Singapore youth, don’t be the weak link in fight against COVID-19: National Youth Council chief

In case you haven’t heard, there are several measures and enforcement orders put in place as part of Singapore’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

As part of the circuit break measures announced on Apr 3, all non-essential businesses are closed, and eating or drinking at eateries, restaurants, hawker centres or food courts aren’t allowed too.

During this period, the public is strongly advised to stay at home. Social contact should be limited to just household members – so gathering in groups, either at home or outside, including in the neighbourhood – isn’t allowed. And being youth, you can always find ways to go around rules – but this is not the time to be innovative!

So please don’t, for example going out as a group to buy takeaways and yet still maintaining social distancing – it is not the right thing to do and goes against the intent of minimising contact except with those you live with.

Already, more than 150 individuals were given a stern warning on Wednesday and Thursday for not adhering to safe distancing rules.

As part of further measures to combat the virus, parents will not be allowed to drop their children off at their grandparent’s place on a daily basis. Open-air stadiums will also be closed, because people have continued to exercise in groups despite safe distancing rules.

So if you need to exercise, do so with only a family member that’s already living with you, and do it in your neighbourhood, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong urged at a press conference on Thursday.

“So let’s be quite clear once again about what this circuit breaker means – it really requires all of us to minimise movement and stay at home as much as possible, so that we do not become the weakest link that causes another large cluster to emerge,” he said.

The National Youth Council chief David Chua also has a word for youth: “Prove to the others out there that Youth can do this, and do it well too. Show them that despite your years, you are tenacious and determined. There will be a few bad hats here and there, but we know from our polls that the majority of youth want to do the right thing and be counted in a time of crisis like we have never faced before. So stay home, stay safe and make us proud!”