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Residents should collect TraceTogether tokens near their homes, says Vivian Balakrishnan, amid rush at some CCs

SINGAPORE — Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation initiative Vivian Balakrishnan has given the public the assurance that there will be more than enough TraceTogether tokens for everyone.

A resident collecting his TraceTogether token at Buona Vista Community Club on Oct 25, 2020.

A resident collecting his TraceTogether token at Buona Vista Community Club on Oct 25, 2020.

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SINGAPORE — Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation initiative Vivian Balakrishnan has given the public the assurance that there will be more than enough TraceTogether tokens for everyone.

Addressing the media during a doorstop at Buona Vista Community Club (CC) on Sunday (Oct 25), he noted that there had been overwhelming demand for the tokens over the past few days.

Over the last week, long queues have been seen at several collection points such as Rivervale CC and Sengkang CC, with waiting times reported to be as long as 90 minutes.

“We prefer not to have long queues building up at distribution centres,” said Dr Balakrishnan, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs.

“In order to prevent future queues from developing, from tomorrow onwards we are advising everyone to collect your own token from your own community club… So don't go elsewhere.”

He added that there are “several million” more tokens in production, and that the current goal is to produce 2.7 million tokens.

“This is a number that we can adjust according to demand,” Dr Balakrishnan added.

These tokens can be collected at 38 CCs around Singapore and will be made available at all 108 CCs islandwide by the end of November.

Residents can use the Token Go Where website to check where the nearest collection points to their homes are.

When TODAY visited the site on Sunday, it advised users that there is a “high demand for collection of tokens” and that there will be no need to collect a token if one is already using the TraceTogether app.

OVER 50 PER CENT HAVE ADOPTED TRACETOGETHER

Dr Balakrishnan said that to date, more than 400,000 tokens have been collected, and that over 50 per cent of the population is under the TraceTogether programme.

This includes the 2.5 million that have the TraceTogether app.

Dr Balakrishnan said he was “optimistic” that in weeks to come, the take-up rate would increase further.

The authorities said last week that having about 70 per cent of the population using TraceTogether will be one of the requirements before the Government moves to Phase Three of Singapore’s reopening.

Asked about whether the eventual aim for the adoption rate will be 100 per cent, Dr Balakrishnan said: “I've done my best to avoid making it mandatory.

“And I will keep repeating this message that this is about collective responsibility, looking out for our loved ones, our friends and our social circles, and I'm glad with the progress that we've made so far on a voluntary basis.”

The authorities said last week that by December, it will be compulsory to use the TraceTogether mobile application or token to check in at venues such as workplaces, schools, malls as well as food and beverage outlets under the Government's plan to further reopen the economy.

At these venues, people will not be able to check in by scanning their identification cards or SafeEntry QR codes with their phones, but will have to use TraceTogether.

Related topics

TraceTogether Vivian Balakrishnan Covid-19 coronavirus

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