Mask-wearing on Singapore's public transportation became optional on Monday (Feb. 13), although the majority of passengers were observed wearing facial masks on trains and buses Monday morning.
A multi-ministry task team said last week that beginning on Monday, masks would no longer be required on Singapore's public transportation, as the country's illness alert level for COVID-19 drops to its lowest level.
Monday morning, a 37-year-old attorney who wished to be identified only as Mr. Ang rode the North-South Line from Ang Mo Kio to his employment in Raffles Place while wearing a mask.
The train was quite full, he reported to CNA. "In my case, I've recently recovered from an illness, so it's also out of care for others... It's just more socially responsible."
He saw that around 90 to 95% of the other passengers were also wearing a mask.
"Eventually (I will stop wearing one). However, for the time being, perhaps as a precaution, because it has worked so far, why disrupt something that has worked?" Mr. Ang said that trains and buses were more enclosed than other indoor locations.
"Over the next two weeks, if the number of instances increases, we'll determine if the treatment is effective."
Personal assistant Patricia Yap awaited a bus to Bukit Merah at the Dover MRT station. She was not wearing a mask then, nor had she been when she took the train to Dover earlier.
She said that the train she rode this morning was less busy.
"Even outdoors, there are still many individuals wearing masks. However, I have not worn a mask indoors since this ban was abolished "Ms. Yap, who was looking forward to Monday's additional easing of precautions for public transportation, said:
"I am now accustomed to not wearing masks."
CNA noted that, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. on a full East-West Line train carrying commuters to work, just a handful of individuals in each cabin did not wear a mask.
On the slightly less crowded Circle and North-East Lines, there was more space for people to stand. CNA noticed that the majority of passengers continued to use masks, with some putting them on particularly before boarding a train.
Many commuters removed their masks upon alighting from trains or departing stations.
Ms. Irit Regev, a 52-year-old Israeli tourist, exited the station at Raffles Place and removed her disguise upon stepping outdoors. She donned one for her brief train journey from the City Hall MRT station.
She knew from her study for her trip to Singapore that Monday would be the first day masks would be optional on public transportation, but she elected to wear one nevertheless.
"Because many individuals were still wearing masks... I wore one since I'm not a native because I believed people would give me issue if I didn't "She stated,
Ms. Denise Ho, 27, elected not to wear a mask when she rode the North-East line to her Clarke Quay office at around 9:00 a.m.
She stated that the "normalcy" reminded her of times before the epidemic.
"Nearly ninety percent of the population still wore their masks. Perhaps since it's the first day, thus adjustments are necessary "She stated,
Despite the fact that this did not affect her decision to wear a mask, she admits to feeling "somewhat uneasy."
She stated that, like Mr. Ang, she would choose to wear a mask if she were feeling ill.
Sim Choon Fook, a retiree, boarded the North-East Line from Boon Keng to Chinatown MRT station wearing a mask and promptly removed it upon alighting.
"I almost forgot until I noticed a few folks on the bus this morning not wearing one," he added in Mandarin.
The 64-year-old man stated that he would continue to wear a mask on crowded trains or buses.
"I have no idea who on this train will be coughing and vomiting everywhere. Therefore, I must defend myself."
Have a story? Send to us here sgtelltale@outlook.com
Comments