The world has seen multiple disease outbreaks in the past two decades, including SARS, H1N1, Ebola, and now the coronavirus that originated from Wuhan in China.
Infectious diseases have no respect for borders, and Singapore will always be vulnerable given its population density and that it is a major transportation hub.
Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, Co-Director of the Leadership Institute for Global Health Transformation (LIGHT), wrote: “It’s time to get real about the prevalence and risk of infectious diseases. This is the new normal.”
As such disease outbreaks become common, Singapore has to adapt in three areas: internalise personal hygiene norms, build trust with empathy, and strike a balance between containment and normalcy.
Responsible social behaviours and good hygiene measures — wear a mask when sick, wash hands regularly, avoid touching the face with unwashed hands — should be the norm, rather than advice that is only taken up during such outbreaks.
“I once climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of a tour and upon completion of the climb, our guide handed us wet wipes as there were parts of the climb where we encountered some oil and grime. All of us grabbed the wipes and started cleaning ourselves, except the Japanese, who first wiped down the individual safety equipment we had been provided with. Only after that did they clean their hands and arms.”
A/Prof Lim also discussed the foundation for building trust, and the importance of finding the balance between containment and protection, and business as usual.
“In the early phases of a public health emergency, erring on the side of safety is understandable and even desirable, given the societal consequences of being wrong. But as more facts emerge and knowledge matures, we should expect policy refinement and even frank reversals. Containment appears to be effective thus far, and perhaps there is some opportunity to loosen controls to minimise the adverse impact on a health system that is already under tremendous stress.”
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