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SINGAPORE – Are there enough TraceTogether contact tracing tokens for everyone? Did the government put the cart before the horse when it announced the mandatory use of the registration system in all public places even before everyone had a chance to collect their token?
These questions will inevitably be asked after residents formed long lines to collect the tokens, causing a sudden halt in their distribution.
On October 20, authorities said that the use of the TraceTogether app or the token to register would be mandatory in cinemas, restaurants, workplaces, schools and shopping centers by the end of December, as Singapore prepares to enter phase three. of its reopening.
These venues will have to progressively implement the new national registration system, beginning with cinemas as of Monday.
Theaters will also have to fully implement TraceTogether to register much earlier, before November 16.
The new system will replace the current familiar one that involves scanning SafeEntry QR codes with phone cameras or the SingPass mobile app, or barcodes in NRIC.
Last week, only around 400,000 TraceTogether tokens were collected. But the lawsuit skyrocketed just after news about its mandatory use broke. Those planning to see a movie should have a token or app ready by November 16.
Children and the elderly, who normally do not have a smartphone or the latest device to use the application, will need a token.
That is, if they can no longer scan the barcodes on their NRICs or student concession passes.
All residents seven years of age or older, including pass holders, are entitled to a token.
As expected, long lines formed last Saturday at some of the 38 community centers that served as distribution centers for the tokens. Some people had to queue for about 45 minutes.
The next day, the minister in charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, Vivian Balakrishnan, urged the public not to rush, saying there would be more than enough tokens.
For the first time, the public was informed about plans to deliver 2.7 million tokens and that production could increase based on demand. Had this information been released earlier, public fears of a supply shortage would have dissipated.
But that was not the end of the story.
On Wednesday, the Office of Digital Government and Smart Nation (SNDGO) turned around and suspended token collection for one day at all 38 community centers to restart its distribution system.
Under the plan above, all 108 community centers across the island were scheduled to begin token distribution by the end of next month. All of them would have seen people without an appointment.
But this will no longer be the case. The distribution will now be staggered, one constituency at a time, “to better meet demand and avoid long lines,” SNDGO said.
Marsiling Community Club was the first to open yesterday for residents of that constituency to collect their tokens.
However, did this phased approach eliminate queues?
When The Straits Times arrived at the club at 9.45am yesterday morning, there were already about 100 people in line.
The crowds continued to arrive two hours later.
A proven way to avoid overcrowding is to follow what local telcos have done in the past for Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phone launches.
Telecommunications companies registered shoppers online and gave them a time slot to pick up their phones at designated collection points.
They even deliver purchased phones to people’s homes today.
And now for the bigger question: Are there enough TraceTogether tokens for everyone?
Even if there is no shortage of supply, the government could have done better in coordinating the timelines for the distribution of tokens and the mandatory deployment of TraceTogether in the places.
For example, after all theaters here have implemented the new registration system by November 16, the only way to enter is to use the TraceTogether app or token.
But residents of Marine Parade, Chai Chee, and Mountbatten, especially children who can only get a token as of December 14, according to the full schedule on the TokenGoWhere website, will not be able to watch a movie during school holidays.
The government should have given everyone who needs a token the opportunity to collect one before requiring its use to register at the venues.
And it’s not just the elderly and children who are affected by the new token requirement: those who cannot bring their mobile phones to their workplace, for security or any other reason, will surely need a TraceTogether token as well. .
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