LONDON (REUTERS) - Manchester United suffered an outbreak of Covid-19 among players and staff on Sunday (Dec 12), jeopardising their next Premier League game against Brentford. United, who won 1-0 at Norwich City on Saturday, are due to travel to Brentford on Tuesday. Website The Athletic reported that a small number of players and staff had returned positive lateral flow tests on Sunday morning and were sent home before the team's training session, with the Premier League notified about the situation. The report also said that the group that travelled to Norwich had returned negative results before Saturday's game. Brighton & Hove Albion's home game against Tottenham Hotspur, due to be played on Sunday, was called off due to a number of Covid-19 cases at Tottenham last week. Britain raised its Covid alert level on Sunday in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the virus. More on this topic Related Story Football: Behind-the-scenes work will be Rangnick's key contribution to Man United, says Schmeichel Related Story Football: Ronaldo penalty gives Man United 1-0 win at Norwich
SINGAPORE - Businesses at Bugis Junction are reeling from the drastic drop in footfall since a cluster of Covid-19 cases emerged at the mall on Aug 24. Infections there ballooned to 246 on Thursday (Sept 2), from 20 cases initially. Businesses owners and employees at units ranging from clothing stores to restaurants said footfall had plummeted by about 90 per cent in the past week, despite measures such as deep cleaning and quarantining. Some shops have closed temporarily as it was not worth operating at present, or because employees had been infected with the virus. The manager of a clothing store, who gave his name only as Mr Eric, said this had been the worst drop in customers that he has seen this year. Ms Cheng Wei Li, 35, an employee at a gadget shop, also said footfall had been low. "Maybe it will get better after one or two weeks," she said in Mandarin. Mr Jaryl Foo, 22, who works at anime merchandise shop Otaku House, said he has seen close to zero sales in the past week. "People want to avoid this place now," he said. "At first I was very concerned about the cases as I am working here, but at least I am vaccinated." An employee who works at a food stall in the basement said many stalls had closed early because there was no business, and the long queues at popular stalls had disappeared. Said the 28-year-old woman, who did not want to be named: "Everyone is scared of this place. Normally the shops here have really long queues." Like other staff at the mall, she was sent for a mandatory Covid-19 swab test, one of several measures taken by the mall to weed out infections. In addition, close contacts of cases have been quarantined, and free testing was offered to members of the public who had visited shops or used the services at specific times. The mall management has carried out deep cleaning and disinfection of the mall's toilets and common areas on all floors in the past week. The air-conditioning filters were also replaced, said a Bugis Junction spokesman. More on this topic Related Story BHG store in Bugis Junction closed for cleaning after staff member gets Covid-19 Related Story Number of Covid-19 cases linked to 8 S'pore bus interchanges rises to 276 The vaccination rate among Bugis Junction centre management staff has also reached close to 100 per cent and all tenants completed a round of mandatory swab tests arranged by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The spokesman said in response to queries from The Straits Times: "We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and together with our tenants, we will take the necessary measures as advised by the authorities." Those working at the mall said staff at department store BHG contributed to at least 70 cases, or more than a quarter of those in the Bugis Junction cluster. BHG did not confirm the number of cases linked to its employees. BHG staff said employees who were stationed at the outlet when the cluster emerged had been issued quarantine orders and all workers present since then were on rotation from other outlets of the chain. Like the rest of the mall, shoppers were sparse on the three levels of the BHG outlet when ST visited on Thursday afternoon. Brand promoters and staff were also spread thin, with many stands unmanned and fewer than five promoters left to keep tabs on a few dozen brands on the third level of BHG. It is understood that the majority of the outlet's original staff will return next week after completing their quarantine. When contacted, a BHG spokesman said the outlet was reopened to shoppers on Wednesday (Sept 1), after a week of thorough cleaning. Starting with Bugis Junction, safety ambassadors are being introduced in all their outlets to ensure shoppers and staff adhere to the rules. The store is also sanitised at least five times a day, including clothes that are returned after fitting. Staff and brand promoters will undergo regular swab tests and temperature tests as well, added the spokesman. The number of infections linked to Bugis Junction is creeping closer to the 253 cases in the KTV cluster, which emerged on July 12 and infected patrons and hostesses across many outlets. The KTV infections then sparked off Singapore's largest active Covid-19 cluster at the Jurong Fishery Port, which stands at 1,155 cases. Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, vice-dean of global health and Infectious Diseases Programme leader at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said the cases would continue to rise as Singapore has gradually relaxed restrictions on dining out and social gatherings. He added that Bugis Junction is "a busy mall with high footfall, and therefore at potential risk of super-spreader events" and advised staff to see a doctor if they experience any symptoms, or test positive on a self-test using an antigen rapid testing kit. More on this topic Related Story Turn off air-con: New Covid-19 guidelines for poorly ventilated spaces Related Story No evidence yet of bus interchange clusters spreading virus to commuters Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases specialist from the Rophi Clinic, said the surge in cases at the mall could be because it was located at a busy intersection of two MRT lines. He added that he was most concerned about unvaccinated cases in the cluster, who are more at risk. "Consistently, individuals who have been vaccinated would have very mild disease," he said, pointing out that among the thousands of vaccinated individuals who had fallen ill with Covid-19, only one elderly patient had died. He advised staff at the mall to practise social distancing, wear good quality masks that are tight against the face and to get vaccinated. "This is progressively becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated," he said. "If you are vaccinated, you are generally safe. (In most cases) vaccination takes the teeth out of a bite, rendering the virus a harmless bark."
