Orchard Road was as busy as ever on Friday, with shoppers eager to enjoy the Labour Day weekend. --PHOTO: SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD
ORCHARD Road was as busy as ever on Friday, with shoppers eager to enjoy the Labour Day weekend even as Singapore intensified efforts to contain the Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Thursday.
Despite the new orange alert declared Thursday evening by the Health Ministry, Singaporeans generally remained calm - no one was spotted wearing face masks.
And with the exception of major events held on Friday - the Istana Open House, May Day Rally, and a large fashion show at Ngee Ann City - thermometers stayed mostly in their boxes.
The Straits Times on Friday checked on shopping malls and cinemas in the Orchard Road area.
Shoppers like lawyer Teo Yee Liang, 45, said it was a rare chance for him to see Orchard Road on a Friday afternoon - orange alert or otherwise.
He added, pointing to Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan's advice on Thursday for healthy Singaporeans to go out and stay active: 'There aren't any confirmed cases here yet, right? So, why not enjoy the holiday - like what the Minister said?'
One manager from Cineleisure Orchard said the cineplex, which can seat up to 2,000 movie-goers, would start temperature-taking measures 'soon'.
At MRT stations Orchard, Dhoby Ghaut and Newton, employees had their temperatures taken in the morning.
One SMRT staff member at the Dhoby Ghaut station, who declined to be named as he wasn't authorised to speak with the press, said: 'For now, we are just observing the passengers, and doing temperature checks if anyone looks sick.''
Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
