Crew members of Singapore carriers will have to undergo stricter Covid-19 control measures with immediate effect, following news that a Singapore Airlines cabin crew member and a pilot have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Announcing this last night, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said it was tightening measures to ensure the safety and well-being of air crew and to safeguard public health in Singapore.
"Air crew face considerable risks in the course of their duties. They do so because it is critical for Singapore to maintain air connectivity. Many essential supplies, such as vaccines, can only be delivered by air. Singaporeans overseas and other essential travellers need to be able to travel to and from Singapore," CAAS said in a statement.
It added that its preliminary investigations had found that both the infected cabin crew member and pilot had adhered to the mandated in-flight and layover measures, including wearing a mask, minimising contact with passengers and locals, and staying in their hotel rooms throughout.
The cabin crew member tested positive on Dec 27. He had last flown to New York on Flight SQ24 on Dec 12.
During the layover in New York, he interacted with the immigration officer and hotel check-in staff, and collected his meal from a hotel employee who delivered it to his room.
He then returned to Singapore on Dec 16 on Flight SQ23.
He was asymptomatic at the time and was tested on Dec 23 and 25 under the testing protocol for Singapore carriers' air crew when they return from overseas. Both tests were inconclusive, but an additional test on Dec 27 returned positive.
All crew members and 16 passengers who were seated in the section of the aircraft cabin served by him have tested negative.
The Ministry of Health separately confirmed with The Straits Times yesterday that the man had also driven for Grab from Dec 17 to 24.
The second case, a pilot, tested positive on Dec 29. He had last flown to London on Flight SQ322 on Dec 19. During the layover in London, he interacted with the immigration officer and hotel check-in staff, and also had a meal delivered to his room by a hotel employee.
He then returned to Singapore on Dec 22 on Flight SQ317. On both flights, he had no contact with passengers on board.
He was tested on Dec 23 and received a negative result on Dec 25. But on Dec 26, he developed a fever. The following day, he went to a clinic for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which returned positive on Dec 29.
CAAS said that after consulting with MOH, it will now require air crew on layover to further minimise their contact with locals.
For example, food delivered through room service should be left outside the room at the door instead of being handed over.
Those who lay over in high-risk destinations will be required to undergo a PCR test on arrival, and on the third and seventh day following their return to Singapore.
Crew members will be required to self-isolate until they receive a negative result from their seventh day PCR test.
Also, crew travelling to and from South Africa will have to don full personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, face shields, protective gowns and gloves.
This is in addition to the current stringent measures in place on Singapore-based airlines, which include crew members having to mask up at all times and wear goggles while interacting with passengers. Where possible, they use separate toilets from the passengers.
Air crew are also assigned specific sections within the aircraft to facilitate contact tracing.
CAAS added that to date, over 22,500 PCR tests have been carried out on air crew, with all but the two cases testing negative.