Students and staff can return to school once they or their close contacts test negative for Covid-19
SINGAPORE - From Thursday (Aug 19), students and school staff who are close contacts of anyone quarantined as part of Covid-19 measures can return to campus once that person tests negative. Also, those who have received a health risk warning can return to school once they test negative for Covid-19. These moves will affect students and staff from primary and secondary schools, as well as junior colleges and the Millennia Institute, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said in a letter to parents and guardians on Wednesday. The letter announced changes to both the leave of absence (LOA) and the approved absence (AA) policies. Both are used to limit Covid-19 transmission by having people stay away from school campuses if they might have been exposed to the coronavirus. Students and staff must now stay home until their LOA is over. There is no fixed length of time for an LOA, as it varies from case to case. For example, those given an LOA because a family member is under a stay-home notice are required to stay away from campus until it is over. MOE said the change is in line with Singapore's gradual easing of community safe management measures. The letter said students and staff will have their LOA removed and will be able to return to school under either of two conditions. Firstly, if the quarantined person tests negative for Covid-19 in an entry swab test at a government facility. Or, secondly, if their close contact who is meant to serve a quarantine order at home tests negative for Covid-19. Ministry of Health (MOH) requirements must also allow the quarantined person's household members to leave the home. Similarly, the rules surrounding the AA have changed. MOE said students who have to be tested for Covid-19, or those who have been sent a Health Risk Warning SMS by the MOH, will have to stay home only until they test negative, instead of waiting out the full duration of their AA. This also applies to students whose family members have to be tested for these reasons. There is no fixed length of time for an AA, as it also varies from case to case. However, there is no change in policy for those placed on an AA because they have flu-like symptoms, or those with household members who have flu-like symptoms, MOE added. Those with flu-like symptoms will continue to be on AA for five days after their medical certificate expires. Those with a household memberwho has flu-like symptoms must stay home until that person tests negative for Covid-19. The full list of conditions that require students and staff to be placed on LOA or AA can be found on the MOE website www.moe.gov.sg/faqs-covid-19-infection
SINGAPORE - Staff working at schools, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) have had to do fast and easy testing (FET) for Covid-19, swabbing themselves since mid-July, while autonomous universities here will start testing when term resumes this month and next. Cleaners, teachers and canteen vendors are among the staff at educational institutions who test themselves using Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits, under the supervision of a trained staff member. They have to do a test every 14 days, the Ministry of Education (MOE) told The Straits Times on Thursday (Aug 5). The FET requirement was introduced in June as part of a set of measures for staff working in higher-risk settings that involve unmasked individuals. They include teachers, coaches and instructors who interact with students in settings like physical education lessons, sports activities, music and drama classes and performing arts co-curricular activities. Food and beverage operators such as canteen vendors and cafe staff must also be tested, along with cleaners in schools that have unvaccinated students under the age of 12 or whose duties include cleaning venues where unmasked activities take place, like canteens and sports facilities. On Wednesday, the National University of Singapore (NUS) announced in a circular sent to students that it would implement FET from Aug 10. NUS staff and students will be given ART kits and the frequency of their testing will depend on their vaccination status and whether they are residents on campus. More on this topic Related Story 129 students, 17 school staff have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past three months: Chan Chun Sing Related Story Students who get MOH health risk warning can return to school after Covid-19 negative swab test
LONDON(AFP) - Liverpool midfielder Fabinho has signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League club, they announced on Tuesday (Aug 3). The Brazil international is the second key member of Jurgen Klopp's first-team squad to extend their time at Anfield after Trent Alexander-Arnold completed a new deal last month. "I'm delighted to have signed a new contract with the club," Fabinho told liverpoolfc.com, with British media reporting his contract would run until before the start of the 2026/27 campaign. "Since the beginning of the conversation, I was really positive about it because it's what I wanted - staying in this club, keep playing for Liverpool. Now this is official and I'm really happy. "These last three seasons, I've been really happy here. I learnt a lot with the manager, with all the staff, with the boys as well. "We achieved things together and, for me, I think it's the best place to be, the best place to keep growing, to keep learning from the staff, from the boys. Hopefully, we will keep achieving good things." Fabinho's old contract was due to expire at the end of the upcoming campaign. The 27-year-old joined Liverpool from Monaco in 2018 and has since made 122 appearances for the Reds, helping the Merseyside club win both the Champions League and Premier League. More on this topic Related Story Football: Van Dijk returns for Liverpool after nine months Related Story Football: Wijnaldum didn't feel 'Liverpool love'
