No Evidence Yet of Bus Interchange COVID-19 Clusters Spreading Virus to Commuters

Much like a young lover, COVID-19 seems to get bored of the person it’s attached to quickly. A little too quickly.

First, it was dormitories, then churches, then shopping malls, then Changi Airport, then hawker centres, then KTV lounges, then a fishery port, and now, bus interchanges.

Specifically staff at bus interchanges.

At the moment, there are eight active clusters linked to those working at bus interchanges, with Toa Payoh being the largest with 104 cases.

Understandably, with so many clusters at a location where many residents spend their mornings and evenings, people are concerned.

But there may not be any real cause for alarm just yet.

No Evidence Yet of Bus Interchange COVID-19 Clusters Spreading Virus to Commuters

Contrary to what that WhatsApp message you received today says, there’s no evidence of bus interchange clusters leading to the spread of COVID-19 among commuters.

Citing experts, that’s exactly what Transport Minister S Iswaran said in a recent interview with local media.

However, he added that we should continue to observe the safeguards put in place.

“If there is a need to do more, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will work with public transport operators to do so,” he said.

How Did the Clusters Form?

Naturally, questions have been asked as to how so many clusters have formed among staff at bus interchanges.

Ms Iswaran addressed this concern, saying it could have come from the community, or could have spread in the workplace, as employees often gather for various activities.

Medical experts are still studying the matter, he said.

341 Cases Linked to Bus Interchange Clusters

Sure, it’s no Jurong Fishery Port, but the bus interchange clusters have consistently been growing in the last few days.

Currently, there are eight clusters, namely:

• Tampines bus interchange staff – 24 cases
• Boon Lay bus interchange staff – 74 cases
• Jurong East bus interchange staff – 30 cases
• Bishan bus interchange staff – 29 cases
• Clementi bus interchange staff – 23 cases
• Toa Payoh bus interchange – 104 cases
• Punggol bus interchange – 32 cases
• Sengkang bus interchange – 25 cases

In total, there are 341 infections linked to these clusters.

For comparison sake, the KTV lounges cluster, which has not seen any new infections for quite some time, has a total of 253 cases.

Could Lead to Longer Waiting Times for Buses

Now, while the clusters have not yet had a major impact on bus operations, we might have to wait a little longer for our buses if cases in these clusters continue to rise.

“Any lengthening of bus service headways required will be progressive, starting with low demand bus services to minimise the impact on commuters,” LTA said in a statement.

As for how long it could be, The Straits Times reported that the adjustment in bus schedules could lead to waiting times going up by five to ten minutes.

It doesn’t seem like much, but I’m sure we will find a way to complain about it.

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