Government has imposed Code Red measures without calling the situation Code Red

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore's expert panel on Covid-19 vaccination continues to recommend Pfizer, Moderna​

SINGAPORE - The expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination continues to endorse the effectiveness of the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines used in Singapore, it said on Monday (June 7).

The committee said it is aware of messages that are being disseminated on social media that claim that mRNA-based vaccines are ineffective against new variants of concern, and that vaccines that use an inactivated virus would provide superior protection.

The China-produced Sinovac shot is one example of a vaccine that uses inactivated viruses.

"Our assessment, based on a continual review of data and evidence, remains that the mRNA vaccines are safe and highly effective, and continue to show protection against the variants of concern," the committee said in a statement.

"The inactivated virus Covid-19 vaccines have variable protection and there is currently no evidence to suggest that inactivated virus vaccines demonstrate higher vaccine efficacy against variants of concern than the mRNA vaccines."

Covid-19 variants of concern include those like the more infectious B16172 or "delta" variant that has played a role in the current outbreak in Singapore.

The expert committee said the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines, which are currently the only two available under Singapore's national vaccination programme, have consistently shown to be highly efficacious, with an efficacy rate of around 90 per cent.

They are especially effective in protecting against severe Covid-19 disease and hospitalisation, the committee added.

"This was first demonstrated in the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, and further supported with the data from actual roll-outs in the real-world, including in the United States, Britain and Israel," the committee said.

"This includes protection against key variants of concern, such as the alpha and beta variants, which were the predominant strains circulating in these countries."

The committee further said that despite concerns over the delta variant, emerging data shows that the mRNA vaccines continue to be effective.

It cited a study in Britain which demonstrated that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine conferred about 88 per cent protection against symptomatic Covid-19, even with the delta variant.

"While further studies are required before a definitive conclusion can be made, the available data globally indicates that substantial protection is preserved."

The committee noted that no vaccine provides 100 per cent protection, and with the emergence and spread of new variants due to mutations, infections can occur despite vaccination.

But it stressed that the detection of asymptomatic to mild infections among patients with the delta variant does not indicate a lack of protection.

This is in keeping with the global evidence that the mRNA vaccines have a high level of protection against symptomatic and severe disease, it added.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have also been approved by multiple reputable international regulatory bodies.

The manufacturers have publicly released their detailed study protocols and openly published their findings to be scrutinised by the scientific community after peer review.

Detailed assessments of these vaccines by regulatory bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States and the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, have also been published.

On the other hand, the committee said the Sinovac shot has yet to meet the requirements for authorisation by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority, as additional safety and quality data required to meet the standards of the evaluation are still pending.

"The Sinovac vaccine has also shown variable protection across multiple studies carried out internationally," the committee said.

"The most complete analysis of the vaccine showed a vaccine efficacy of 51 per cent."

It also said the protection Sinovac provides against newer variants, such as the delta variant, and under real-world conditions remains unknown.

The Sinovac vaccine will soon be available in Singapore, unsubsidised, at private healthcare providers under the Special Access Route.

It has been qualified by the World Health Organisation for emergency use in those aged 18 and above.

But this means it is not an option for children and adolescents under 18 globally, nor in Singapore, the committee said in its statement.

"It is critical that medical professionals do not spread unsubstantiated and unscientific information," the committee added.

"The public has a right to expect medical professionals to give advice based on facts and not on unproven assertions. The public should rely on reputable sources of scientific and medical information, and verify opinions shared by others against these."

In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Associate Professor David Lye, a senior infectious diseases specialist, also spoke up against misinformation being spread about Covid-19 vaccines by doctors, among others.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore's expert panel on Covid-19 vaccination continues to recommend Pfizer, Moderna​

View attachment 113510

SINGAPORE - The expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination continues to endorse the effectiveness of the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines used in Singapore, it said on Monday (June 7).

The committee said it is aware of messages that are being disseminated on social media that claim that mRNA-based vaccines are ineffective against new variants of concern, and that vaccines that use an inactivated virus would provide superior protection.

The China-produced Sinovac shot is one example of a vaccine that uses inactivated viruses.

"Our assessment, based on a continual review of data and evidence, remains that the mRNA vaccines are safe and highly effective, and continue to show protection against the variants of concern," the committee said in a statement.

"The inactivated virus Covid-19 vaccines have variable protection and there is currently no evidence to suggest that inactivated virus vaccines demonstrate higher vaccine efficacy against variants of concern than the mRNA vaccines."

Covid-19 variants of concern include those like the more infectious B16172 or "delta" variant that has played a role in the current outbreak in Singapore.

The expert committee said the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines, which are currently the only two available under Singapore's national vaccination programme, have consistently shown to be highly efficacious, with an efficacy rate of around 90 per cent.

They are especially effective in protecting against severe Covid-19 disease and hospitalisation, the committee added.

"This was first demonstrated in the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, and further supported with the data from actual roll-outs in the real-world, including in the United States, Britain and Israel," the committee said.

"This includes protection against key variants of concern, such as the alpha and beta variants, which were the predominant strains circulating in these countries."

The committee further said that despite concerns over the delta variant, emerging data shows that the mRNA vaccines continue to be effective.

It cited a study in Britain which demonstrated that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine conferred about 88 per cent protection against symptomatic Covid-19, even with the delta variant.

"While further studies are required before a definitive conclusion can be made, the available data globally indicates that substantial protection is preserved."

