With the world in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to lose sight of other slow-spreading pandemics that still afflict us, like tuberculosis (TB) for example. World TB Day is commemorated on 24 March, in memory of Dr Robert Koch’s discovery of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 1882. For World TB DayRead more
COVID-19 could affect TB control measures Read More »
COVID-19 cases surpassed 700,000 globally in just three months since the virus first emerged. Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying called for effective responses at both national and international levels in face of this unprecedented pandemic. He explained that low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) were unable to adequately manage the outbreak due to the lack of
The COVID-19 Weakest Links Read More »
The United Kingdom’s ‘herd immunity strategy’ to combat COVID-19 has gained renewed attention after its Prime Minister and Health Minister tested positive for the virus. Assistant Professor Hannah Clapham wrote that herd immunity can be the outcome of a strategy or action, most sensibly, of vaccination. But in UK, herd immunity for COVID-19 has been
COVID-19: Considerations in determining & communicating an effective strategy Read More »
With so much conflicting information about the coronavirus pandemic on the internet, the World Economic Forum asked their Instagram followers to submit questions about the crisis. Experts from around the world — including Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying, and Dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Michelle Williams — answered questions like: Can
World Economic Forum gathers global panel of experts to answer questions on COVID-19 Read More »
Two new clusters were identified in the past week, with 20 cases related to a preschool in Fengshan. “Some may perceive that in this particular case, some teachers who were not well ought to have left the centre immediately, rather than carry on with their duties for a couple more hours,” noted Minister for Social
COVID-19: Abundance of caution should be the norm Read More »
A combination of isolation and quarantine measures, workplace distancing and school closures was found to be the most effective in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in a simulated model of Singapore’s population. And at this early stage, quarantine and workplace distancing should be prioritised over school closures. This was presented in a paper titled ‘Interventions
COVID-19: Prioritise workplace distancing over school closure Read More »
When pandemics like COVID-19 strike, authorities and governments are often fighting on two fronts. The first: understanding the virus, researching a cure and isolating infected populations. The second is the avalanche of fake news, rumours and lies posted by thousands across the internet – the accompanying ‘infodemic’. According to cybersecurity multinational Check Point, coronavirus-themed domains
COVID-19: How governments can tackle the ‘infodemic’ Read More »
Tighter measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore were introduced this past week. These include shutting our borders to tourists and short-term visitors, banning large gatherings, and ordering pubs and entertainment outlets to close from tonight (26 March) 11.59pm until 30 April. This has left some people wondering if the country is in
Current COVID-19 measures not akin to lockdown Read More »
Among the 558 confirmed cases in Singapore, 326 were imported. Out of these, 111 cases were young adults aged between 20 and 29, with more than half returning from the United Kingdom. “The number of young people being infected reflects the demographics of people returning to Singapore as a result of the global situation, where
COVID-19 not just a disease of the elderly, everyone is susceptible Read More »
Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, Co-Director of Global Health was invited by Milken Institute to be part of their COVID-19 Conference Call Series discussing global efforts and approaches in combatting the coronavirus pandemic. Assoc Prof Lim shared and attributed Singapore’s relatively well-controlled outbreak to the following points: Timely formation of multi-ministry task force, Transparency which earned
Milken Institute conference call series: Singapore’s approach to COVID-19 Read More »