SINGAPORE - At least one retail worker at Ion Orchard was injured after glass panel doors shattered on the first day of the mall's reopening on Wednesday (June 16). The man, who was wearing a staff lanyard from make-up brand Bobbi Brown, had cuts on his arms. Three Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers were seen arriving at the scene at around 11.20am. Blood splatter on the floor could be seen among the shattered glass. The Straits Times has contacted Ion Orchard and the SCDF for more information. Before the incident, retail staff at Ion Orchard were seen busy tidying up their wares and preparing their storefronts in anticipation of shoppers returning after a four-day closure for deep cleaning and disinfection. The mall was ordered to close from last Saturday to Tuesday by the Ministry of Health, after a number of Covid-19 cases were linked to it. On Wednesday, the mall, which has 400 retailers, reopened its doors at 10am. At some stores, staff were seen dusting their display shelves and racks. But not all stores were ready to welcome customers by 11am. British luxury fashion house Burberry and Japanese department store Muji were among those that remained shuttered. In a circular to tenants on Wednesday, Ion Orchard said only shops whose staff have all been swabbed and tested negative are allowed to reopen. It added: "You are expected to make the necessary arrangements to begin your operations and ensure the stores are manned accordingly." Still, about a dozen shoppers were seen at the mall, including Ms Liyana Laily, 29, who works in quality assurance. She decided to pop by the mall as she was in the area. She was not aware that Ion Orchard had been closed for four days owing to Covid-19. "But I'm not worried. Singapore has a certain standard of cleanliness and obviously they want business to come back, so they would put in effort to maintain that standard," she said. More on this topic Related Story Jewel Changi Airport reopens to public; over 2,500 workers have tested negative for Covid-19 Related Story Easing of Covid-19 measures: Larger groups seen at parks; beauty services in high demand Another shopper who wanted to be known only as Mr Koda, 41, also dropped by the mall to buy a pair of shoes for his two-year-old son. He, too, was not concerned about the recent Covid-19 cases linked to the mall. "If anything, this would be the cleanest place in Singapore after all that cleaning," said Mr Koda, who works in the energy sector. "And Singapore does a good job of cleaning, so I'm not worried," he added. More on this topic Related Story S'pore to ease Covid-19 curbs in 2 phases from June 14: Everything you need to know Related Story Bukit Merah View market and other Covid-19 clusters in S’pore: What we know so far
SINGAPORE - Staff and residents at the Grace Lodge nursing home who came into contact with an infected healthcare assistant have tested negative for Covid-19 thus far. All visits will be suspended until further notice, but the nursing home will facilitate phone or video calls for families who wish to connect with their loved ones in the meantime, Grace Lodge management said in a media statement issued on Wednesday (June 2). The home has also worked with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Agency for Integrated Care to put in additional precautionary measures, Grace Lodge added. These include disinfecting affected areas and stepping up the use of personal protective equipment in those areas. All affected staff and residents have tested negative so far, and further testing will be carried out where necessary, the nursing home said. It will also suspend operations of other facilities located in the same building as the nursing home until Sunday. The infected healthcare assistant was among 24 Covid-19 cases in the community reported by MOH on Wednesday. She was asymptomatic and was detected when she was tested on Monday as part of surveillance testing for nursing home staff. She was fully vaccinated in February this year. She is currently hospitalised at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Grace Lodge said that it has been enforcing the precautionary measures advised by MOH prior to the case. These include adhering to daily caps on the number of visitors, enforcing TraceTogether-SafeEntry check-ins, conducting twice-daily temperature taking of all residents and staff, and implementing split zones to minimise the risk of cross transmission. The home said it has also reiterated the importance of safe distancing and hand hygiene to all staff, and ensured that staff and visitors wear appropriate personal protective equipment. "We will continue to be vigilant and monitor the health of all our residents and staff, along with enforcing the enhanced precautionary measures." Separately, a home for people with intellectual disability, MINDSville @ Napiri Adult Disability Home, has been detected as a cluster by MOH. More on this topic Related Story Nursing home staff among new Covid-19 cases; infection among those who went to Sengkang West Ave Related Story Covid-19 cases in MINDSville@Napiri: Residents haven't been on outings or gone home since May 7 Twenty-seven cases have been linked to the cluster. The home has stopped all admissions and the discharging of residents, prohibited all visitors and completed thorough cleaning and disinfection of its premises. All residents, staff and other close contacts, including clients, visitors and vendors, have been placed in quarantine and will be regularly tested. More on this topic Related Story MINDSville@Napiri and other Covid-19 clusters in S’pore: What we know so far Related Story Hidden community Covid-19 cases 'very concerning': Lawrence Wong Related Stories: Related Story MOH allows special access to Sinovac vaccine through private healthcare sector Related Story Second wave of 'infodemic' hampering Covid-19 vaccination drives Related Story Moderna says different doses likely for Covid-19 variants and for kids under new Lonza deal Related Story WHO approves Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use Related Story 6 key announcements from PM Lee's address on Covid-19 plans Related Story Kuala Lumpur’s usually busy streets turn quiet as Malaysia goes into full Covid-19 lockdown Related Story Covid-19 vaccine could become like yearly flu shot, say experts Related Story WHO switches to Greek alphabet for coronavirus variant names Related Story S'pore still ranks high in Covid-19 vaccination pace despite supply constraints Related Story Covid-19: Why S'pore is in a stronger position than it was last year
SINGAPORE - All residents of MINDSville @ Napiri Adult Disability Home have not been on outings or returned to their own home since May 7, the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds) said in a media statement posted on its website. This means that the residents have not left MINDSville @ Napiri since May 7, except for medical appointments, a Minds spokesman told The Straits Times on Thursday (June 3). There are 112 intellectually disabled people aged 18 and older living in the home, which is located in Lorong Napiri, in Hougang. All the staff living in the home have not been allowed to leave it since May 7, except for essential purposes. On Wednesday night (June 2), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) announced that 27 people - 23 residents and four staff - at MINDSville had tested positive for Covid-19. A 37-year-old female resident who was the first case developed a cough and runny nose on May 29 and a fever the next day. The resident, a Singaporean, was taken to a polyclinic the next day. She underwent both an antigen rapid test and polymerase chain reaction test, and both came back positive on 31 May. The home then immediately took additional