Two new clusters were identified in the past week, with 20 cases related to a preschool in Fengshan.
“Some may perceive that in this particular case, some teachers who were not well ought to have left the centre immediately, rather than carry on with their duties for a couple more hours,” noted Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee.
“But I hope that parents, the public and other colleagues recognise the realities on the ground and not in a two-dimensional way. … I think we should not jump to any conclusions to say any one teacher or principal had been the entry point for this COVID-19. Let’s have a heart for the feelings of the teachers concerned,” Mr Lee said.
Noting there was no indication they were complacent or had broken the rules, he added: “This is not the time for us to pin and assign blame.”
Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, Co-Director of Global Health, said that this case shows the importance of taking precautions at even the slightest suspicion of illness.
“What this shows is that an abundance of caution should be the norm,” he said, “Social distancing is an important factor, but what is also critical to defeating COVID-19 is individuals being aware of their bodies and recognising when they might be unwell.”
“One need not rush to the doctor at the slightest symptoms… but reducing social interaction for the next couple of days would be prudent,” added Assoc Prof Lim.
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