SINGAPORE — Despite having developed Covid-19 related symptoms, just as Singapore was entering the height of the pandemic in 2020, a chef disregarded his doctor's directive to isolate himself at home and instead carried on working, socialising and even attending a job interview.
On Monday , Lau Zhi Zhang was sentenced by a district court to five months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to two charges under the Infectious Diseases Act.THE CASE
He was later examined by a doctor at a clinic along Circuit Road on March 31, and was found to have a temperature of 37.7°C and was diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection. The following morning, Lau left his house to meet his colleague, Mr Benjamin Yip, to work at the Napoleon restaurant DPP Teong said that at around this time, both Lau and Mr Yip were looking for a new job, and they were able to secure for themselves a job interview at the Picotin, a restaurant along Fairways Drive, on April 3 that was scheduled for the following morning.
Lau then took a private-hire vehicle home, but went for a swab test only on April 6 and tested positive for Covid-19.