A4 MY NEWS HOME MY PAPER FRIDAY JUNE 19, 2009

ENGLISH EDITORIAL

Consulting Editor: FELIX SOH

felix@sph.com.sg
sINGAPORE
Editor:

Deputy Editor/
Money Editor:
YEOW KAI CHAI
kaichai@sph.com.sg
SARAH NG
ngsls@sph.com.sg
Steps taken to protect AYG athletes
News Editor: CHONG CHEE KIN
cheekin@sph.com.sg Young sportsmen to be given health kits, among other measures
Foreign Editor: WOON WUI TEK
wuitek@sph.com.sg 1,000 athletes, aged 14 to 17,
Entertainment/ JILL ALPHONSO
Lifestyle Editor: jilla@sph.com.sg H1N1 FLU with us for about two weeks. It
is paramount that their health
and safety are taken care of.
Sports Editor:

Art & Design

CHIA HAN KEONG
hankeong@sph.com.sg
PETER WILLIAMS
OUTBREAK “At the same time, we want
Director: peterwil@sph.com.sg
to show that, if everyone plays
his part in maintaining good per-
Copy Editor: KONG SOON WAH CHIA HAN KEONG sonal hygiene and seeing a doc-
sw@sph.com.sg
tor immediately if he has
HOTLINE: 6319-8880 flu-like symptoms, then life can
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T HE inaugural Asian Youth
Games (AYG) will go on as
planned, despite concerns
over the worldwide spread of
the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.
TO GET A COPY: CIRMyp@sph.com.sg Games organisers have set
or call our circulation department on
6388-3838 from Mon-Fri (9am-5pm)
up a series of measures to edu-
cate and protect the over 1,000
youth athletes that will take part
in the Games from June 29 to
July 7.
Not only will all participating
athletes be required to take
their temperatures twice daily
during the Games period, but
each of them will also be given a
health kit.
The kit will contain a ther-
gé lí
mometer, surgical mask, hand
sanitiser and a health advisory
to tell them how to maintain dai-
ly personal hygiene.
GEARED UP: Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (second from right) checking out
the AYG’s medical centre at Swissotel yesterday. (PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN)
Besides these measures, the
Games Organising Committee
has also set aside a big portion
of its temporary medical centre
at the Games Village at Swiss-
otel The Stamford to effectively
isolate and test any suspected
H1N1 case for confirmation.
There are 13 isolation rooms
set up for suspected flu patients,
as well as throat-swab testing
equipment to collect samples to
go on normally here.”
There are 66 confirmed cases
of the H1N1 virus here. Seven-
teen new patients were con-
firmed on Wednesday, the high-
est number of cases in a day so far.
hankeong@sph.com.sg
test for confirmation of the virus
at Singapore General Hospital. HELPDESK
Organisers also advise sports
fans who are not feeling well to Sanitiser: 
xiāo dú jì
avoid attending AYG events, es-
pecially those held in stadiums. Hygiene: wèi shēng
After touring the medical cen-
tre yesterday, the Minister for Isolate:
Community Development,
Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Paramount: 
Balakrishnan, said: “We are zuì gāo de
acutely aware that we have over

Phua Chu Kang pitch hits home better

WHAT do sitcom cha- on yellow in the speech bubble,
racter Phua Chu commuters are naturally drawn
Kang, Bloody Mary to the decals of a character that
– a blood-spattered has become very popular in Sin-
girl, and a germ-in- gapore.”
fested hand have in As for the Anti-Drink Drive
common? Campaign, many felt that its
They are the faces of re- message about the deadly conse-
cent media campaigns which quences of drink-driving is
have evoked strong reactions clear, but the scare tactics used
from the public. are unnecessary.
In particular, Singapore- One poster shows a girl after
ans pointed to posters on a car accident, with blood flow-
the flu-awareness cam- ing from the cuts on her face
paign launched by the and staining her clothes.
Health Promotion Board Mr S. H. Kwa, 26, a market-
and the graciousness cam- ing executive, said: “After watch-
paign started by the Public ing all kinds of violent movies, PUT OFF? The anti-drink driving
Transport Council (PTC). we’re already desensitised to im- message is clear but most prefer the
Most Singaporeans ages of people getting hurt.” the Phua Chu Kang campaign’s
light touch. (PHOTOS: LTA, INTERNET)
felt that those with a The PTC campaign featuring
light touch, such as Gurmit Singh as Phua Chu
who see it would not be turned
the PTC campaign, Kang is more successful in com-
off immediately.”
are more effective in parison, according to commu-
driving home the mes- Another commuter, Mr Chris-
ters.
sage. tian Eber, 30, a systems field
Ms Ivy Chan, 34, an accounts
manager in a pharmaceutical
Assistant Professor manager, said: “Compared to
company, said that he has seen
Yeoh Kok Cheow from the hand with the germs, or the
more acts of graciousness after
the Wee Kim Wee School Bloody Mary in the drink-driv-
the campaign was launched.
of Communication and In- ing posters, the PTC campaign
formation said: “The mes- is less in-your-face. He said: “I see more people
sage is straightforward being more forthcoming in giv-
“Whether it will prove to be
and attention-grabbing. ing up their seats to those who
successful in getting commuters
really need them.”
“Through the effec- to become more gracious is a dif-
tive use of bold black text ferent story but, at least, people – CHEN JINGTING