COVERING THE PANDEMIC

World News Day: ST reporters dig deep to answer readers' queries

People queueing up to buy bubble tea while observing safe distancing at Our Tampines Hub on June 19, as Singapore moved into phase two of its reopening.
People queueing up to buy bubble tea while observing safe distancing at Our Tampines Hub on June 19, as Singapore moved into phase two of its reopening. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

Can I go to my favourite bubble tea shop to buy a drink, or perhaps go to the park for some exercise? Can Covid-19 infect my pet, and can I visit my grandchildren to take care of them?

These were some of the questions that flowed in as Singapore entered a new normal amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and people were unsure of what was allowed during an unprecedented circuit breaker - similar to a lockdown in that only essential activities were allowed to take place.

With misinformation lurking in the dark corners of the Internet, Singaporeans turned to The Straits Times for credible and timely information on a wide range of topics - from how to wear a mask to how to get the best out of home-based learning, given that schools were shut.

Known as AskST, this interactive question-and-answer platform is a whole-of-newsroom effort that started way before Covid-19.

AskST brings together senior correspondents and rookie reporters across various beats, each contributing answers to the flurry of questions that arose from the pandemic.

It saw more than half of ST's reporters contributing stories big and small.

Finding answers to some of the most obscure questions is no easy job, given the rapidly evolving nature of the pandemic, where policies are quickly rolled out and health advisories can change in a matter of days.

But ST journalists dug deep to get them - writing to government agencies and speaking to doctors, professors and experts who have had experience handling past pandemics, as well as various government and independent groups, to source and fact-check information.

Readers welcomed the interactive nature of AskST, and in less than four months, had asked over 5,000 questions. A foremost concern was the circuit breaker, with over 800 queries received.

AskST also received hundreds of questions in two broad categories - travel and its restrictions, as well as the virus itself.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 28, 2020, with the headline ST reporters dig deep to answer readers' queries. Subscribe