measures to ensure the health and well-being of all residents and staff, said the MSF. All the 255 residents and staff at MINDSville have been tested, added the MSF, which funds the home. Among the 27 cases who tested positive, 23 were asymptomatic and were discovered through proactive testing, the MSF said. The MSF added that 91 per cent of the staff and residents of the home were vaccinated in February and March. The home has also stopped all admissions and the discharging of residents, prohibited all visitors and completed thorough cleaning and disinfection of its premises. All residents, staff and other close contacts, including clients, visitors and vendors, have been placed in quarantine and will be regularly tested, said the MSF. More on this topic Related Story MINDSville@Napiri and other Covid-19 clusters in S’pore: What we know so far Related Story Nursing home staff among new Covid-19 cases; infection among those who went to Sengkang West Ave In its statement, Minds, a charity, said that it tightened the home's safe management measures when Singapore imposed phase two (heightened alert) restrictions, which started on May 16. These include: - Daily monitoring of the health of all residents and staff, with their temperatures taken twice a day. - Implementing split zones and safe distancing for all residents. Meal times and activities for residents are staggered and carried out in small groups. Cleaners arriving at MINDSville @ Napiri Adult Disability Home in Hougang. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID - Enforcing hand hygiene and personal hygiene protocols for residents. - Asking staff to avoid social and physical interaction among themselves. This includes limiting interactions and staff practising safe distancing during common times and in shared spaces. In its statement, Minds said it "has reached out to the caregivers to assure them that the safety of all the residents, clients and staff is of utmost priority". More on this topic Related Story S'pore's tightened Covid-19 measures working, but not the time to relax: Lawrence Wong Related Story Turn off air-con: New Covid-19 guidelines for poorly ventilated spaces Related Stories: Related Story MOH allows special access to Sinovac vaccine through private healthcare sector Related Story Second wave of 'infodemic' hampering Covid-19 vaccination drives Related Story Moderna says different doses likely for Covid-19 variants and for kids under new Lonza deal Related Story WHO approves Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use Related Story 6 key announcements from PM Lee's address on Covid-19 plans Related Story Kuala Lumpur’s usually busy streets turn quiet as Malaysia goes into full Covid-19 lockdown Related Story Covid-19 vaccine could become like yearly flu shot, say experts Related Story WHO switches to Greek alphabet for coronavirus variant names Related Story S'pore still ranks high in Covid-19 vaccination pace despite supply constraints Related Story Covid-19: Why S'pore is in a stronger position than it was last year
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) will be testing about 5,000 inmates, staff, vendors and volunteers over the next few days after a chef working in the prison kitchen at Changi Prison Complex tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday (May 13). In a statement released on Saturday, SPS said inmate activities, including rehabilitation programmes, will be suspended to facilitate the testing. It also said that vendors and volunteers who are affected by the temporary suspension of activities will be notified. SPS said it would cease face-to-face and tele-visits and replace all inmates' visits with phone calls from May 17 until further notice. The decision comes on the heels of the Ministry of Health's (MOH) announcement on Friday on the tightening of measures in the community to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Families who have already booked their visits will have them automatically converted to phone calls. In addition to phone calls, inmates are still able to communicate with their families through e-letters. "These are important, preventive steps taken by SPS, for the safety of our inmates and their families, staff and partners, and they complement existing measures that have been in place since the onset of Covid-19. SPS is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our inmates and staff. "We will continue to review our safety measures in accordance with MOH guidelines," SPS said. The chef who tested positive last reported to work on Wednesday. He felt unwell after completing his shift that day and saw a doctor that evening. His test came back positive on Thursday. He had received his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccination on April 10. SPS ceased kitchen operations at Institution A5 of Changi Prison Complex, where the chef was working, and started contact tracing efforts to identify staff and inmates who had come into close contact with him. SPS said all close contacts have been isolated or placed on quarantine. Inmates will serve their quarantine order in prison, isolated from the rest of the inmate population, while affected staff, vendors and volunteers will serve their quarantine order in MOH's designated quarantine facility, SPS added. Since May 8, SPS has increased the duration of cohort segregation for newly admitted inmates from 14 to 21 days, in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the community. Newly admitted inmates will undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests upon admission, as well as on the 14th and 20th day of cohort segregation. They will be allowed to join the general inmate population after they test negative at the end of the cohort segregation period. More on this topic Related Story Rapid tests to be used on top of PCR tests for quicker contact tracing Related Story Changi Airport and other Covid-19 clusters in S’pore: What we know so far Related Stories: Related Story S'pore tightens Covid-19 measures: 10 questions on the new rules answered Related Story Taiwan sees another record jump in community transmission of Covid-19 cases Related Story Hong Kong residents revolt against Covid-19 quarantine camp Related Story World could have prevented Covid-19 catastrophe: Expert panel Related Story 'Vaccine tourists' fly from abroad for Covid-19 injections on US beach Related Story Malaysia bans interstate, inter-district travel to curb Covid-19 Related Story Millions of unused Covid-19 vaccine shots piling up in Japan amid slow roll-out Related Story S'pore on knife-edge, Covid-19 cases can go either way over next few weeks: Lawrence Wong Related Story Bees in the Netherlands trained to detect Covid-19 infections Related Story The world turns to China for Covid-19 vaccines after India, US stumble
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."
