Some NSmen Clocking Longer ICT Days to Care for Patients in Singapore Expo

Pre-Covid-19, ask any NSmen or NSF if they’ll fight for the country and they’ll probably go: are you crazy?

But when shit really hits the fan?

A few days ago…

And now:

S’pore Expo Turned Into Community Isolation Facility

Expo has been turned into from this

Into this:

A community isolation facility which houses Covid-19 patients with either mild symptoms or is already on the road to recovery.

The SAF has been providing medical support to Halls 5 and 6 for the past week since last Wednesday with teams made up of regulars, NSFs and NSmen.

They work two eight-hour shifts where they conduct swap tests, medical reviews and sort the patients by care level.

Some NSmen Clocking Longer ICT Days to Care for Patients in Singapore Expo

Normally, high-key ICTs consist of 14 days of training.

But for the NSMen at Expo, they have extended their ICT to 20 or 21 days due to the fact that they have to be trained and prepared to care for the patients before being put on the job.

“Most of my men are coming in for slightly longer than a normal ICT cycle. They are here for about 20 to 21 days, because we have to spend time training and preparing them, making sure they are safe before we can bring them into this environment.”

Despite that, Lieutenant-Colonel (National Service) Gabriel Cheong felt that the extension was worthwhile.

He can tap on his expertise and contribute to the fight against the pandemic for Singapore.

SAF WIll Do All It Can To Support The Fight

This is a large effort for SAF, the Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen said.

When asked about the possibility of the SAF sending more to support other community isolation facilities, he said that the SAF will take directions from the multi-ministerial task force who are in charge of the fight.

So far, none of the soldiers deployed to help care for the patients has contracted Covid-19 yet.

The commander of the task force at Expo says that soldiers are reminded to be vigilant at all times.

Aren’t you proud of our Singaporean sons? I know I am.