Clarifications Regarding Infections in Expo CCF Published by Singapore States Times on 6 May 2020 of an NSF Infected with COVID-19

MINDEF refers to the 6 May 2020 Facebook post by the Singapore States Times, on infections among staff at the Community Care Facility (CCF) at Singapore Expo. That post contained a number of errors. There has been no reported case of infections among staff under the SAF deployed to take care of COVID-19 patients at the Expo. The 20-year-old male Singaporean citizen cited by the post, who was confirmed by the Ministry of Health in their News Release (5 May 2020) to be COVID-19-positive, works under a different healthcare group. Neither is he a Full-Time National Serviceman (NSF), as claimed by the post, but a trained nurse from a private agency. The Singapore States Times also claimed that none of the national servicemen deployed by the SAF at the CCF had any experience in the hospitals. This is again wrong. Some of them are doctors and medics with prior hospital experience.

The SAF recognises the inherent risk to all its staff deployed in the CCF to care for recovering COVID-19 patients. Careful attention had been paid to the training and preparation of all staff to institute and maintain protocols to protect themselves against infection. These protocols are emphasised repeatedly. Nonetheless, as with all healthcare and administrative workers on the frontlines against COVID-19, risks of infections are continually present. The SAF will step up its vigilance and do its utmost to prevent such infections.

Given its history of repeatedly communicating multiple falsehoods, the Singapore States Times' Facebook page has been designated as a Declared Online Location by the Ministry of Communications and Information, with effect from 7 May 2020.