The 13 check-in sins of Singaporeans, according to a SafeEntry worker

As long as COVID-19 exists in the world and Singaporean borders are open, contact tracing using smartphones, tokens, and apps will probably continue to be a part of life. While the pandemic rages across the globe, a SafeEntry worker also raged (in a productive manner) towards Singaporeans who make their job harder.

According to a post by Facebook user Jonathan Ooi, who introduced himself as one of the myriad SafeEntry workers scanning everyone and their grandmother throughout the day, Singaporeans annoy them in thirteen different ways.

1. Holding the phone upside down or horizontally. SafeEntry staff may not find it helpful if you’re not ready with your phone when they ask for details.
2. Font is either too big, or too small. While this is a preference and probably something to do with Singaporeans’ eyesight, it definitely takes a few seconds longer than necessary for the staff to get the details. Since entrances to malls have queues, it may be better to prepare for the SafeEntry check before it’s your turn so you can go about your business faster.
3. Having a privacy screen installed. The SafeEntry staff said that if you know you have that sort of screen protector on your phone, then show them the full screen straight on instead of waiting to be asked to show it properly.
4. Holding the pass too far away. If the SafeEntry worker can’t see it well, then they’ll just ask you to show them closer and you’d still be holding up the line. What’s more, the worker has to answer the question, “Oh I showed you already, you didn’t see?”
5. Holding the pass up too quickly, and not hold it up steadily. It’s good to know that the SafeEntry workers take their jobs so seriously and that people who don’t show their passes long enough. Some Singaporeans may not hold their passes up well. Other people who have multiple companions and need to be checked in properly, and most Singaporeans find it too tedious to make sure the worker had gotten all their information.
6. Blocking the barcode with their finger. The SafeEntry worker showed just how people make something as simple as showing their phone or a token completely difficult when they don’t get the point in the first place.
7. Dimmed their screens. The workers need the brightness set to high so the scanner can work properly.
8. Forgetting to unlock their phones. While this is an honest mistake, it usually happens when people aren’t paying attention and irks the SafeEntry worker.
9. Trying to get out of being checked. Some people do not stop when SafeEntry workers call their attention. The concept of contact tracing only works if it’s implemented rigorously, so the worker usually wants to double check.
10. Having earbuds and don’t understand the workers at checkpoints. The worker preferred that people take out their earbuds or turn them off in case they would be asked questions at checkpoints.
11. Making excuses for not showing their entry pass. The workers don’t really care what their reason is. Going in and out means they have to be checked every single time and it would go easily if they just showed the pass.
12. Saving a screenshot of their pass to fool the checkers. This will not work, said the SafeEntry worker as they can see the time stamp and suss out other details.
13. iPhone users turning off their WiFi and getting notifications. Checkers want iPhone users to turn on their WiFi so that the passes update and they don’t get unnecessarily stopped.

You can read the full post (complete with extra expletives below.

Handheld thermometers don’t cause cancer

Another concern of the checker was how people feared the no-contact thermometer, saying that the device could cause cancer. According to AFP, health officials all over the world have said that these devices do not cause cancer and that those claims are unfounded.

In the end, all the SafeEntry workers like Jonathan are asking for is patience and to work together in containing COVID-19 so we can go about our lives.

.