SINGAPORE- Providers of pre-event testing (PET) for Covid-19 are ramping up resources and hiring or training more staff as they handle a spike in demand. They were already taking bookings for large-scale events when the Ministry of Health (MOH) last Tuesday (May 4) announced a tightening of restrictions after a surge in local cases. From May 8 to May 30, the capacity limit for weddings is 250 people with PET or 50 without PET. Dr Cheryl Glenn, medical director of Sata CommHealth, said the charitable healthcare organisation had seen a 90 per cent increase in inquiries for testing, with more than 100 last Wednesday alone. Most of these were for weddings. Some wedding invitations could have been sent out much earlier to up to 100 people who could then attend without PET. Dr Glenn said there were also inquiries for sporting events and events held in educational institutions. Sata CommHealth is still managing with the increased load, she added. It has a number of staff trained in doing the antigen rapid test (ART) usually used for PET. "We also have access to a pool of temporary and locum staff who can perform ART. Concurrently, we are training more of our staff, such as our clinic assistants," she said. For live performances and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) events, the limit has been lowered from 750 to 250 people with PET and from 250 to 100 people without PET. Demand for PET has grown since last year, after the MOH started piloting its use to reduce the risk of undetected Covid-19 cases at events. According to a list on MOH's website, last updated on April 30, more than 200 locations now offer ARTs, including many general practitioners. It can cost as low as about $20, though most are about $50. When it was introduced last year, each test was about $80. The test site set up by Kingston Medical Clinic for a wedding reception at Mandarin Oriental on May 8, 2021. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Mr Thomas Wong, chief executive of Kingston Medical Group, said the firm has been booked for more than 60 weddings this month. There were bookings for 12 weddings on Saturday alone, with more than 100 swabbers and support staff involved. Mr Wong said: "We... are looking to hire about 100 more staff to support the demand." Fullerton Health, which has a testing facility at Raffles City Convention Centre and offers an ART at about $53, has seen 10 per cent to 20 per cent more PET inquiries. Its medical director of clinical services, Dr Walter Lim, said: "Our main capacity has been serving Mice, travel operators and convocation demand, but weddings are a small but fast-growing segment." With a testing facility able to do about 1,500 to 1,800 swabs a day, he said Fullerton Health was well placed to cope with the demand, though it was considering setting up another testing centre. "This is to accommodate all areas of demand... I wouldn't rule out other locations, but in the near term we will be increasing our footprint in the Raffles City area," Dr Lim added. More on this topic Related Story Hotels, wedding venues in S'pore help couples adapt to new Covid-19 rules Related Story Singapore couples say 'I do' despite higher wedding costs, Covid-19 curbs The deputy director of operations at Raffles Medical Group, Ms Jolene Koh, said they have seen an increase in inquiries about PET as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab tests. While most of the queries on PCR tests were over concerns of possible exposure to someone with Covid-19, she said the firm was also getting couples keen on sending their wedding guests for ARTs, which cost about $55 each. Ms Koh said the Raffles Medical Group works with its clinics to support the demand in PET. "All tests are by appointments and we manage our staffing based on these appointments and deploy manpower accordingly," she added. More on this topic Related Story Would S'pore have avoided a return to phase 2 if it had shut the borders early? Related Story Hawker centres, eateries still see crowds on first day of tighter Covid-19 rules
SINGAPORE - A man was sentenced to three months' jail on Wednesday (April 21) for setting fire to towels in a hotel after staff told him he had to leave the room occupied by his male friend and a woman they had just met at a karaoke lounge. Lau Sheng Shiun, who was from the Republic of Singapore Navy, had faced trial and was convicted last month of mischief by fire with intent to cause damage. The incident happened on Sept 12, 2017. The 34-year-old had met up with Chua Wen Hao, 29, his friend and subordinate in the Navy, before heading to the W KTV lounge at Foch Road at Jalan Besar. They had a few drinks there and met a Vietnamese girl. The men later decided to head to Hotel 81 Violet nearby, and checked in at the front desk at about 9.20pm. Shortly after, the hotel staff spotted through the security cameras that three of them had entered the room, in breach of its policy of disallowing more than two people in a room. When the staff informed them that they were in breach of the policy, Lau left the hotel through a backdoor. He started smoking in the area where the hotel kept crates of towels before eventually leaving at about 9.50pm. But shortly after, someone passing the area Lau was in saw that some of the towels were on fire. The hotel staff were alerted and they extinguished the flames and called the police. Using security camera footage and through ground enquiries, the police were able to identify Lau. He was arrested on Sept 21 that year. On Wednesday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yihong urged the court to jail Lau for at least three to four months, noting that it was purely fortuitous that the fire had not spread further and caused severe damage. During sentencing, District Judge Ong Luan Tze said there was some element of vengeance in Lau's actions, and that he had admitted to being frustrated with the hotel. Lau said he had set fire to the towels to express his frustration. His lawyer Josephine Costan said Lau will be appealing against the conviction and sentence. The Straits Times has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. Lau is currently out on bail for $10,000 pending the appeal. For mischief by fire intending to cause damage, he could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined. More on this topic Related Story St Hilda's Church caretaker jailed for setting fire to room, trying to mislead police with 'jihad' note Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories
