SINGAPORE: A Singaporean has raised concerns about everyday hygiene after witnessing people “sneezing and coughing” in public places, including food and beverage outlets, and sometimes directly toward his and other diners’ food.
Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit community, he wrote: “I see people sneezing and coughing openly without so much as attempting or at least faking an attempt to cover their orifices. This happens even at F&B (Food and Beverage) places, and they cough or sneeze in the direction of your food.”
The observation, he added, was not limited to casual sniffles. “Some are visibly unwell and sneezing, but wouldn’t wear a mask in peak hour transport.” His matter-of-fact conclusion captured the disbelief many felt reading the post: “What’s up with these people and how did they survive the pandemic? Where has our hygiene etiquette gone?”
Pandemic lessons, seemingly forgotten
The post reflected a shared frustration among Singaporeans who thought COVID-19 would permanently improve public hygiene habits. Instead, many commenters said they now rely less on social norms and more on self-protection.
One commenter said they no longer expect basic courtesy from others and now carry a mask at all times, putting it on “whenever there are inconsiderate people around.” Another echoed the sentiment, saying they still mask up, not for themselves, but out of fear of transmitting illness to elderly or immunocompromised family members.
Several shared similar coping strategies, including avoiding people who cough excessively. One said he changed train cabins because the person next to him “kept coughing” nonstop, describing it as far beyond a few harmless coughs.
Hygiene lapses beyond sneezing
The frustration went beyond just coughing and sneezing. Some commenters pointed to “disgusting” hygiene practices in workplaces and public facilities. One complained about F&B staff not washing their hands with soap and water after using the washroom, calling it totally unacceptable, especially when handling food.
Gyms were another common place of hygiene problems. A commenter described seeing visibly unwell individuals blowing their congested noses into their hands before gripping shared exercise machines, raising concerns about surface hygiene in high-contact environments.
Public littering also came up repeatedly. One commenter recounted confronting an elderly man who discarded a used tissue outside an MRT station rather than properly disposing of it. When called out, the man allegedly laughed it off and hurried away.
A broader decline in social etiquette?
For some, the issue reflected something bigger than hygiene alone. One lengthy comment argued that the problem extended to “etiquette in general,” citing air, ground and noise pollution as everyday examples of people ignoring shared responsibility.
The commenter described seeing locals of all ages leaving rubbish behind, coughing and sneezing without covering up, blasting videos and music at full volume on public transport, and riding personal mobility devices recklessly. The takeaway was bleak: basic consideration for others appears to be eroding.
Masking as the new normal
While opinions varied, a common theme emerged: many Singaporeans no longer trust social norms to protect them. Masking, distancing and avoidance have become personal choices rather than collective habits.
The original post may not offer solutions, but it highlights a growing sense of fatigue and disappointment among those who believed the pandemic would leave Singapore with stronger hygiene etiquette, not weaker.
