About 120 households staying in Hougang HDB block to undergo mandatory Covid-19 swab test after cases found there

SINGAPORE - Barricades and chairs were being set up at the void deck of Block 506 Hougang Ave 8 on Friday (May 21) morning to prepare for a swabbing exercise slated to begin later in the day for the entire block.

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This is after some residents of the 12-storey block were found to have tested positive for Covid-19.

This is the first time an entire block of residents, comprising about 120 households, will be undergoing mandatory Covid-19 testing as a precautionary measure.

Swabbing will take place on Friday and Saturday, as announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (May 20).

Last July, 58 households were offered testing after nine Covid-19 cases were detected in Block 111 Tampines Street 11.

When The Straits Times visited the Hougang block on Friday (May 21), many residents were surprised that they have to take a mandatory swab test.

Some said they have yet to receive an SMS informing them of the swabbing exercise. Others said they read about the news online.

A resident,who wanted to be known only as Ms Q. Z. Tan, 38, found out that there were Covid-19 cases living in her block only after she read an article in The Straits Times last night. "They said leaflets were distributed, so I'm coming down to check my letterbox," she said.

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The IT analyst, who works from home and lives alone, said that it was the first time she was leaving her flat in a week. As an added precaution, she will also be cancelling her weekly visit to her parents' home this weekend.

Another resident, Mr Amos Lim, 29, was shocked when he read the news on Facebook and decided to take extra precaution. "Instead of taking away food, we will get it delivered," the construction site engineer said.

Many residents also said they did not know how many cases were linked to the block or who they were.

Meanwhile, several notices of the mandatory swab test were already plastered on walls at the void deck and at lift lobbies. Session one will be from 1pm to 8pm on Friday (May 21), while session two will be from 9am to 4pm on Saturday (May 22), according to the notice.

Residents are to take along their NRIC and TraceTogether tokens for identification.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.