Masks for All SG partners SingHealth Duke-NUS Emergency Medicine Academic Clinical Programme to distribute 10,000 masks at four emergency departments

Singapore, 10 June 2020 - Mask Up, Stay Safe!, a collaboration initiated by Masks For All SG and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Emergency Medicine Academic Clinical Programme (EM ACP), will be giving out free reusable masks to elderly and paediatric patients seen at the emergency departments of Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Changi General Hospital (CGH), Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) from 10 June 2020.

The Mask Up, Stay Safe! initiative will see a total of 10,000 reusable masks given out to two groups of patients – those aged two and above at the KKH Children’s Emergency Department, and those above the age of 60 at the other three SingHealth hospitals. This initiative complements the existing mask distribution efforts in Singapore, and reminds the community to use masks as a line of defence in the fight against COVID-19. Patients who receive the masks will also be given education materials on proper mask usage. The initiative is made possible by the dedicated efforts of volunteers who sew reusable masks and the close collaboration between Masks For All SG and its various partners. The initiative will run from 10 June to 30 July 2020, or while stocks last.

Dr Evelyn Wong, Adjunct Associate Professor, Vice-Chair, Education, SingHealth Duke-NUS EM ACP and Senior Consultant, Department of Emergency Medicine, SGH, said, “Through Mask Up, Stay Safe!, we hope to remind the public to be vigilant about mask practices to safeguard themselves against COVID-19. This will also help our patients, especially vulnerable groups like young children and the elderly, gain easy access to suitable masks and be educated on proper mask usage, safe distancing and the importance of maintaining personal hygiene to stay safe and healthy during this period. This is aligned with our commitment to ensure that our patients remain protected on their return to the community from the Emergency Department. We are thankful to Masks For All SG and its partners for their support through this community effort.”

Ms Von Leong, co-founder of Masks For All SG, said, “We are proud to be a part of this meaningful collaboration with the SingHealth Duke-NUS EM ACP. This partnership will allow us to further increase our outreach to vulnerable groups island-wide in educating and equipping them with the means to take care of themselves and stay safe during this global pandemic.”

The EM ACP is a programme under the SingHealth-Duke NUS Academic Medical Centre that brings together Emergency Medicine professionals from its four hospitals to advance the practice and study of Emergency Medicine. It focuses on delivering high-quality care to patients presenting at the hospitals with emergencies, and does so through continuous quality improvement, innovation, research and education. It also seeks to work with the community to support the nation’s efforts against COVID-19.

Masks For All SG is a community-driven movement to empower people in Singapore to Make, Share and Wear a reusable mask. With the help of various partners, the volunteer group aims to raise awareness of the importance of wearing masks, and support those in need to acquire masks for use.