UK New Strain isn’t Detected in S’pore Yet But Gov is Concerned

If you aren’t aware of the new mutated coronavirus running riot in the UK, you must be sleeping quite well.

Allow me to change that.

Recently, after commencing its mass vaccination drive, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed that there’s a new strain of the coronavirus on the loose, and that it may be up to “70% more transmissible” than the original virus.

Naturally, we all needed a change of pants after that.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said there’s no need for alarm, but that’s like telling a cat not to ignore its owners; panicking is just what we humans do. 

And we’re not the only ones who are concerned.

UK New Strain isn’t Detected in S’pore Yet But Gov is Concerned

The good news is that this new variant of Covid-19 hasn’t been detected in Singapore yet.

However, the fact that it’s more infectious is a bit of a concern for the authorities, Education Minister Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday (22 Dec).

Mr Wong said the government needs to understand whether the strain could lead to a more severe disease or other impacts.

If this new mutated coronavirus managed to find its way to our shores, Mr Wong said the government would have to be “very careful” about having all its safety measures in place, which includes identifying and containing infections.

This is why Singapore, like many other countries recently, announced it would bar travellers from the UK.

Denying Entry to UK Travellers

All long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to UK within the last 14 days will not be allowed to transit through or enter Singapore.

This also applies to travellers who recently obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore.

As for Singapore citizens and permanent residents returning from the UK, they’ll have to undergo a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival here, as well as a  14-day stay-home notice.

Additionally, travellers who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents also have to take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure and present a valid negative test result before they can be approved to enter.

All these measures will kick in on Wednesday (23 Dec) at 11.59 pm.

But as Mr Wong said, we already have sufficient protection.

For one, there are not many travellers from the UK.

Secondly, these travellers are not exposed to the community when they arrive here because they first have to serve a two-week stay-home notice.

These new border restrictions are just additional precautionary measures to safeguard our community from the new Covid-19 variant.

However, as Mr Wong noted, the new coronavirus strain could enter Singapore through another country, as it may have already spread beyond the UK.

WHO: No Need for Alarm

The WHO, however, believes there’s nothing to worry about at the moment.

The specialized agency said the mutation is simply a normal part of a pandemic’s evolution, and that it’s no cause for alarm.

For one, WHO officials said they had no evidence that this new strain of Covid-19 made people sicker or was more deadly than existing variants.

So for now, keep calm and carry on lamenting the closures of your favourite retail stores. 

Featured Image: Limbitech / Shutterstock.com