Covid-19 task force: New Year's Eve gathering in Clarke Quay a potential superspreading event
The incident is believed to have involved hundreds of merrymakers in a spontaneous countdown party.
PHOTO: Screengrab/TikTok
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 02, 2022 10:59 AMByDavid Sun
SINGAPORE - Enforcement agencies are looking into a potential superspreading event with blatant breaches of safe management rules at a gathering of revellers on New Year's Eve in Clarke Quay.
The incident was caught on video and is believed to have involved hundreds in a spontaneous countdown party.
In a statement on Sunday (Jan 2), the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 urged the public to be responsible.
It said: "The New Year's Eve gathering at Clarke Quay involved some blatant breaches of safe management rules and is a potential superspreading event.
"We understand the desire and enthusiasm to usher in the new year, especially after two years of social restrictions. As a society, we have done what we can to build up our resilience. But we would like to remind everyone that we are still in the middle of a pandemic crisis, and we still need to exercise civic responsibility.
"If everyone continues to do our part, the situation will continue to improve, and we can look forward to 2022 being a significantly more normal year."
Videos of the event uploaded on social media showed hundreds gathered in front of Riverside Point.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@shihanahnafshoeb/video/7048115068407450881[/embed]
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The rowdy crowd can be seen cheering, singing, celebrating and counting down to the new year. Many had their masks pulled down.
One man was seen standing on an elevated platform pouring a liquid from a bottle into the crowd surrounding him.
The staff of shops and restaurants in the area said the eateries had closed by 10.30pm, and many staff had already left the area by 11.30pm after cleaning and closing up.
All of them said there were large crowds in the area at the time, and many large groups of young people.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.