Jurong Fishery Port Resumes Wholesale Market Operations On 2 Aug
Since the Jurong Fishery Port cluster emerged, Singapore has been reporting a surge in daily Covid-19 cases, resulting in our current Phase 2 (Heightened Alert).
The cluster now has 1,045 cases, and is Singapore’s largest active cluster.
However, there’s a bright spot in this situation – Jurong Fishery Port reopened on Saturday (31 Jul) as scheduled.
Perhaps to make sure the virus is well and truly gone, the premises have undergone 2 rounds of deep cleaning.
Wholesale market operations to resume on 2 Aug
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced the news in a Facebook post on Sunday (1 Aug) night.
They also said that wholesale market operations, the main lifeblood of the port, is set to resume on Monday (2 Aug).
Photo from 2018, for illustration purposes only
Source
Port was closed for 2 weeks
Though it might seem a bit too soon to reopen Jurong Fishery Port, it has been closed for 2 weeks already, from 17-31 Jul.
Its closure was announced on 16 Jul, after the cluster was emerged.
The move led to concerns over Singapore’s seafood supplies, and long queues at some markets.
Thus, its reopening probably comes not a moment too soon for those in the seafood industry.
Tenants briefed on safety measures
Obviously, this being Singapore, we can’t reopen the site of a cluster without making sure our virus protection is installed properly.
So besides 2 rounds of deep cleaning, enhanced safe management measures (SMMs) have been implemented.
The port’s tenants were briefed on these SMMs, and they all understand why they’re necessary, SFA said.
Initial issues & delays expected
However, the SFA said they expect “initial issues and delays”.
These will crop up as tenants and trade visitors adapt and adjust to the enhanced measures.
SFA will review and finetune the processes in close consultation with trade associations, tenants and workers.
Through this cooperation, they’ll ensure a “resilient supply of food for all”, they added.
2 markets will also reopen
Besides Jurong Fishery Port, 2 other places hit by Covid-19 cases will also reopen on (Tuesday) 3 Aug.
They are:
- Chong Boon Market & Food Centre in Ang Mo Kio
- Hong Lim Market & Food Centre in Chinatown
Chong Boon (left) and Hong Lim markets
Source
They were closed on 16 & 17 Jul to break the chain of transmission and enable the premises to be deep cleaned.
Stallholders preparing to resume business
The deep cleaning is now over, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a Facebook post on Sunday (1 Aug).
They also said stallholders are already preparing to resume their operations by bringing in good and supplies.
The NEA encouraged the public to patronise the stalls, but remember that they’ll have to check in via TraceTogether, as with all markets in Singapore.
A light at the end of the tunnel
The reopening of Jurong Fishery Port shows that despite the gloom over P2HA, there’ll always be a light at the end of the tunnel.
It also means that tenants and workers can get back to their job of supplying seafood to the whole of Singapore.
The news of the 2 markets’ reopenings will also undoubtedly delight nearby residents, as they’ll be able to do their marketing again.
Hopefully, the troubles of these places are over, and nothing but prosperity awaits.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
