NCID Head: We Need to ‘Follow the Dance Step of the Virus’ as COVID-19 is Here to Stay

If you’re wondering whether the #CB will end in 2020, I’ve got great news for you.

On 7 Apr, the government’s message was: let’s all follow the rules and see what happens.

On 21 Apr, it was: we’re going to extend by one month because the numbers aren’t great yet.

But now, their message isn’t about #CB or #CBExtendToCCB anymore. It’s about what’s coming after:

NCID Head: We Need to ‘Follow the Dance Step of the Virus’ as COVID-19 is Here to Stay

Yesterday (14 May 2020), leading infectious diseases specialist Leo Yee Sin said that now, Singapore has to “follow the dance step” of the Covid-19 virus.

It’s here to stay, she says, yet Singapore cannot permanently be in lockdown mode.

“Eventually, we need to come out of that lockdown situation.”

And since they now know that Covid-19 cannot be eliminated completely by a lockdown, the next step is to figure out how to “minimise the impact”.

Think of the Circuit Breaker as a hammer to knock down the curve, and soon, let the line dance up and down – not too high because we’re now prepared.

Get it so far? It’s essentially flattening the curse, but the dance is what happens after the curve is flattened.

Here’s what the dance refers to:

• Keep R0 below 1 (this means to lower the number of people one infected person who spread to)
• Proper testing, contact tracing, quarantining, isolating
• Public education on hygiene and social distancing
• Ban large gathering
• Most restrictions removed
• Tighten up when needed
• Apply highest cost-benefit social distancing measures (this means having measures that won’t affect society or economy that badly)

They’ll have to now figure out a system that can help to contain the virus when Singaporeans start going out again until a vaccine is available.

Reader Bao: But when is a vaccine going to be available?

Ah Bao, what’s next week’s 4D number?

Because a lot of trials and testing are required (after all, we’re going to give it to everyone leh, so must be safe), the earliest would be next year – if all things go well.

However, some authorities are trying to shorten the process, though it’ll still take some time.

To understand why it takes so long, you might want to read this article.

Be Prepared For Intermittent Surges

Previously, there was a paper which says that the coronavirus will be around for at least two years with waves of infections rising from time to time.

It seems that Professor Leo agrees as she said that there’s a high possibility that we will see “waves of the epidemic interspersed with periods of low-level transmissions”.

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Basically, she means we’ll see waves of infections from time to time.

With that, Singapore must:

• maintain healthcare capacity and capability
• continue active case finding
• practise good contact tracing, isolation and quarantine
• have a rapid response team in place

The “Whole Of Government” Approach

Covid-19 is one of the hardest viruses to fight, Professor Leo said, and the healthcare sector in Singapore has been “very stressed” over the past months.

She added that the National Centre for Infectious Diseases was provided with a “small surge team” but it wasn’t enough.

They looked towards Tan Tock Seng hospital for manpower but turns out, it wasn’t enough as well.

Which is why, now, it’s not just the healthcare sector fighting against Covid-19.

The whole of the government is in the battle with almost every ministry helping out as best as they can.

Normal Singaporeans can probably feel the situation now as well, what with the job openings for Swabbers and Assistant Swabbers that will last all the way to the end of 2021.

That and looking for healthcare volunteers to join the SG Health Corps, even if they are not medically trained.

But hey, at least if we look on the bright side, we’re now talking about how to start searching for a new norm instead of staying within the circuit breaker indefinitely, no?

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