Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) Updates

[sharonkhoo]

tutormum\" post_id=\"1963266\" time=\"1581515719\" user_id=\"12573:

...Moreover, the government only close borders after a petition for doing so. :faint: It showed that someone was sleeping. ...

I think this was not done because of the petition. The govt has criteria which they use to assess risk etc, and it was coincidence that the decision was taken seemingly in reaction to the petition.

As for masks, the actions of other countries could well have come weeks after they noticed high sales too, just as it has happened in Singapore.

I have some faith in our government - they may not act as quickly as some would like, and they cannot please everyone. There is no perfect solution when things happen suddenly, items are in short supply, and many different objectives (often conflicting) have to be balanced.

[sharonkhoo]

starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"1963281\" time=\"1581544425\" user_id=\"14025:

Jadedfox\" post_id=\"1963270\" time=\"1581517689\" user_id=\"180340:

Medical practitioners issue signed letter to advise everyone to wear a mask always when leaving home

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2020/02/12/local-medical-practitioners-issue-signed-letter-to-advise-everyone-to-wear-a-mask-always-when-leaving-home/

Govt said wear a mask if u r unwell. Who to believe now?

It's a matter of risk appetite. The more risk-averse will recommend more precautions. Given that there is a current shortage of masks world-wide, it would be prudent to limit the use to the most necessary for now. These doctors are giving prudent advice if masks were in abundance, but they are not responsible for supplying all the public hospitals and medical facilities. To be completely safe, each person should wear full protective gear and stay isolated. But who would supply them with goods and services, and keep the country running? And if we have to choose (as it seems we have to at the moment), do we prefer that our medical personnel have masks or people who are much lower risk?

There is always risk in life, and each person daily makes decisions about those risks - walk in the park (dengue)? cross the road (crashed by a car)? breathe (pollutants, all kinds of diseases not just COVID-19)? eat (all kinds of possible contaminants, too much salt/sugar/fat)? Some risk must be accepted, given the limitations of the current situation.

[doodbug]

Theoretically, there is no end to precautions that one can take. Some Chinese cities have gone to the extent of banning people from going out, except one member in a couple of days to buy food and groceries. Some places in China have made it compulsory to don a mask if you are going out - naturally there aren’t sufficient masks so people have to stay at home.


The Singapore Government has to make a judgement call in balancing risks and costs, as well as availability / conservation of efforts and resources.

[Sun_2010]

slmkhoo\" post_id=\"1963283\" time=\"1581552205\" user_id=\"28674:

tutormum\" post_id=\"1963266\" time=\"1581515719\" user_id=\"12573:

...Moreover, the government only close borders after a petition for doing so. :faint: It showed that someone was sleeping. ...

I think this was not done because of the petition. The govt has criteria which they use to assess risk etc, and it was coincidence that the decision was taken seemingly in reaction to the petition.

I sure hope the govt is not taking such major decisions based on social media and petitions, that would make me very worried. It should be taking decisions based on policies and subject expert recommendations and impact analysis, while listening to the voice on the ground. And I like to believe that is what it did.

Tough circumstances reveal true character. We will over come COVID-19 . But what we do, and how we do, will show our tenacity. Shutting down at the first signs of distress will feed the paranoia.

tutormum\" post_id=\"1963266\" time=\"1581515719\" user_id=\"12573:

There is no shame in learning how other countries handle the crisis to improve ours.

Very true. I sure hope govt is looking out and adapting the effective ways from other countries . And this is where people sharing what they hear/read about such practices will help highlight them.

[doodbug]

I totally agree. Macau Government implemented the 10 masks every 10 days, purchase with ID policy from the outset of this crisis. Excellent move.

[tankee]

starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"1963281\" time=\"1581544425\" user_id=\"14025:

Jadedfox\" post_id=\"1963270\" time=\"1581517689\" user_id=\"180340:

Medical practitioners issue signed letter to advise everyone to wear a mask always when leaving home

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2020/02/12/local-medical-practitioners-issue-signed-letter-to-advise-everyone-to-wear-a-mask-always-when-leaving-home/

Govt said wear a mask if u r unwell. Who to believe now?

