Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus: Strict safety measures in place for staff and shoppers, say supermarts

Jurong Point's FairPrice outlet (above) and Jurong West Market and Food Centre (left) at Block 505 Jurong West Street 52 are two spots which were recently visited by people who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Jurong Point's FairPrice outlet (above) and Jurong West Market and Food Centre at Block 505 Jurong West Street 52 are two spots which were recently visited by people who had tested positive for the coronavirus. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Jurong Point's FairPrice outlet (above) and Jurong West Market and Food Centre (left) at Block 505 Jurong West Street 52 are two spots which were recently visited by people who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Jurong Point's FairPrice outlet and Jurong West Market and Food Centre (above) at Block 505 Jurong West Street 52 are two spots which were recently visited by people who had tested positive for the coronavirus. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Supermarkets and wet markets have emerged as potential hot spots in the spread of the coronavirus, as several people who tested positive for the virus over the past week had visited these places for 30 minutes or more, according to the authorities.

The Ministry of Health named four FairPrice outlets and two wet markets this week as public places visited by Covid-19 cases.

Supermarket chains such as FairPrice and Sheng Siong said they have implemented strict safety measures for both customers and staff throughout the pandemic.

In response to questions from The Straits Times, a FairPrice spokesman said: "FairPrice has put in place stringent precautionary measures to maintain a safe and clean environment for our staff and customers in accordance with the authorities' guidelines.

"We will continue to maintain strict cleaning regimes, especially for high-touch surfaces like railings, trolleys, baskets and checkout counters."

FairPrice also provides staff with masks and takes their temperature twice a day. Bottles of hand sanitiser are also available for staff and customers, who must wear masks in the store.

FairPrice outlets have floor markings at checkout queues to help customers keep a safe distance from one another and crowd control measures to limit the number of customers in each store.

Similar measures have also been implemented at Sheng Siong outlets, as well as at supermarkets under grocery retail group Dairy Farm, such as Cold Storage and Giant.

Shoppers have to scan their NRICs for entry to all supermarkets here or scan a QR code via digital check-in system SafeEntry.

A Sheng Siong spokesman said: "There are also in-store notices and regular announcements to remind customers to keep a safe distance."

A Dairy Farm spokesman added that bi-hourly disinfecting of high-touch point areas such as baskets and trolleys is also conducted at its stores.

The National Environment Agency said it is putting up SafeEntry QR codes at all wet markets and hawker centres, and patrons are encouraged to use them.

The agency also advised the town council and its cleaning contractor to thoroughly wash and disinfect the market and hawker centre at Block 505 Jurong West Street 52, which two active Covid-19 cases had visited in the past two weeks.

  • Public places visited by Covid-19 patients

  • The Ministry of Health has identified a number of public places visited by Covid-19 patients while they were still infectious:

    • Jurong West 505 Market and Food Centre (May 17, 9-9.30am and Monday, 11am-noon)

    • NTUC FairPrice at Jurong Point (May 20, 4.30-6pm)

    • Japanese Food Street at Jurong Point (May 21, 5.30-6.30pm)

    • Wet market at Block 963 Jurong West Street 91 (Sunday, 6-8am)

    • FairPrice Finest at Bukit Panjang Plaza (Sunday, 12-12.30pm)

    • NTUC FairPrice at Hillion Mall (Sunday, 12.30-1pm)

    • FairPrice Xtra at Jurong Point (Sunday, 1-2pm)

    Those at these locations during the specified timings should monitor their health closely for 14 days from the date of their visit and see a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms.

Medical experts noted that any location that attracts large crowds could become potential weak links where the virus could spread.

Professor Paul Tambyah from the Department of Medicine at the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine said: "Supermarkets are often very crowded, with narrow aisles and limited ventilation. In contrast, our wet markets tend to have better cross-ventilation, although many can get very crowded too."

Infectious diseases expert Leong Hoe Nam suggested that supermarkets include bottles of hand sanitiser along aisles and shelves to encourage people to clean their hands more frequently.

Shoppers The Straits Times spoke to said going to markets was a necessity.

Engineer June Aw, 41, who shops at the FairPrice outlet at Hillion Mall about twice a week, said: "I think the supermarkets are taking every precaution that they can. I also do my part by visiting during non-peak periods and making sure to wash my hands when I get home."

Assistant manager Jolene Ang, 34, said she goes to the FairPrice outlet at Northpoint at least once a week to do her grocery shopping.

She said: "There might be risks but we have to shop for groceries. I wear a mask and use the hand sanitiser that the supermarket provides. There's also contact tracing now, which makes me feel safer."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 29, 2020, with the headline Coronavirus: Strict safety measures in place for staff and shoppers, say supermarts. Subscribe