Dear fellow Singaporeans,
Today, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addressed the nation on the global COVID-19 situation and measures Singapore would take if there were a spike in cases. PM emphasised that the situation in Singapore remains under control, thanked citizens for their social and psychological resilience and urged everyone to keep their guard up and take practical precautions to protect themselves. You can watch his address at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/coronavirus-pm-lee-full-speech-under-control-covid-19-12531962
2 In the US, there are more than 1,300 cases of COVID-19 to date. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has further advised of community spread of COVID-19. In view of the evolving situation, we would like to encourage you to keep abreast of the latest developments in the U.S. by referring to the advisories on CDC’s website (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html) as well as advice from local and state governments depending on your location. Decisions about the implementation of community measures such as school dismissals, event cancellations, social distancing and remote working arrangements will be made by local and state officials. These decisions will be made in consultation with federal offices as appropriate, and based on the scope of the outbreak and the severity of illness.
3 The State Department has issued a Global Health Advisory Level 3 Reconsider Travel for U.S citizens planning to travel abroad. CDC has issued Warning Level 3 Avoid Nonessential Travel for most of Europe, South Korea, Iran and China and Alert Level 2 Practice Enhanced Precautions globally. President Trump has also issued a proclamation to restrict travel to the U.S. by foreign nationals who have been physically present in the Schengen Area* during the 14-day period preceding their entry/attempted entry into the U.S. This is in addition to the earlier issued suspension of entry for foreign nationals who have been in the PRC (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or Iran in the 14 days preceding their entry or attempted entry into the US.
*Comprises 26 European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland
4 Should you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or if you live in or have recently travelled to an area with ongoing spread, please call ahead to a healthcare provider, explain your symptoms (including your recent travel/contact) and take guidance from the healthcare provider. Depending on your condition, the healthcare provider may work with your state’s public health department and CDC to determine if you need to be tested for COVID-19. In the meantime, it is important that you take the necessary steps to prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community.
5 The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted several U.S. education institutions to shut down individual schools and their dormitories. Singapore students in the US may be affected, and your university may offer advice and assistance. If necessary, please contact your student associations or SGN (hello@singaporeglobalnetwork.com and michelle@singaporeglobalnetwork.com) for guidance. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. during this period and intend to return when classes resume, please monitor developments as well as the travel advisories issued by the State Department and CDC.
6 In New York State which declared a state of emergency on 7 Mar 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today a new policy to limit public gatherings to no more than 500. He has given commitment to prioritizing testing and reducing density to curtail the spread of infection, and ramping up medical capacity to respond to the evolving situation. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency today as the City steps up its mitigation strategies and review business continuity. As developments continue to unfold by the hour, our New York community is advised to closely monitor the NY State Department of Health website at https://health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/ and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/coronavirus.page.
7 The Singapore Consulate in New York is monitoring the situation closely. We are guided by advice from the U.S. authorities, and are ready to provide consular assistance when required. Consulate staff can be contacted 24 hrs a day at +1 917 293 4540 . If you have received this email from a fellow Singaporean, please e-Register with the Singapore Consulate through the MFA e-Register at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg/ so that you can be included in the mailing list for future updates. This will also enable us to contact and render necessary consular assistance during any emergency situation. If you know of Singaporeans who are not e-Registered, please encourage them to do so to receive updates from the Singapore Consulate.
8 Please stay healthy and stay safe.
Best regards,
Jasmin
Consul
Consulate of the Republic of Singapore in New York