Changi Airport Aviation Screening Officer Is 1 Of 3 Community Cases On 30 Jan
After 1 week of zero community cases, Singapore unfortunately announced 3 community cases on Saturday (30 Jan).
One of them is an aviation screening officer at Changi Airport Terminal 1, who tested positive on Thursday (28 Jan).
In further worrisome news, he met up with 12 other people to play tennis on the same day that he tested positive.
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He also didn’t seek medical treatment despite suffering from a cough and sore throat a few days before that.
Community case is 72-year-old male Singaporean
In a press release on Saturday (30 Jan), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said Case 59757 is a 72-year-old male Singaporean.
He works as an aviation screening officer at Changi Airport Terminal 1.
Employed by Certis Cisco, his job is to screen the luggage of arriving passengers using X-ray scanners.
He also directs passengers to the baggage screening lanes.
Did not seek medical treatment for cough & sore throat
On Monday (25 Jan), the man developed a cough and sore throat.
However, he didn’t seek medical treatment, said MOH. Instead, he went to work on Wednesday (27 Jan).
At work, he was tested for Covid-19 as part of Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) of frontline workers.
He played tennis with 12 others
On Thursday (28 Jan), the day after his test and 3 days after showing symptoms, he went to the National Service Resort & Country Club at 10 Changi Coast Walk.
There, he met 12 other people to play tennis, MOH said.
Under Phase 3 rules, we’re only allowed to gather in groups of not more than 8.
Investigations are now underway to determine whether he and his tennis pals breached safe distancing measures.
Covid-19 test result revealed on same day
On the same day he went to play tennis, his Covid-19 test result came back, MOH said.
It was positive, and he was sent to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) to do an individual test that night.
That test also came back positive on Friday (29 Jan).
Previously, he was tested on 15 Jan and it came back negative.
His serology test is also negative, which means his infection is likely to be current.
Man was vaccinated for Covid-19 on 25 Jan
There’s a further twist in this tale: As he’s an airport staff, the man had actually been vaccinated for Covid-19 on Monday (25 Jan).
That’s the same day he came down with a cough and sore throat.
MOH said he couldn’t have been infected because of the vaccination as it doesn’t contain live virus.
However, it’s still possible to be infected with Covid-19 just before or just after you’ve been vaccinated, as the vaccine takes time to work.
2 other community cases are married Singapore PRs
The 2 other community cases are a married couple who are both Singapore permanent residents (PRs).
Case 59788 – the 68-year-old husband – works as a cleaner at Broadway kopitiam, in Block 848 Yishun Street 81.
Case 59789 – the 69-year-old wife – is a homemaker.
Wife fell sick first, both didn’t seek medical treatment
The wife fell sick first, developing a cough and flu on 23 Jan.
However, she didn’t seek medical treatment.
On Tuesday (26 Jan), the husband started suffering a sore throat and body aches. He also didn’t seek medical treatment.
Instead, he went to work on Wednesday (27 Jan).
It was only when he got a runny nose that night that he stayed home the next day.
Couple went to polyclinic on 29 Jan
The couple finally went to a polyclinic on Friday (29 Jan).
Both of them were tested for Covid-19, and the results returned positive on the same day.
They were both sent to NCID via ambulance.
Their close contacts, i.e. family members and co-workers, have been isolated and placed on quarantine. They will also be tested for Covid-19.
We shouldn’t be complacent
If there’s anything we can learn from this case, it’s that Covid-19 can strike anybody, anywhere. Thus, we shouldn’t be complacent.
We can’t emphasise this enough, but if you come down with symptoms, please seek medical treatment and stay home instead of going to work.
Also, even though the aviation screening officer didn’t know he was infected, by meeting 12 others for tennis, he potentially put more of his friends and their contacts in danger.
Lastly, just because you’ve been vaccinated doesn’t mean you can’t be infected shortly after either, so do practice the usual safe distancing measures.
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Featured image adapted from Unsplash.