SINGAPORE - A man who is accused of stealing vitamins from a Watsons claimed that the staff were hallucinating. Maniram Kese Sunar, 50, faces one charge for theft and another for skipping bail. He is alleged to have stolen two bottles of multivitamins from Watsons in Tampines Mall on the evening of June 15 last year. The bottles, one for men and the other for women, were worth about $46 each. He is also accused of failing to report for bail in July last year. On Tuesday (April 13), Maniram appeared in court and began addressing the judge while another case was ongoing, saying he was late for his hearing because he was lost. He only quietened down after the court officers told him to take a seat. When his case was heard, Maniram denied stealing the vitamins. "The staff of Watsons are under a lot of stress. I think they were hallucinating. I don't remember taking the items," he said. "I am a true blue Singaporean, I speak the four languages here, I will not do something like that." He also repeatedly asked for security camera footage from the Watsons outlet to be played. District Judge Kessler Soh noted that he was not pleading guilty. Maniram is expected to be back in court on April 21 to face trial. He is currently out on bail for $2,000. For theft, he may be jailed for up to three years, or fined, or both. More on this topic Related Story Jail for mother-and-daughter pair who went on shoplifting spree Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories
SINGAPORE - A woman who was caught on video spitting at KFC staff last year was convicted on Thursday morning (Jan 28). Lin Si Ting, 43, pleaded guilty to one count each of harassment and using criminal force on the staff. A third charge under the Covid-19 regulations will be taken into consideration for sentencing. At about 12.40pm on April 22 last year, Lin went to the KFC outlet at Nex Shopping Centre and placed her order at the counter. After just six minutes, she approached the counter again and shouted at the staff, asking why her order was taking so long and demanding that it be served to her immediately. The service manager, a 40-year-old woman, apologised and explained to Lin that there were orders ahead of hers. She told Lin to wait about five more minutes for her food. The accused became unhappy, and demanded a refund if she was not served her food immediately. The service manager agreed to give Lin a refund and asked for the receipt, which the accused threw at her. While the refund was being processed, Lin pulled down her mask and spewed a string of vulgarities at the staff. She also pointed at the service manager and said: "Wait for you to die, wait for your whole family to die." She then spat at the victim twice, with the spittle landing on the woman's arm. Lin took her cash and walked off. More on this topic Related Story Delivery rider arrested at Waterway Point mall after incident with bubble tea shop staff Related Story Coronavirus: Man allegedly spat at cop after he was caught not wearing mask outdoors But a few minutes later, she went back to the KFC and claimed she had been refunded less than what she had paid. The victim checked the order records and confirmed that the refunded amount was correct. Lin again shouted at the victim as other staff called the police. She left before the police could arrive. In a viral video, the woman can be seen with a lowered face mask and heard spitting at the masked employee across the counter before storming away. PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM FACEBOOK The court was told Lin has schizophrenia and is receiving treatment. On Thursday, District Judge May Mesenas called for a report to determine Lin's suitability for a Mandatory Treatment Order (MTO). The accused is expected to be back in court on Feb 25 for sentencing. The offence of causing intentional harassment carries a fine of up to $5,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both. Lin can also be jailed for a maximum of three months, or fined up to $1,500, or both, for using criminal force on a person. More on this topic Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories
SINGAPORE - On the last day of what has been a gruelling 2020, healthcare staff at 20 hospitals here received some cheer in the form of cartons of fruit, packed and sent by a local restaurant in Serangoon Road. The Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) had sent hot coffee and snacks to hospitals throughout the circuit breaker period from April to June, and on Thursday (Dec 31), distributed fruits to express its gratitude. Mr Raghavendra Shastry, the restaurant's operations director, said he thought it was a good time again to "thank the medical fraternity and healthcare workers for their hard work the whole year". "I asked myself, if not now, then when?" said Mr Shastry. Parliamentary secretary for Culture, Community and Youth Eric Chua, who helped prepare the cartons, said MTR's efforts are "truly commendable". "2020 has been a year of disruption and challenges for all of us, but I think one thing that we can all agree on is that we are very proud of our healthcare workers who have been working tirelessly and are committed to their jobs," said Mr Chua. The Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Periasamy Kumaran, who was also invited to witness the event, praised the Singapore Government for controlling the pandemic here, noting that Singapore is "perhaps one of the safest places to be in the world today". "I'm also hopeful that next year will be a much better one, and that we can hope to have a more normal lifestyle in the coming months," said Mr Kumaran. More on this topic Related Story Restaurant owners serve up free meals for hospital workers Related Story Billionaire Peter Lim pays for $1 million worth of meals for front-line healthcare workers
