On 21 April, the government announced the extension of Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ measures to 1 June.
While there are encouraging signs that the measures have been effective so far, Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying said that the numbers of new cases have not fallen as quickly as expected. He added that after more than two weeks, the number of new cases in the community should have been lower.
“This really points to some ‘leakages’ happening in the community, either amongst people who are supposed to be home but have been venturing out without taking the necessary precautions, or due to some of the essential workers who are still out there working and getting infected,” said Prof Teo.
He added that this is likely the reason why there is a need to further limit the definition of essential services.
Prof Teo was speaking on a special edition of The Straits Times’ The Big Story with Professor Leo Yee Sin, Executive Director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, and Professor Dale Fisher, Senior Infectious Diseases Expert at the National University Hospital.
The panel agreed that SARS-CoV-2 is “not a simple virus for us to deal with” and that the entire system needs to be flexible to overcome challenges.
Although Singapore has picked up important pointers from SARS in 2003, Prof Leo highlighted that no two outbreaks were alike. She pointed to differences in terms of the scale of infections and the way the disease manifested in patients.
Prof Teo emphasised that “our knowledge about the coronavirus is changing all the time, and as countries start to learn more, our policies need to change accordingly”. Policies should also be evaluated in the larger social context, such as the stage of the outbreak in society, and with considerations about the psychological effects of an action.
The panel also discussed the effectiveness of wearing a mask, testing mechanisms and whether a recovered patient can be re-infected.
Watch the full story here:
Media coverage:
- Covid-19 caused by a ‘smart’ virus that can find blind spots, crucial for system to be flexible to overcome challenges: Experts, The Straits Times, 22 April 2020
- Flexible healthcare system needed to tackle ‘smart’ virus, The Straits Times, 23 April 2020
- Singapore’s circuit breaker is working but not as fast as hoped: Experts, The Straits Times, 23 April 2020
- Usefulness of testing population for antibodies unclear, The Straits Times, 23 April 2020
- Coronavirus: Masks shouldn’t be seen as only form of protection, The Straits Times, 23 April 2020
- Coronavirus: New dorm cases to remain high as authorities focus on weak link, The Straits Times, 23 April 2020
- Coronavirus cases cross 10,000; experts see tough battle ahead, The Straits Times, 23 April 2020
- Singapore battling ‘smart’ virus, say experts, The New Paper, 23 April 2020
- 本地八新感染群包括一芽笼公寓 专家：冠病“极聪明”会找盲点, Lianhe Zaobao, 23 April 2020
- 1016新病例 累计破万起 专家：管控客工宿舍疫情或需一个月, Lianhe Zaobao, 23 April 2020
(Header image from The Straits Times on Facebook)