Singapore—Residents of Singapore are given free mask kits but it seems that some have gotten upset when the masks they got were not the correct size.
Madam Ho Ching, the Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings and the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, took to Facebook not only once but twice on Thursday morning (Dec 10) to remind people to take their measurements before availing themselves of the free masks.
The masks, which have been made available at #StayMasked vending machines when residents scan the barcode of their government-issued IDs or key their ID numbers in, come in S, M, L, and XL sizes. Size guides are available online at stayprepared.sg/masks.
However, Mdm Ho wrote that some of the people who did not determine their size naturally got masks that don’t fit, and asked to exchange them, which cannot be done as it would be unhygienic.
Mdm Ho added that when service ambassadors told people they can’t exchange their masks, some behaved badly.
“So for those who threw their masks at the service ambassadors when they are not allowed to exchange, shame on you!
We can be unhappy without being uncivil to others.
We can be disappointed without taking it out on others who are not just doing their jobs
The service ambassadors, volunteers and staff are all driven by a sense of duty to help keep our community safe, to keep everyone safe.
They are there to also help folks who are not sure of their size,” she wrote, encouraging the public at the end of her post to give the volunteers a thumbs-up to show support and cheer them on.
The Temasek CEO praised those who, when they found out that their masks did not fit, exchanged them privately. “Good for them, as these are mutually agreed self help among us. I like their spirit,” she added.
Another alternative is to simply pass the masks that don’t fit “to a younger or smaller member of your family, or a friend.”
In her second post, Mdm Ho shared a video from Temasek Foundation that showed how to determine one’s mask size.
In her caption, she added some tips:
-S is for children aged 8 and below
-M is for older pre-teens and teens, petite adults
-L is for most male and female adults
-XL is for taller adults or those with longer face shapes
She wrote, “Measure the vertical height from the nose bridge to the chin. The nose bridge spot is in the valley of the nose, between our eyes, at the eye level. When fitted properly, the mask should sit below the eyes, with the bottom of the mask tucked under the chin. This would allow us to talk without the mask slipping down frequently.”
Mdm Ho added that people may collect masks until Sunday, Dec 13.
-/TISG
Ho Ching remains Temasek CEO nearly a decade after failed leadership succession plans