Over 100,000 to receive national recognition for contributions and sacrifices towards Singapore’s fight against COVID-19

Singapore has come a long way since the first case of COVID-19 arrived on our shores. For over two years, the community, businesses, and Government worked hand in hand to protect lives and livelihoods. Many went above and beyond the call of duty as they battled a public health pandemic that fundamentally changed the way we lived, worked and interacted with one another.

In recognition of their public spirit and contributions to the nation’s fight against COVID-19, special state awards will be awarded to individuals and teams in the public, private and people sectors, including in particular the public healthcare sector.

The National Awards (COVID-19) will be given to those who have made outstanding contributions to the national fight against COVID-19. The awards under this category include: The Meritorious Service Medal (COVID-19), The Public Service Star (COVID-19), The Public Administration Medal (COVID-19)¹, The Medal of Valour (COVID-19), The Commendation Medal (COVID-19), The Public Service Medal (COVID-19) and The President’s Certificate of Commendation (COVID-19).

A new national award termed the COVID-19 Resilience Medal (CRM) will also be awarded to those who participated directly in the national fight against COVID-19. This award will recognise and pay tribute to the many thousands whose contributions and sacrifices saw us through the pandemic. See details in Annex A.

National Awards (COVID-19)

A total of about 9,500 individuals will receive the National Awards (COVID-19). These include about 4,000 individuals from the public healthcare sector, 4,500 from the public sector, and about 900 from the private and people sectors. The number and spread of individuals receiving awards reflect how the fight against COVID-19 has been a whole-of-nation effort – including those who provided medical care, surveillance and testing, organised the vaccination drive, oversaw safe distancing, ran dormitory operations and ensured our economic, supply chain and social resilience. More details on the National Awards (COVID-19) can be found in Annex B.

The apex of the National Awards (COVID-19) is the Meritorious Service Medal (COVID-19) (MSM). The three recipients coming from different sectors reinforce the whole-of-nation nature of our fight against COVID-19.

i) A/Prof Mak Seck Wai, Kenneth – Director of Medical Services, Ministry of Health. In his position as Chief Medical Advisor, he advised the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) and other government agencies in crafting the overall strategy for managing the outbreak and oversaw the public health response to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the community. He was a familiar face at MTF press conferences, as well as in many engagement sessions with healthcare professionals and community partners. His steady and calm presence reassured the public and reinforced the public’s trust in the Government’s handling of the pandemic.

ii) Mr Pang Kin Keong – Chairman, Homefront Crisis Executive Group (HCEG) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs. Mr Pang’s leadership was an example of grace under pressure. He mobilised agencies across the people, private and public sectors to respond to the crisis, anticipate possible COVID-19 trajectories, develop action plans for the different stages of the pandemic, and later take steps to return to normalcy. He led the HCEG ably in supporting the MTF and overseeing the expeditious execution of its decisions. It was in large part due his leadership, that the Singapore public service was able to anticipate many of the challenges during the crisis, respond swiftly and effectively to a complex threat, and generally stay ahead of this tricky pandemic. And it was in large part due to his leadership that morale in the public service never flagged during the crisis.

iii) Mr Tan Chong Meng – Lead for Community Care Facilities Taskforce, Temasek, and Group CEO, PSA International. Mr Tan helped to ensure that Singapore’s supply chains withstood the numerous global and local disruptions caused by the COVID-19 storm. He also contributed to Singapore’s response to COVID-19 on a number of essential fronts, including driving the set-up of several significant emergency health infrastructure during the first COVID-19 surge, and facilitating the safe inflow of migrant workers for critical sectors. He was also the co-chair of the Emerging Stronger Taskforce, which was set up to pre-empt the major trends triggered by COVID-19 and prepare Singapore for eventual economic and social recovery.

In addition to the individual awards, over 480 teams will receive the President’s Certificate of Commendation. These awards exemplify the extensive teamwork involved in the fight against COVID-19, and celebrate the team spirit that Singaporeans from all walks of life demonstrated.

A full list of the National Awards (COVID-19) recipients is available at www.pmo.gov.sg/National-Awards.

COVID-19 Resilience Medal and Certificate

The CRM and COVID-19 Resilience Certificate (CRC) are new national awards to recognise the substantive contributions of those who participated directly in the fight against COVID-19. About 99,000 individuals and 800 teams will receive the CRM and CRC.

CRM and CRC recipients will be announced at a later date.

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PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
29 DECEMBER 2022

Annexes:

Annex A – State awards to recognise contributions towards Singapore’s fight against COVID-19
Annex B – National Awards (COVID-19) categories and descriptions
Annex C – Medal design for COVID Resilience Medal

Annex A

State Awards to Recognise Contributions Towards Singapore’s Fight Against Covid-19

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus began spreading in the world. Soon after, in January 2020, Singapore saw our first case. No one could have predicted the scale of disruption this virus would cause the world.

