Eligible Bukit Merah and Redhill residents collect free self-test kits

Residents in certain areas of Bukit Merah and Redhill collected free antigen rapid test self-test kits from nine Residents' Committee (RC) centres in their neighbourhoods yesterday.

The distribution, which began at 10am and ended at 6pm, continues today.

Each resident will get one pack, which contains two self-test kits.

The free kits are meant to be an added layer of ring-fencing to help identify cases and prevent further transmission.

This is in addition to the testing operations that have been conducted in the area, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday night.

The Bukit Merah area has seen several clusters this month, with the largest one at the 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Hawker Centre, which had 87 cases as at Friday.

MOH is working with the People's Association (PA) to distribute the kits to all residents living at more than 100 eligible postal codes, which can be found in the website https://www.gowhere.gov.sg/art

Mr Anwar Ali, constituency management executive at Henderson Community Club, was among about 10 PA staff handling the distribution at the Bukit Merah View Zone A RC when The Sunday Times visited at about 2pm.

Mr Anwar, 45, said the most frequently asked question by residents was how to use the test kits.

He said: "The PA staff were all trained on Zoom how to use it, so they were able to explain to residents."

The Sunday Times observed staff sitting down with some elderly residents individually to explain what the kit consists of and what to do with the swab.

Mr Anwar said that when staff were notified of the weekend distribution on Friday night, they immediately began printing posters, and at about 11pm, they went to all the blocks of flats to put the posters up at lift lobbies.

Mr Goh Chin Hock, 58, a resident at Block 119 Bukit Merah View, collected his free self-test kit at around 2.30pm. Speaking in Mandarin, he said: "I might use it over the next few days, if I am unwell or want to feel less worried."

He added that he had previously tested negative when MOH conducted mandatory testing for residents in his block.

Madam Tan Ah Chuam, 66, who lives at Block 117, said her colleagues had told her about the free kit collection. She collected a box for herself at the Bukit Merah View Zone B RC at around 3.30pm.

Madam Tan, who works as a cleaner at the National Kidney Foundation dialysis centre at Block 128 Bukit Merah View, said she lives near the market and food centre so she is quite scared and avoids the area.

She said: "Previously, I would go to the food centre to buy noodles or kueh, but now I don't dare go near the area."