dorm without permission. The relative then called and alerted Balachandran's supervisor. Shortly after, the police arrived at the unit and escorted the accused back to the dorm. Balachandran is currently remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric observation. For each charge under the Infectious Diseases Act, he can be jailed for up to six months, or fined up to $10,000, or both. More on this topic Related Story MOH warns public to comply with MC requirements as 5 charged over Covid-19 offences Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories
SINGAPORE - Changi Airport turned silent on the first day of its closure to the public, even though there was a steady stream of airport workers returning for their Covid-19 swab tests. A few shoppers, unaware of the temporary closure of Jewel and restricted access to the terminal buildings, showed up. But they were turned away. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) had announced on Wednesday night (May 12) that they would only allow some workers and travellers to access the airport terminal buildings for two weeks from Thursday (May 13). Jewel would be closed during this period too. The closure comes as the authorities embark on a massiveCovid-19 testing of airport workers following a surge in the number of Covid-19 daily cases linked to a cleaner at the airport. CAAS and CAG said that they will continue to review and adjust measures as needed. This includes extending the closure if necessary. When The Straits Times visited the area around T3 on Thursday morning (May 13), a few people were seen walking around inside in full personal protective equipment. The departure hall was largely empty, except for a handful of people with their luggages. The entrance to the link bridge at T3 connecting to Jewel was manned by a security guard, who scanned passes presented by workers before letting them through. Meanwhile, the usual access to T1 and T3 via the underground bus stops was closed off. Notices about the airport's closure to the public were pasted on the doors. Those looking to enter the airport were asked to enter via the visitor pass office. At T3, even airport staff were not allowed to leave or enter through the usual exit to the bus bay. The closure of the doors to the bus bay at T3 created confusion among several airport staff, many of whom were reporting for their Covid-19 swab tests. A few workers who came to the airport by bus waited outside the doors without avail for a security officer seated inside to let them in. Another worker who wanted to go to the MRT station was similarly confused. They eventually made their way into the airport through a side entrance which led directly to the station. On this route, which spans about 20 metres, access to the rest of T3 was cordoned off with metal barriers. Airport staff were also deployed in front of the escalator leading up from the MRT station. Everyone, except workers or travellers, was denied access. Madam Nordah Jaafar, 64, who works at one of the stalls at the T3 Kopitiam food court where Covid-19 cases have visited, said she was worried about her income now that she is unable to work for two weeks. She was at the airport waiting to head to T4 for her Covid-19 swab test. "I will have to talk to my boss then see how... lucky my husband and son are both working," she said. A few members of the public were seen trying to enter T1 and T3 during the time that ST was there. Those who were trying to enter T1 said they wanted to go to Jewel Changi Airport, either for lunch or to shop. One shopper wanted to go to the Apple store in Jewel. The shopper, who declined to be named, said: "I was quite surprised, I had thought it would opened as it is a public holiday today." Mr Stanley Koh, 61, who works in the air cargo sector, was disappointed to find the doors to T3 closed. The Tampines resident had regularly visited the airport to pass time. "I heard about the cases, but I thought it was isolated to just a part of the airport, so I wanted to come here to pass time," said Mr Koh, in Mandarin. "This seems serious... but I don't think it's useful at this stage, the government should have closed the borders earlier."