mp Edwin Tong visited Bedok Central to witness enhanced cleaning works, which include the washing of floors with bleach solution and disinfection of high-touch surfaces. He reassures the public and hawkers that the center is safe to visit and eat at, citing research indicating most cases of TB have latent infection. The Food Centre also received financial support from the National Environment Agency and East Coast Town Council to facilitate the reopening after the cleaning works.
Edwin Tong urges support for merchants at Bedok food centre following deep cleaning : 'It is safe to continue to be here'PHOTO: AsiaOne/Shafiq ApandiIt is safe for the public to visit Bedok Central, said East Coast GRC MP Edwin Tong on Monday as enhanced cleaning is being carried out at the food centre and market at Block 216.
Regular washing of the centre has been brought forward a month ahead of schedule, and a disinfection operation is also being done for free by a specialised provider from May 17 to 19. This is on top of the daily disinfection of the premises, which the East Coast Town Council has been conducting since the Communicable Diseases Agency said on April 30 that it had foundbetween January 2023 and February 2026.
Tong, who is Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs, visited the centre on Monday to witness the stepped-up cleaning works.floors were washed with bleach solution and then jet-rinsed. High-touch surfaces and touchpoints including railings, taps and handles have been cleaned and disinfected with hospice-grade alcohol wipes. Enhanced deep cleaning of high-touch public surfaces was also being carried out by an external vendor using a disinfectant which has reportedly been certified effective against the bacterium associated with TB.
" will give both patrons as well as our hawkers a deeper sense of assurance that it is safe to continue to be here, to eat here, to socialise here," Tong emphasised, repeating that TB does not transmit through casual contact.reported that 473 of the 3,169 people screened for TB had testedThe CDA said on May 13 that it expects the "vast majority" of the cases to have latent TB infection, which means they do not have symptoms and will not spread it to others. Hawkers whom AsiaOne spoke to on Monday expressed hopes that the thorough cleaning of the centre will encourage residents to return and patronise Bedok Central.
Osman Bin Kadir, who runs two stalls selling nasi padang and kueh, said earnings dipped by 50 to 70 per cent when the news was first reported, and recovered slightly before dropping again.
"We want our customers to come back, support all the hawkers here, because they really work hard, they really cook with love, and they want to give the best to our customers here," he told AsiaOne. Prawn noodle hawker Amos Raphael Sim echoed the same sentiments, adding that footfall is unpredictable, which makes it challenging in terms of food preparation.
"To all our regulars and our residents in here in Bedok: Come back, it's safe, there's nothing to be afraid of. The National Environment Agency will be providing stallholders a rental rebate of 50 per cent for May, while ECTC will give a 50 per cent Service and Conservancy Charges rebate to affected stallholders for one month. Tong said on Monday that the authorities will keep a close watch on whether further financial intervention for the stall owners is necessary.
"We'll see how it goes after we reopen on Wednesday , and then make an assessment thereafter," he added.
Edwin Tong Bedok Central Food Centre Deep Cleaning Safety TB Transmission Financial Support Enhanced Cleaning High-Touch Surfaces Floor Washing Disinfection
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