MOH recommendation on mask wearing is in line with WHO and US CDC

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

[Nebbermind]

starlight1968sg\" post_id=\"1963281\" time=\"1581544425\" user_id=\"14025:

Jadedfox\" post_id=\"1963270\" time=\"1581517689\" user_id=\"180340:

Medical practitioners issue signed letter to advise everyone to wear a mask always when leaving home

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2020/02/12/local-medical-practitioners-issue-signed-letter-to-advise-everyone-to-wear-a-mask-always-when-leaving-home/

Govt said wear a mask if u r unwell. Who to believe now?

do whatever that works best for you lah

[.010675zeit]

tutormum\" post_id=\"1963266\" time=\"1581515719\" user_id=\"12573:

Taiwan has a system whereby citizens with identity card ending with odd numbers to buy on certain days and even numbers on other days to avoid overcrowding.
There is no shame in learning how other countries handle the crisis to improve ours. It seems that the lessons that we learnt from SARS period are very inadequate. Hopefully, we learn more from this virus and do better next time. :nunchuk:

Taiwan was inspired by Macau's & Singapore's method of using NRIC verification to obtain masks. New Taipei City Mayor, Hou You-yi, recommended to their central govt & COVID19 task force to follow our system after ours kicked in on 1 Feb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkW1m69PoWU
新北市長侯友宜更提議，應該仿效澳門、新加坡，採用健保卡實名制買口罩。

The difference is Taiwanese didn't mobilise their army boys to pack and grassroots volunteers to distribute masks extracted from their stockpile. Taiwanese must flash their 健保卡 (not 身份证) at designated 健保特约 pharmacies (not every pharmacy) to buy 2 surgical masks at NT$10 every 7 days, based on odd/even last digit no on their 健保卡 on odd/even days respectively, with Sunday open to all. Kids-size masks can only be sold to those with children's 健保卡。 Proxies can only buy on behalf of max. 1 friend/relative using the latter's 健保卡, not for the whole clan. Taiwan engineers even created an app to monitor the prevailing stocks left in all designated pharmacies.

On the other hand, Singaporeans will flash NRIC at our respective RCs/CCs to collect one-time free masks. Our method places burden on our NSmen and grassroots organisations, rather than the pharmacies.

The Macanese of course are even more far-sighted to have done this after the 1st case was confirmed on 21/22 Jan. There's a special round for children to buy kids-size masks too.

These are all from their 'national' stockpiles reserved for own residents. National stockpiles are emergency reserves procured with taxpayers' monies and should not be left on the public shelves for tourists or hoarders to wipe out. When I saw how fast Macau's response to the 1st confirmed case was, I posted a feedback to request for govt & grassroots to distribute free masks to PG and underprivileged asap during the CNY period.

[doodbug]

One very big difference between Taiwan and Singapore is that Taiwan is a fairly major mask manufacturer. I think they can ramp up production to supply their own needs quite easily.

[tankee]

.zeit\" post_id=\"1963296\" time=\"1581561411\" user_id=\"171271:

tutormum\" post_id=\"1963266\" time=\"1581515719\" user_id=\"12573:

Taiwan has a system whereby citizens with identity card ending with odd numbers to buy on certain days and even numbers on other days to avoid overcrowding.
There is no shame in learning how other countries handle the crisis to improve ours. It seems that the lessons that we learnt from SARS period are very inadequate. Hopefully, we learn more from this virus and do better next time. :nunchuk:

Taiwan was inspired by Macau's & Singapore's method of using NRIC verification to obtain masks. New Taipei City Mayor, Hou You-yi, recommended to their central govt & COVID19 task force to follow our system after ours kicked in on 1 Feb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkW1m69PoWU
新北市長侯友宜更提議，應該仿效澳門、新加坡，採用健保卡實名制買口罩。

The difference is Taiwanese didn't mobilise their army boys to pack and grassroots volunteers to distribute masks extracted from their stockpile. Taiwanese must flash their 健保卡 (not 身份证) at designated 健保特约 pharmacies (not every pharmacy) to buy 2 surgical masks at NT$10 every 7 days, based on odd/even last digit no on their 健保卡 on odd/even days respectively, with Sunday open to all. Kids-size masks can only be sold to those with children's 健保卡。 Proxies can only buy on behalf of max. 1 friend/relative using the latter's 健保卡, not for the whole clan. Taiwan engineers even created an app to monitor the prevailing stocks left in all designated pharmacies.

On the other hand, Singaporeans will flash NRIC at our respective RCs/CCs to collect one-time free masks. Our method places burden on our NSmen and grassroots organisations, rather than the pharmacies.

The Macanese of course are even more far-sighted to have done this after the 1st case was confirmed on 21/22 Jan. There's a special round for children to buy kids-size masks too.

These are all from their 'national' stockpiles reserved for own residents. National stockpiles are emergency reserves procured with taxpayers' monies and should not be left on the public shelves for tourists or hoarders to wipe out. When I saw how fast Macau's response to the 1st confirmed case was, I posted a feedback to request for govt & grassroots to distribute free masks to PG and underprivileged asap during the CNY period.

Extracted from https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3874734

\".... In order to fill the gap in manpower, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) dispatched Army Reserve officers and enlisted personnel to aid in the production of masks. From Feb. 3 to Feb. 11, more than 1,800 Army Reserve troops have been assigned to 28 manufacturers to help boost production, according to the MND....\"