9 people face S$1,000 fine for repeat safe distancing offences

SINGAPORE — Another nine people face S$1,000 fines for repeat safe distancing offences, while more than 280 others are set to pay S$300 each for first offences, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said on Monday (April 20).

In a Facebook post, Mr Masagos said 80 of the offenders had not worn a mask when outside of their homes.

Referring to the repeat offenders who face a S$1,000 fine, he said: “If these are acts of defiance and irresponsibility, they clearly undermine the efforts that everyone else has been making.

“What will it take to get them to understand that they are putting everyone’s safety at stake?”

Underlining the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Masagos reminded members of the public that the virus is “now known to be highly contagious, and infected numbers can grow exponentially”.

Noting estimates from the World Health Organization on the rate of infection of the virus, he said that each Covid-19 carrier is estimated to infect between two and 2.5 others, on average, and “these two other can go on to infect another two”.

“If unfettered, in 10 incubation cycles, or a month, that one person could potentially infect a thousand (people),” he said, adding that the problem is further compounded by the fact that not everyone shows symptoms of the virus, and that a good number of carriers have only “mild symptoms”.

“As such, in an uncontrolled situation, some of the thousand infected could spread the virus in their community unknowingly,” said Mr Masagos.

He added that densely populated cities such as Singapore — with cultural characteristics of close social interaction — are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. 

Mr Masagos said that if safe distancing measures are not put in place and strictly enforced, there will be widespread community transmission.

“This is why we must remain vigilant and muster the resolve to abide by circuit breaker measures,” he said, adding that this may entail “some inconveniences”.

“The daily news reports of dire situations in other countries, including second wave infections, are sobering reminders of the risks and high stakes of this pandemic, as are surprising and worrying facts about the virus we discover on a daily basis from the global scientific community,” Mr Masagos said.

He continued to implore the public to stay home as it is “still the best choice”.

Mr Masagos said that those who need to head out for essential goods and services should get it done quickly and head home as soon as possible.

“Remember to wear a mask and observe safe distancing measures at all times,” he said.

Mr Masagos also urged those who encounter long queues at the supermarkets or markets to head home and visit another time during off-peak hours, or to buy their groceries at a place near their homes when it is less crowded.

“Please do not linger outside. Staying out and meeting people puts you and your families at risk of contracting the virus,” he warned.