When the Covid-19 vaccines are rolled out from next year for most residents, interior design firm Design 4 Space plans to dangle a trip to Japan to encourage its staff to get the shots. Although the vaccination programme here is voluntary, the company's chief executive Richard Yea is encouraging his more than 70 employees to get vaccinated. "In this trade, we have to meet home owners frequently. If our staff are vaccinated, home owners will feel more comfortable engaging and interacting with us," he said, adding that company trips overseas were previously reserved only for the top performers. Medical experts, human resource practitioners and business associations The Straits Times approached said employers in Singapore are unlikely to mandate Covid-19 vaccination for their workforce. But many will strongly encourage their staff to get the jabs. For some companies, this means offering incentives. These can include giving staff time off as well as support for flexible work arrangements, said Mr Ang Yuit, vice-president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. But he added: "Most companies will unlikely be too forceful over having their staff receive vaccination unless there are some specific operational reasons internally." Singapore Business Federation chief executive Ho Meng Kit agreed, adding that the company management can lead by example and be the first to take the shots. The first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Singapore on Dec 21, the first step in vaccinating the population. The planned vaccination programme is voluntary and free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents here, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had made clear on Dec 14. Medical experts said there is no need for employers to push their staff to get the shots. "At the moment, case numbers in Singapore are very low so there isn't a pressing need to make vaccination compulsory," said Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, an infectious diseases expert at the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. More on this topic Related Story Healthcare workers to receive Covid-19 vaccine from Dec 30, S’pore residents aged 70 and older from Feb ’21: MOH Related Story More S'poreans may have to be vaccinated as more contagious Covid-19 strains detected: Public health school dean Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases specialist from Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, said the risk of infection is "extremely low in public". "It will be unfair to force individuals to trade a low risk of infection with uncertainty about the long-term side effects of Covid-19 vaccines that are yet to be fully understood," he added. However, he said employees should still vaccinate since the risk of doing so is low. "Vaccination is putting up defences against the virus. It's not just the Government's role, but everyone plays a part. "It's only as strong as the participation from everyone... It allows us to be safe individually and the country to have herd immunity, and the country to open up economically," added Dr Leong. More on this topic Related Story Around 1 in 4 Singapore residents surveyed believe false claim that Covid-19 vaccine alters DNA Related Story Covid-19 vaccine: Why some groups, including those with severe allergies, should wait Singapore entered phase three of its reopening yesterday, with plans to loosen some restrictions on workers returning to offices. Mr Calvin Lim, general manager of CDPL (Tuas) Dormitory, said the company will follow the Government's directive on vaccinations and let staff make their own decisions. "But given that our jobs should be defined as front-liners, we are likely to get the vaccination regardless," he said. The firm has around 30 staff. PeopleWorldwide Consulting managing director David Leong said employees have the right to raise concerns about possible risks if they have colleagues who choose not to be vaccinated. But firms should not forbid those who do not receive the shots from entering the office. "Technically, the risk of exposure is low when safe distancing practices are observed. It's no different from today's reality," he said. Mr David Calkins, regional managing principal of the Asia-Pacific and Middle East at global architecture firm Gensler, believes that the majority of the 54 staff at the firm's Singapore office are open to getting vaccinated. "We suspect that we won't have to provide much encouragement to those of us who are in client-facing roles and those who are hoping to be going on business travel in the future to take the vaccination," he said. "But even as the vaccine becomes more widely available around the globe, we are anticipating continuing a flexible work mode for much of next year," he added. More on this topic Related Story Fast and Furious. Can we trust the speedy development of Covid-19 vaccines? Related Story 8 key questions on Singapore's planned vaccine roll-out
LONDON • Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers have banned their players from shopping, amid fears they could catch the coronavirus with infections rising across England. Testing for players and staff in football's top flight is to double to twice a week in areas of the country under Tier 4 restrictions. Last Monday's round of testing in the league revealed seven positive cases from 1,569 tests. However, since then, Manchester City have confirmed another four positive tests for Gabriel Jesus, Kyle Walker and two staff members and as such, Wolves are taking no chances. "We have staff to go shopping and to the supermarkets for them," manager Nuno Espirito Santo said. "We have to avoid any kind of risk because we have a small squad and we have problems with some players out. "We cannot afford to lose any player, we tell them on a daily basis, 'Don't relax and try to be more careful'." Wolves also told players to avoid supermarkets during Britain's first three-month lockdown between March and May. "Our kitchen staff puts together a big box of the basic things that we need," added Nuno. "During the high moment of the pandemic everybody had it. "When the situation improved, we said to players, 'You are free to go and do your own shopping'. "But now as the levels are increasing so high, and we have this new mutation that everyone is so worried about, we start putting this together again. It's about protecting ourselves." Unlike during Project Restart in June when the Premier League conducted twice-weekly mandatory Covid-19 tests, only one test is carried out per week this season. But following a severe outbreak that led to the first postponement of a Premier League game this season, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce wants the testing to be upped. Given that the new Covid mutation, which is reportedly 70 per cent more transmissible and has led to other countries imposing travel bans on Britain, is spreading throughout the country, Nuno believes it is common sense to ramp up testing for all clubs. "The infection rate is increasing so much. Maybe it is necessary and unfortunately, we have to go back to two tests per week," he said. "We need to avoid potential situations where players arrive at the ground, and then find they have tested positive and are unable to play." AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, Dec 21. Singapore's first longitudinal study on kindergarten children shows home activities boost maths, language skills The study followed 1,537 children from 80 preschools from kindergarten 1 to Primary 1. READ MORE HERE Singaporeans 'behaving as if we are already in phase 3', as malls fill up with pre-Xmas crowds This was despite the Government urging caution in the lead-up to phase three of Singapore's reopening on Dec 28. READ MORE HERE 3 Mandarin Orchard staff likely to have been infected in the past "As they have recent travel history, it is likely that these are imported," said MOH. