COVID-19 and Singapore’s Film and TV Industry: News Roundup for Week of 10 February 20205 min read
Reading Time: 4 minutesTrue to Sinema’s core goal of supporting the local film and TV industry by being a resource hub, we will be cutting through the deluge of news relating to the Coronavirus flooding Facebook feeds and WhatsApp groups to deliver the daily news most relevant to the industry.
14 February 2020
Eight More Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Infection
As of 13 February 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified eight additional cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore, all of which are linked to previous cases.
Links between previous cases found.
Keep up to date through the MOH’s official press release here.
Hong Kong International Film & TV Market Rescheduled Due To COVID-19 Outbreak
In line with the measures taken by the Hong Kong SAR Government against the spread of the novel coronavirus, the HKTDC will postpone its FILMART to 27 – 29 August, 2020 (originally scheduled for 25-28 March, 2020). Details will be announced later. For enquiries, please call the HKTDC customer service hotline at (852) 1830 668.
Find out more>>Conduct of IPPT, IPT, and RT at FCCs, SAFRA Gyms and IPT-in-the-Park Locations Temporarily Suspended
In view of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) situation, the SAF Fitness Conditioning Centres (FCCs) will be temporarily closed, and the conduct of the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), IPPT Preparatory Training (IPT) and Remedial Training (RT) at FCCs, SAFRA gyms and IPT-in-the-Park locations will be temporarily suspended until end-February 2020.
NSmen who have scheduled these activities in February at the aforementioned locations will receive an SMS informing them about the cancellation.
However, do note that the conduct of IPPT will still continue at the unit level for NSmen attending In-Camp Training (ICT).
Doctor Recommends Making Your Own Cloth Face Mask With Air ‘Filter’ – Here’s How to Do It
In desperate times, wearing a cloth mask is better than having no mask on at all — true or false?
Well, yes and no. Dr Chen Xiaoting, a Taiwanese anaesthesiologist, is one proponent of using cloth masks, provided they are used correctly and washed often.
He even recommends making your own. In a Facebook post on 7 February, Dr Chen wrote how he makes his own masks with a piece of cloth and the help of a tailor.
13 February 2020
Surveys For Creatives in The Industry To Rally Feedback
The Singapore Association of Motion Picture Professionals (SAMPP), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the National Instructors & Coaches Association (NICA), Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) have launched surveys to get a better sensing of how COVID-19 has affected the industry and local businesses at large in Singapore.
UOB Sets Aside S$3b as Relief Assistance to SMEs
United Overseas Bank (UOB) on Wednesday, 12 February, said it has set aside S$3 billion to provide companies in Singapore, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with relief assistance to tide over the negative impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on their business.
The bank’s relief measures would enable those affected companies to have more flexibility in their cash flow management. This comes as SMEs are due to have near-term liquidity needs, UOB said.
UOB clarified that the sum of S$3 billion will not be taken as impairments, as these companies have good track records and who have been servicing their repayments promptly.
New Ways for Singaporeans to Offer Help and Support Amid Outbreak of COVID-19: Desmond Lee
This outpouring of support from individual Singaporeans and organisations is encouraging and heartening, said Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee on Wednesday, February 12, at a press conference organised by the multi-ministry task force tackling the virus outbreak here.
Following feedback that it might be useful to have a “centralised place” to coordinate the ground-up offers of help, Mr Lee said the Government will help to do so and channel these support and resources in two ways.
This will help to ensure that resources reach the healthcare workers and people who need it the most, he said.
The first is through the Courage Fund, which was set up in April 2003 as a fund-raising effort to help victims of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), healthcare workers and their families, as well as the wider community affected by serious infectious diseases.
The Government will also be setting up a centralised platform to help “convene various ground-up efforts”. More information will be shared shortly, the minister said.
(Banner Photo Credit: 123RF)
