COVID-19: SG to enter Phase 3 from 28th Dec

[Weez911]

49 minutes ago, Staff69 said:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=471849860808369

I strongly urge the govt to send him back he was from. Good riddance to this type who blatantly disregard our country's laws.

Come on, do it.

[Voodooman]

2 hours ago, bsswan said:

In chasing zero Covid-19 infections, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and others have become trapped by their own success.

   -   As more transmissible variants emerge, places with very low infection levels must consider ever more stringent controls to maintain the status quo.

   -   A reluctance to accept the virus will become endemic and populations that see no urgency in getting vaccinated mean the early victors may be the last to reopen.

 

In places that have been successful in suppressing Covid-19, such as mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, there seems to be a reluctance to accept that the disease will become endemic. The coronavirus variants that are emerging are more transmissible, so to achieve zero or close to zero infections in these places, health authorities say virus control measures must be more stringent than before. 

This is neither wise nor tenable for much longer.

With highly effective vaccines available, health authorities in these places should be focused on rolling out mass vaccination quickly so as to achieve a degree of herd immunity. This would allow them to return to normality even if the virus continues to circulate at low levels, without overwhelming the health-care system.

The irony is that due to their successful suppression of Covid-19, these places are now finding it hard to roll out vaccinations quickly. With the threat of Covid-19 having mostly receded, their populations see less incentive to get jabbed.

There are a variety of reasons why these governments also often find it hard to accept that the virus will , eventually, circulate in their populations.

First, they have expended significant resources and effort in suppressing Covid-19. The ‘sunk cost bias’ means these governments do not want to feel their previous efforts have been wasted; they are therefore more likely to persist with harsh suppression to maintain or achieve zero new cases than to accept, or adapt to, Covid-19 becoming endemic.

Second, governments are loss averse: they care more about avoiding losses than pursuing gains. In places where new cases are down to very low numbers, even one new case is considered a loss (hence, mainland China’s obsession with zero infections). Opening up the economy is viewed as a gain that is weighted much less. Related to this is that decision-makers have a diminishing sensitivity to ever larger losses. As economic losses mount, decision-makers may have become insensitive to them. But in the places that have had zero (or close to zero) cases, even a handful of new cases is viewed as unacceptable.

Third, there is the ‘status quo bias’. Now that suppression is the status quo in these places, it is very risky for officials to propose anything but a maintenance of, or quick reversion to, stringent measures whenever there is a spike in cases. If they fail to do this and the subsequent surge in cases reveals they had erred, they would be punished by an unforgiving public. Meanwhile, sticking to the status quo is virtually risk-free: even if they are found later to have been too risk-averse and should have loosened the restrictions earlier, no one is punished for excessive conservatism.

.

.

........ SCMP.

 

I read a similar view written in a UK a few months ago but it is interesting to see it now in Hong Kong, written in a very good manner this time, except as a way to persuade more there to be vaccinated. We will never open up on a Zero-Case basis/target! We have to live on the principle of Zero-Hospitalised basis/target as being advanced by WHO where vaccination and herd immunity are vital, the same as for flu. We MUST accept seeing case numbers so long as nobody, or a very small number, ends up in hospital to a point the system creeks. If governments cannot persuade its population to change their mindset of zero-case, inherently the country is doomed to be cut off and isolated.

For Australia to recently declare their borders may be closed until later in 2022 is proof.

Europe and the US will have a far sooner economic, cultural, lifestyle revival than any country chasing zero-case and, unfortunately the article is correct, it includes us. The government needs to start changing its message to take advantage of a vaccinated populous and allow for case numbers to go higher as symptomatic cases reduce in the same way we have seen in Israel, the UK and now reducing numbers in the US also.

Unlike the Australians and NZers, I don't think we will be slow to open up.  We hear the open door argument almost everyday. 

So just look out for more incentives to vaccinate, it will be carrot and increasingly stick approach.  

We can open up once 70-80% of the population are inoculated and when we know people who are vaccinated are unlikely to suffer severe symptoms (looks that way for now) and take up precious beds.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Voodooman

[Count-Bracula]

3 hours ago, Beregond said:

i do engineering work.

our customers alway got ft who want to stand  very close in group together to watch us work.

and every time i need show the hand signal to tell them to spread. i hold my hand like a fist facing up, and open my finger ,😅

Later all go take cover! Then you know 😂

[Sosaria]

1 hour ago, Mason016 said:

Raffles hospital also kanna. 
https://m.facebook.com/RafflesMedGrp/posts/4062627813782720

 

 

This case was in that day's news about that old guy who went for treatment at ttsh and raffles but is asymptomatic and with positive serology test, likely previous old infection... Hospital is just being cautious.

