As school holidays begin its course, the Ministry of Health (MOH) advised everyone to defer all non-essential travel abroad, on top of implementing further restrictions on travellers coming into Singapore.
Starting from 16 March, the Ministry had also announced that all travellers entering Singapore with recent travels to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom within the past 14 days will be issued a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN). The travellers include Singapore Residents, Long Term Pass Holders and short-term visitors.
In order to give students a better understanding of the situation, the Ministry of Education (MOE) explained the types of precautionary measures in regards to preventing the spread of the coronavirus, namely Leave of Absence (LOA), Stay-Home Notice (SHN) and Quarantine Order (QO).
According to the information provided, people who are on LOA, SHN and QO are well. For those who are taking LOA and SHN, they are not suspected to be in close contact with confirmed Covid-19 patients. They are also completely fine and aren’t feeling unwell or displaying symptoms of the virus.
Students were also informed that if they are on LOA, they should be staying at home and refrain from hanging out with friends. These people are allowed to leave home for a brief while to buy meals, however, they must be contactable at all times.
These students who are supposed to stay home are advised to focus on home-based learning. Teachers would also call to check on the students’ status as well as helping them to stay updated with the syllabus. Besides, students will be able to access books, worksheets, handouts and the Student Learning Space.
As for students who are on SHN, not only that they’re not allowed to leave home, but they are also advised to minimise being in contact with the people at home. If anyone on SHN leaves home, they will face penalties as they are endangering the well-being of the wider community. The penalties include disciplinary actions and prosecution under Section 21A of the Infectious Diseases Act.
In regards to the people who received a QO, they must not leave home, and must not come in contact with other people to avoid person-to-person transmission. If anyone in the same household began displaying symptoms of the coronavirus, they are required to be taken to the hospital and treated as suspect cases.
MOE reassured that there is no need to fear getting infected with Covid-19 as the risk of infection via brief contact is low. However, the ministry noted that it is still important to perform regular temperature checks and monitor health status. Ultimately, everyone should practise good personal hygiene and be socially responsible.