COVID-19 was the crisis of a generation. As a nation, we fought the virus for over two years. Countries around the world closed borders to check the spread of the virus. Singapore set up new facilities and processes, like Government Quarantine Facilities, Community Care Facilities and Stay Home Notices. We introduced safe management measures such as safe distancing and mask-wearing. Access to workplaces, dormitories, schools and community spaces was severely restricted. COVID-19 disrupted the way we lived, worked and interacted.

Yet even as our doors to the rest of the world closed, our people opened their hearts and rallied together to fight COVID-19. During the dark times, Singaporeans readily stepped forward to help one another. Friends, neighbours and strangers alike demonstrated generosity and care – reaching out to our seniors, providing food and essentials to those in quarantine, and sewing masks for the community.

Scientists and researchers raced to understand the coronavirus and find ways to combat it. On the frontlines, healthcare workers soldiered on. Worn out by the long struggle, they did not waver in performing their duties, or caring for those in their charge.

At our borders and behind the scenes, officers and staff worked day and night. They managed border flows, brought Singaporeans overseas home safely, and secured our supplies of key resources and medical devices. When COVID-19 clusters emerged in the dormitories, we responded comprehensively to contain the spread, set up medical and triage facilities to protect the health of the migrant workers, and take care of their needs and welfare.

Contact tracers, swabbers and home recovery coordinators, together with essential service workers from many different sectors, accepted personal risks to keep our community safe. Safe distancing ambassadors also played a key role, ensuring adherence to safe management measures. Teachers and staff worked hard to make home-based learning work during the Circuit Breaker, and thereafter to keep schools safely open so that as far as possible learning could continue.

COVID-19 severely impacted the economy. Countless jobs and livelihoods were on the line. Agencies worked together to roll out multiple rounds of support measures, first to save jobs and corporate capabilities economy-wide, and later, to protect badly hit sectors each time we tightened safe management measures.

Singapore started to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from December 2020 – the first country in Asia to do so. We quickly set up vaccination centres across the island. Our people responded overwhelmingly to the call to get vaccinated. Today Singapore has one of the highest vaccination and boosting rates in the world. This has given us crucial protection from severe illness, safeguarded our healthcare capacity and enabled us to open up progressively and safely.

Singapore’s community, businesses, and Government came together to overcome the challenge and emerge stronger. These State Awards honour all those who have done their duty and more to fight COVID-19. Through them, we also pay tribute to the many more thousands whose contributions and sacrifices saw us through the pandemic.

They are the heroes of our fight against COVID-19. They have shown grit, courage and public spirit, and they make us all proud to be Singaporeans.

Annex B

National Awards (COVID-19) Categories and Descriptions

The National Awards (COVID-19) recognise selected individuals and teams who have made significant contributions towards Singapore’s fight against COVID-19. More than 10,000 individuals and teams will receive the National Awards (COVID-19).

Award categories and descriptions

Order of Precedence for National Awards (COVID-19)

Annex C

Medal Design for National Awards (COVID-19) and COVID-19 Resilience Medal (CRM)

Both the National Awards (COVID-19) and the COVID-19 Resilience Medal (CRM) will feature new ribbon colours, to indicate that they have been specially presented for the awardees’ service in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The colours and design of the medal ribbon are inspired by two recognisable symbols of the pandemic – a negative Antigen Rapid Test (ART) result (a single red stripe on a white base), and the familiar green of the TraceTogether application.

New medal ribbon colours and design for National Awards (COVID-19) and CRM

The COVID-19 Resilience Medal (CRM) and COVID-19 Resilience Certificate (CRC) are new national awards to recognise the substantive contributions of those who participated directly in Singapore’s fight against COVID-19. About 99,000 individuals and 800 teams will receive the CRM and CRC.

Design of CRM Medal

Design of CRM medal

Front of medal

The front of the silver medal is encircled with its name, ‘COVID-19 Resilience Medal’. A shield with five stars and a crescent moon forms the centrepiece of the medal, representing Singapore as a young nation and our ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.

Back of medal

Similar to most Singapore state medals, the CRM carries the State Crest on its reverse side. It is engraved with the phrase, ‘SG United • Stronger Together’ – the familiar rallying call for unity and a reminder of our resilience throughout the pandemic.

Design elements on medal face

Woven into the design are several symbols that represent the key qualities that Singapore has displayed as a nation in our fight against COVID-19. The eight arrow-like elements embellishing the medal’s rim represent our adaptability and swift responses in tackling the pandemic, while the intertwining lines represent how Singaporeans stood united against an invisible foe.

The bar of the medal features the Vanda Miss Joaquim, Singapore’s national flower. It blooms all-year round, representing our resilience. The laurels on either side of the Vanda Miss Joaquim pay tribute to and recognise the awardee’s efforts in the battle against COVID-19.

[1] This includes The Public Administration Medal (Gold), The Public Administration Medal (Silver), and The Public Administration Medal (Bronze).