covid-19

During the recent parliamentary debate, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that scientists have been talking about ‘Disease X’, a highly infectious, deadly disease whose pathogen mutates easily. “COVID-19 has been a disaster for the world, but it is not Disease X. It is not the worst new disease that can befall humankind,” said PM Lee, warning that it was only a matter of time before it happens and Singapore must build up its resilience, instincts and preparedness for when it arrives. Vice Dean (Research), Assoc Prof Alex Cook, saidRead more

Just eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and pharmaceutical companies worldwide are engaged in a global race to develop a vaccine that may potentially eradicate the deadly virus. According to the latest report from the World Health Organization, currently, 31 vaccines are in clinical evaluation, with another 142 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation. While the rapid advancement through the rigorous stages of clinical trials has been impressive, experts have voiced concerns over the safety and efficacy of these vaccines. Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying said that there is the

COVID-19 infection numbers have risen tremendously across several Southeast Asian countries over the recent weeks. The sudden surge in cases is mounting worries that the region could become a potential pandemic hot spot. Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, Director of Global Health, attributed the varying transmission rates across countries to four ‘B’s — Biology, Behaviour, Bureaucracy and Bytes. “It’s the same virus around the world, so the biology is more or less the same,” said Assoc Prof Lim. “On behaviour, safe distancing and masks are very pertinent. If nothing else, the

It has been six months since COVID-19 hit Singapore, making mask-wearing and social distancing the ‘new normal’ now. However, our fight against the virus is increasingly turning into a mental battle as fatigue sets in. Over the weekend, crowds were observed gathering at shopping malls, eateries and beaches. Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying commented that it is inevitable that individuals start to let down their guard, become complacent, or simply frustrated, after months of facing the strain of COVID-19. Prof Teo pointed out that while public education is key to

Half a year after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Singapore, what are some of the lessons learnt so far and how can these shape the way we tackle the pandemic moving forward? The Straits Times held a webinar to examine this with an expert panel comprising Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying, Professor Dale Fisher and Professor Ooi Eng Eong. Held on 23 July, the hour-long webinar was moderated by senior health correspondent Salma Khalik and saw over 1,000 participants. A broad scope of topics relating to COVID-19 was

Crowds return to the streets as Singapore enters phase two of re-opening last Friday. However, experts urge members of the public to remain cautious as the virus still lurks in the community. Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying said, “While it is understandable that people want to return to some degree of normalcy in their lives, the reality is there is a much higher risk of being infected when people mingle in crowds.” Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, Programme Leader (Infectious Diseases), commented that such crowding “could potentially lead to a

Tychan, a biotechnology firm based in Singapore, has developed a monoclonal antibody, TY027, as a potential treatment for COVID-19. It will embark on phase one of its human clinical trials next week. Monoclonal antibodies are immune system proteins that are created in the laboratory, and can be specially engineered to target and inactivate a virus before it causes an infection. “Cells are engineered to produce this single antibody in large numbers to be delivered as a therapeutic,” said Assistant Professor October Sessions. “This makes it different from other antibody treatments,

More than 370,000 people worldwide have succumbed to COVID-19 and the toll continues to rise as the virus spreads globally. While many have compared the current pandemic to SARS, experts now believe that the disease will be around for some time, unlike the latter. “If it (COVID-19) were as severe as SARS, it would be much more controllable, and far fewer people (in absolute numbers) would have died and be yet to die. COVID-19 is possibly at the worst point on the severity spectrum – mild enough that it can

Associate Professor Helena Legido-Quigley was recently appointed Editor-in-Chief of Elsevier’s new Journal of Migration and Health, and was profiled in The Lancet last week, focusing on her work in health systems and passion for global health. “This is incredibly exciting for me, as the health of migrants is my passion, and no other journal has its main focus on this important component of global health,” she said. She commented on Singapore’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year: “It was striking how well Singapore was prepared, a legacy from

Earlier this week, the multi-ministry taskforce announced a three-phase transition to a ‘new normal’, as the next step in Singapore’s fight against COVID-19. As Singapore exits its ‘circuit breaker’ on 2 June, schools will reopen progressively and a third of the workforce will return to their workplaces. Dean, Professor Teo Yik Ying said that the phased transition “is a very prudent approach” as it allows us to determine which sector is contributing to any resurgence in cases. “We are testing to see what works and what doesn’t, and if we