[Adrianli]

This morning, i went to run my r/c boat and saw so many photographers there. By 9am, wao lan eh. I asked them what they waiting to shoot. They said they waiting for Osprey to dive and catch fish.

Today first day of Phase 2 and everyone like no care. I faster ran my boat and got out.

 

The once relatively empty road is filled with cars.

 

[Philipkee]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/victoria-junior-college-student-covid-19-positive-quarantined-14768972

Another school

[13177]

50 minutes ago, Adrianli said:

This morning, i went to run my r/c boat and saw so many photographers there. By 9am, wao lan eh. I asked them what they waiting to shoot. They said they waiting for Osprey to dive and catch fish.

Today first day of Phase 2 and everyone like no care. I faster ran my boat and got out.

 

The once relatively empty road is filled with cars.

 

Nobody care if it is back to phase 2. Since people already got used to phase 3 in their mindset liao.

[Sosaria]

11 minutes ago, 13177 said:

Nobody care if it is back to phase 2. Since people already got used to phase 3 in their mindset liao.

It does not help that messaging from the top is confusing. So is it that serious or not? If so serious, but major international events are still going ahead, as also the travel bubble and today suddenly gyms get a leeway.

But it is true phase 3 thinking got "stuck". I see people playing basketball in a group of 8.

SDA enforcement hardly seen. This morning went to a nature reserve also saw many people by 9 am. Still better than malls though, crowded and indoors.

When news of the ttsh cluster and tightened restrictions were first announced, everyone was a little kia-si, crowds thinned noticeably, but by now, back to same old same old.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Sosaria

[Voodooman]

4 hours ago, Wind30 said:

https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2021/0705-work-pass-holders-who-have-already-obtained-approval-to-enter-to-be-rescheduled

.... MCF wins.

Government actually restricted all work pass holders from EVERYWHERE except a few countries. Even pre approved work passes are not allowed to enter and have to be rescheduled... It applies to so many countries like Korea, Japan, USA, All of Europe. wow this is huge... and a bit insane.

Do we really have that many cases? 

Too early to tell if this will get out of control but we really don't want to face what Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand are facing. Think they have reached the point of no return. Maybe Vietnam still has hope but it too is getting hit hard.

I think we should just tighten a bit during the next few months (with all these bloody infectious mutants circulating), accelerate our vaccination programme and open up again in a few months. 

[Voodooman]

8 minutes ago, Sosaria said:

It does not help that messaging from the top is confusing. So is it that serious or not? If so serious, but major international events are still going ahead, as also the travel bubble and today suddenly gyms get a leeway.

But it is true phase 3 thinking got "stuck". I see people playing basketball in a group of 8.

SDA enforcement hardly seen. This morning went to a nature reserve also saw many people by 9 am. Still better than malls though, crowded and indoors.

When news of the ttsh cluster and tightened restrictions were first announced, everyone was a little kia-si, crowds thinned noticeably, but by now, back to same old same old.

Nolar, the crowd are not back to before CB Phase 2 2.0, that is why more people are outdoor. 

[Shibadog]

7 hours ago, Jamesc said:

India can just ZOOM lah.

India has the best IT engineers in the world right?

Now is the time for the experts IT guys in India to shine.

Everyone else can come.

what if the IT expert is so good that he zooms a virus over?

better prepare first

 

[Kopites]

Valley point see the usual weekend crowd traffic. 

 

[Adrianli]

12 minutes ago, Kopites said:

Valley point see the usual weekend crowd traffic. 

 

It was very quiet at Sq2. The Fairprice outlet there so little ppl. Not the usual at all since CB time. 

[Ody_2004]

This weekend hard to gouge the crowd lah.. u know people sibei funny de.. suddenly remember they must show their love to their mama.. whole year long long never bother to visit them..

[Blueray]

Victoria Junior College student positive for COVID-19; more than 100 students, staff members quarantined

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/victoria-junior-college-student-covid-19-positive-quarantined-14768972

as bros here said, if you keep your door open, simi Rainbow, Dyson etc vacuum cleaner also cannot keep the house free from outside dust. 

[13177]

13 minutes ago, Adrianli said:

It was very quiet at Sq2. The Fairprice outlet there so little ppl. Not the usual at all since CB time. 

People still avoiding novena sq now? 😂 But funny other places are crowded with people?

[Kopites]

Going out for my night jog at the canal. Check any gal in bra. Hahaha

Edited May 8, 2021 by Kopites

[Fcw75]

14 minutes ago, Ody_2004 said:

This weekend hard to gouge the crowd lah.. u know people sibei funny de.. suddenly remember they must show their love to their mama.. whole year long long never bother to visit them..

Amen to that.

Like I mentioned before, if you had treat your mum well, everyday is Mother’s Day to her.