2nd Wave Of Covid-19 May Be Coming, But Health Minister Says S’pore Must Do Our Best To Avoid It
Since Singapore moved into Phase 2, we’ve been pretty busy. First it was the 2020 General Election, now we’re preparing to celebrate National Day.
Thus, the ‘Circuit Breaker’ we endured from 7 Apr to 1 Jun must feel like a distant past.
However, that does not mean that people can entirely let their guard down. In fact, Singapore must be prepared for a second wave of Covid-19 infections, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong has warned.
S’pore must do our best to avoid 2nd wave
Speaking during a press conference by the Multi-Ministry Task Force handling the Covid-19 pandemic last week, Mr Gan said Singapore must do our best to avoid a 2nd wave.
Citing the resurgence of Covid-19 in countries such as Australia, Hong Kong and South Korea, he noted on how there are useful lessons to be gleaned from these situations.
Thus, caution is of the essence when it comes to easing restrictions on activities that are deemed to be of higher risk, he added.
Community numbers remain low
That being said, while the number of community cases have increased since entering Phase 2, the average continues to remain low at an average of around 12 per day, said Mr Gan.
Thus, a 2nd wave is “preventable if everyone plays a part”, he added,
And I believe that if anyone can do it, Singaporeans can.
Clusters forming via workplace transmissions
The Ministry of Health’s (MOH’s) director of medical services Kenneth Mak was quoted by Channel NewsAsia (CNA) as saying that “a number” of transmissions were occurring at workplaces, where workers then infected their household members, forming a cluster.
Since such infections could occur from unlinked community cases, the authorities are aiming to detect them early through routine testing of frontline workers and those in the construction, marine and process sectors.
Dr Mak also added that isolating the close contacts of all cases can throw a spanner in the works in the chain of transmission.
S’poreans must play our part
As Singapore continues to adapt to the new normal, we hope that everyone will continue to be mindful of healthcare guidelines like safe distancing rules and mask wearing.
A pandemic climate is not an easy one to navigate, but with the collective effort of everyone, we may just be able to steer our way through the seas of uncertainty.
Featured images adapted from YouTube and Instagram.
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