The new scheme aimed at raising cleanliness standards at hawker centres and safeguarding public health is timely in the light of the coronavirus situation (Food stalls to sport 'SG Clean' mark for hygiene standards, Feb 17).

I remember that many years ago, the then Ministry of the Environment strictly enforced high hygiene standards especially among food servers and handlers in eateries and food centres.

But standards seem to have eroded over the years.

I have, on numerous occasions in foodcourts, restaurants and eateries, seen food and drink handlers using their bare hands to hold the eating end of spoons, forks and chopsticks, as well as the rims of cups.

Once, at a bistro, I saw a waitress holding the eating end of a bunch of utensils with her bare hands, as she laid them out on the tables.

I then saw diners using the utensils as they were.

The irony is that some of the diners had surgical masks on, presumably to counter germs.

I urge the authorities to raise hygiene awareness and standards a notch higher.

Lee Kwok Weng