Little risk to commuters at Sengkang, Bishan bus interchanges: Experts
Infectious disease experts say there is little risk to commuters being infected with Covid-19 when passing through the Bishan and Sengkang bus interchanges, where new clusters were detected recently.
This is especially if they maintain measures such as proper mask wearing and strict hand hygiene, said Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, yesterday.
The school's vice-dean of research, Associate Professor Alex Cook, said: "Unless you or a household member are still unvaccinated and in a high-risk group, then I would not hesitate to commute even if there are clusters in the journey."
LINKED
The experts were responding to queries from The Straits Times after two of three new Covid-19 clusters announced on Saturday were linked to the interchanges.
The Land Transport Authority had earlier said that 14 bus captains and two Sengkang bus interchange staff were among the cases in the clusters.
They were detected through regular surveillance testing and none had severe symptoms.
While cautioning against speculating about the causes of the clusters, including the possibility of lapses in safe management measures, Prof Teo said it was entirely expected that co-workers may eat or have smoke breaks together.
"These are all reasonable expectations when people interact, so I do not think it is necessarily a cause of any lapses in safe management measures," he said.
He noted that another cause of the cluster might be common facilities such as toilets, adding that these had been identified as possible reasons for previous outbreaks in wet markets and food centres.
Professor Dale Fisher, a senior infectious diseases consultant at the National University Hospital, advised the public not to "overthink" their response to the new clusters and just comply with the prevailing measures.
"Getting the last few people in Singapore vaccinated is the best way people can help," he said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING : AUDREY TAN
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
