<![CDATA[Coronavirus: Singaporeans share ways to stay fed, do good and complete schoolwork amid partial lockdown]>
A week into Singapore's partial lockdown to stem a third wave of coronavirus infections, residents are adjusting to a new normal, with some expressing confusion over the new social distancing laws, and worried parents posting their children's homework online to tap on the wisdom of the masses as schools shut.
Amid the anxiety, one Singapore firm has created a website, called "I Am A Community Circuit Breaker", that collates information that people might find useful during the one-month period, including food delivery options, DIY tips on making face masks and links to the latest news updates.
Tribal Worldwide, an advertising company, said there was a host of information online, but one needed to be "very savvy" to stay updated with the fast-moving situation.
"We spoke about the possibilities of bringing all of this information under one roof," said a company spokesman. "We started by sharing our experiences as parents, carers, young adults and grandparents, and we had a lot of good go-to links with hidden deals we were sharing in our family chats."
IAmACCB.sg, launched on April 10, garnered some 500,000 views within two days. The best part of the site? It is strung together using Singaporean English " or Singlish " something Tribal Worldwide thought would resonate strongly with residents and offer some entertainment amid the worsening situation.
The website is among a list of initiatives Singaporeans have started as the city state approaches its second week of the partial lockdown that is slated to end on May 4.
Officials have referred to the tightened measures as a "circuit breaker" to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 3,699 people, of which 652 have recovered and 10 have died.
A man pushes goods on a trolley on a quiet street in Singapore on April 14, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=A man pushes goods on a trolley on a quiet street in Singapore on April 14, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE
The unprecedented partial lockdown has also spurred community action by youth collective ZYRUP, which this week started a mental wellness video series to encourage younger Singaporeans to practise self-care during the pandemic.
Joel Lim, the group's founder, said they conceptualised the videos following global reports highlighting the rise in anxiety felt by people grappling with social isolation and lockdowns. In Singapore, local media have reported how some citizens are feeling stressed and alone, as job prospects and family woes worsen.
"What I realised after talking to some of my friends was that quite a number of them have mentioned how the pandemic has been affecting their moods or their emotional and mental well-being," Lim said. "Compared with some of the other problems that have arisen due to the virus outbreak, mental health may not seem as severe or pressing an issue, but its impact may be equally or even more damaging in the long run."
An ambulance leaves the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, where coronavirus patients in Singapore are being cared for, on April 3, 2020. Photo: AFP alt=An ambulance leaves the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, where coronavirus patients in Singapore are being cared for, on April 3, 2020. Photo: AFP
Meanwhile, some Singaporeans are also hoping to ease the financial burden on frontline workers.
John Tan, 32, who is one-third of the team behind the Singapore Social Distancing Club, has been selling T-shirts to raise money for the Courage Fund by Community Chest. The fund will support those working in the front lines, including health care workers and volunteers. The initiative has raised almost S$800 (US$565) and sold 130 shirts since they started taking pre-orders at the end of March.
"After seeing the challenges that people are facing due to Covid-19 ... and also learning about the Courage Fund by Community Chest, I thought why not produce and sell these shirts to raise funds, give back to the community and have fun while at it," said Tan, who works as a marketing director.
He added that the team hoped to come up with more designs and different types of merchandise, such as tote bags, to raise funds for low-wage migrant workers " a group that has recently seen a rapid escalation in infections.
About half of Singapore's total coronavirus cases involve foreign workers who live in dormitories or undocumented construction sites.
Preeti Nair, a local YouTuber more widely known as Preetipls, released a video discussing some of the issues faced by migrant workers, and has raised more than S$258,800 for two charity organisations, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Healthserve.
The Preetipls video has inspired some young Singaporeans to start their own charitable initiatives.
Photographer Ethan Lai, 23, recently co-founded Giving Prints SG, a cause that gives out free photographic prints with every donation made to the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) organisation.
The free prints range from travel scenes to fashion shows and cultural images such as celebrations of Thaipusam in Singapore.
"The message we're sending is that citizens of Singapore have a moral duty to do what we can to help everyone who resides in this country," said Lai, a student at the University of the Arts London. "We want to show that even during difficult times and times of isolation, we are still connected in giving to a single cause."
As of Wednesday night, some 1,400 donors had donated almost S$200,000 to HOME's fundraising campaign.
Migrant workers account for roughly half of all coronavirus cases in Singapore. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=Migrant workers account for roughly half of all coronavirus cases in Singapore. Photo: EPA-EFE
Elsewhere, two youths are creating a zine to document the historic moment for future generations.
Gao Wenxin, 23, a co-editor of the Circuit Breaker Zine, said she hopes to "amplify the voices of those ... whose lives have drastically changed due to the virus", adding that it will first be launched as an e-zine, with the possibility of publishing print copies later.
To be launched in the coming weeks, the zine will feature accounts from various groups, including migrant workers, front line workers and small business owners struggling to put food on the table for their families.
Co-editor Michelle Lee, also 23, said the pandemic has plunged the nation into a state of uncertainty, with no end in sight.
"Right now, things are so uncertain and we do not know how social conditions and everyday life are going to change in the coming months. I want to keep documenting people's experiences from beginning to end," Lee said. "Even after the circuit breaker, who knows if life will return to the way it was before?"
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