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news 'Frustrating' to have possibly caught Covid-19 while on SHN at Mandarin Orchard, says Briton He and his wife had taken extra precautions including self-isolating at home in Britain before arriving in Singapore on Oct 26. READ MORE HERE European neighbours restrict travel to Britain as new coronavirus strain spreads British Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the new mutant strain of the coronavirus is "out of control". READ MORE HERE ST Singaporean of the Year 2020: A year of growth and trials for Covid-19 front liners Five people have been nominated to represent the army of people on the front lines of Covid-19 as The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year. READ MORE HERE Why the pre-Covid normal is not good enough That vaccines are now available is a relief, but in the haste to get back to the 'good old days', we risk failing to address yet again their troubling aspects, says Han Fook Kwang. READ MORE HERE Singapore eateries gear up to manage crowds safely during festive season Some restaurants are hiring more staff, while others are putting up more visual reminders on Covid-19 regulations. READ MORE HERE Picking a pre-school: ST looks at the different options out there for families Anchor operator or partner operator? Montessori or play-based learning? Childcare or kindergarten? There is certainly no lack of choice. READ MORE HERE Threat from SolarWinds hack far from over, warn experts Organisations in Singapore that use SolarWinds tools are not out of the woods - even though the CSA said last week that it did not believe Singapore was a target. READ MORE HERE
SINGAPORE - Nursing home staff here are now being tested for Covid-19 once every two months, as part of measures to ensure that senior citizens in the homes are kept safe from the virus. In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Health Ministry spokesman said that all nursing home providers will complete one round of testing of all staff every two months, as part of a regular surveillance testing programme that began in the last days of October. There are about 9,000 nursing home employees here and 16,000 residents. Surveillance testing of nursing home residents will also be conducted in the coming months, added the spokesman. The ministry will also study how to introduce testing for other groups that interact with nursing homes, such as volunteers and external vendors, as other methods of testing - like Antigen Rapid Testing - emerge. "This will help maintain the level of protection for seniors in nursing homes, in light of the higher risks that can come with the overall safe re-opening," said the spokesman. All nursing home staff and residents underwent one round of mass testing in May, as a precautionary measure. At the time, the mass testing exercise also included staff in welfare and shelter homes, which come under the purview of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). About 30,000 staff and residents in Singapore's residential care homes for the elderly were tested then. An MSF spokesman told ST that since mid-July, a routine 25 per cent stratified sampled swabbing is done every two weeks for staff and residents at 36 MSF funded or licensed homes serving the elderly. This means that any given individual is swabbed once about every two months. Visitors are not currently being tested, she added. More on this topic Related Story Valuable lessons from first brush with Covid-19 helps Lee Ah Mooi home deal with second incident Related Story Nursing home's licence revoked over lapses, including failure to comply with Covid-19 safeguards Visiting guidelines at such homes have not changed since visits were allowed again from June 19. Currently, each resident is allowed two pre-designated visitors but only one can visit at any given time. Each home is only allowed to have a maximum of 10 visitors at a time. MSF has gradually allowed more activities for residents, such as small supervised group outings, and home leave has been resumed. For nursing homes, four designated visitors are allowed per resident, up from two when visits were first allowed. However, only one designated visitor is allowed at any time. Visits can now be up to an hour, up from 30 minutes previously. More on this topic Related Story Nursing home staff worked longer hours, faced more stress but kept Covid-19 numbers low: Report Related Story Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics These changes took effect from July 31, said an MOH spokesman. The changes were made as the ministry recognised that interaction with family members and loved ones is important for senior citizens' socio-emotional well-being, she added. Other precautionary measures continue to be in place, such as setting aside dedicated visitation areas, pre-scheduling visits, capping the total number of visitors on premises each day, ensuring safe distancing, visitor screening and good infection control practices. "We will continue to monitor the evolving Covid-19 situation and work closely with the nursing homes to review the various current precautionary measures, taking into account factors such as the risk of community spread, and the exposure of staff and residents as more social and economic activities resume in the broader community," said the MOH spokesman. Related Stories: Related Story 7 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, with 5 imported Related Story No Covid-19 cases in community or in S'pore migrant worker dormitories for 2 days in a row Related Story Japan tops 100,000 coronavirus cases, daily infections creep up Related Story Record 200 days with no local cases makes Taiwan envy of world Related Story Covid-19 breathalyser tests may be deployed more widely in trials here Related Story India passes bleak landmark of 8 million coronavirus infections Related Story Trump wrested control from doctors as pandemic grew, Kushner told interviewer Related Story Melbourne, a city locked down for three months, has bleak lessons for the world Related Story As winter looms, China braces for Covid-19 resurgence Related Story Australia in travel talks with Singapore, Japan, Korea as coronavirus cases ease