The committee noted that no vaccine provides 100 per cent protection, and with the emergence and spread of new variants due to mutations, infections can occur despite vaccination.

But it stressed that the detection of asymptomatic to mild infections among patients with the delta variant does not indicate a lack of protection.

This is in keeping with the global evidence that the mRNA vaccines have a high level of protection against symptomatic and severe disease, it added.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have also been approved by multiple reputable international regulatory bodies.

The manufacturers have publicly released their detailed study protocols and openly published their findings to be scrutinised by the scientific community after peer review.

Detailed assessments of these vaccines by regulatory bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States and the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, have also been published.

On the other hand, the committee said the Sinovac shot has yet to meet the requirements for authorisation by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority, as additional safety and quality data required to meet the standards of the evaluation are still pending.

"The Sinovac vaccine has also shown variable protection across multiple studies carried out internationally," the committee said.

"The most complete analysis of the vaccine showed a vaccine efficacy of 51 per cent."

It also said the protection Sinovac provides against newer variants, such as the delta variant, and under real-world conditions remains unknown.

The Sinovac vaccine will soon be available in Singapore, unsubsidised, at private healthcare providers under the Special Access Route.

It has been qualified by the World Health Organisation for emergency use in those aged 18 and above.

But this means it is not an option for children and adolescents under 18 globally, nor in Singapore, the committee said in its statement.

"It is critical that medical professionals do not spread unsubstantiated and unscientific information," the committee added.

"The public has a right to expect medical professionals to give advice based on facts and not on unproven assertions. The public should rely on reputable sources of scientific and medical information, and verify opinions shared by others against these."

In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Associate Professor David Lye, a senior infectious diseases specialist, also spoke up against misinformation being spread about Covid-19 vaccines by doctors, among others.

Who are on the "expert committee"?

 

[jw5]

from msn.com:

Hong Kong, Singapore to review travel bubble date in July​

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE June 10 (Reuters) - Hong Kong and Singapore will review in July plans to open a travel bubble, their governments said on Thursday, after the proposal was derailed for a second time in May due to a spike of coronavirus cases in Singapore.

The COVID-19 situation in Singapore has stabilized in recent weeks, its government said in a statement, noting that the number of community cases and local unlinked COVID-19 cases were showing a downward trend. It also said the situation in Hong Kong remained stable.


"Both governments remain strongly committed... to resuming air travel between the two regional aviation hubs and international cities in a gradual and orderly manner under a set of stringent public health protocols," Hong Kong's government said in a separate statement.

The bubble was initially slated to begin in November, but was called off after a rise in cases in Hong Kong. It was due to start with one flight a day into each city, with up to 200 travelers on each flight.

For Hong Kong, which has banned non-residents coming to the city since March last year, the deal with Singapore would have been its first travel link with another city.

Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines were due to be the carriers offering the initial flights.

 

[jw5]

from msn.com:

Hong Kong, Singapore to review travel bubble date in July​

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE June 10 (Reuters) - Hong Kong and Singapore will review in July plans to open a travel bubble, their governments said on Thursday, after the proposal was derailed for a second time in May due to a spike of coronavirus cases in Singapore.

The COVID-19 situation in Singapore has stabilized in recent weeks, its government said in a statement, noting that the number of community cases and local unlinked COVID-19 cases were showing a downward trend. It also said the situation in Hong Kong remained stable.


"Both governments remain strongly committed... to resuming air travel between the two regional aviation hubs and international cities in a gradual and orderly manner under a set of stringent public health protocols," Hong Kong's government said in a separate statement.

The bubble was initially slated to begin in November, but was called off after a rise in cases in Hong Kong. It was due to start with one flight a day into each city, with up to 200 travelers on each flight.

For Hong Kong, which has banned non-residents coming to the city since March last year, the deal with Singapore would have been its first travel link with another city.

Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines were due to be the carriers offering the initial flights.

This must have been called on and off about 5 times already.

 

[jw5]

from msn.com:

Singapore and Australia to work towards air travel bubble, with priority on students​

SINGAPORE — Singapore and Australia are discussing the resumption of two-way travel in a safe and calibrated manner starting with an air-travel bubble amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the leaders of both countries said on Thursday (10 June).

Singapore Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong and Australian PM Scott Morrison made the announcement at the Istana after their annual Leaders’ Meeting, which was established under the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.


Prior to the pandemic, many Singaporeans had traveled to Australia for business, holidays, and further education, and vice versa, Lee said. Both countries need to resume these people-to-people flows to maintain their close and excellent bilateral relationship, he added.

Towards this goal, both countries will prepare the infrastructure and processes to get ready for travel to resume.

“And it starts with mutual recognition of health and vaccination certificates, possibly in a digital form, very likely, and when all the preparations are ready, then we can start small with an air travel bubble to build confidence on both sides,” Lee said.

Morrison said he welcomed the cooperation between Australia and Singapore to work towards putting such systems in place to enable an air travel bubble. This would be similar to how Australia and New Zealand have opened up travel between both sides, he added.

While there is still some time before Singapore and Australia can reach the travel milestone, Morrison said the priority will be for students from Singapore who are pursuing their studies in Australia.

“In addition to that, as we have discussed, Prime Minister (Lee), giving a priority to students from Singapore to be able to return to Australia to complete their studies and to engage in their studies, and for the students from Singapore to be (given) a first opportunity to see increased travel between Australia and Singapore realised, and for that to occur sooner rather than later,” Morrison added.

Lee and Morrison also issued a joint statement to welcome new initiatives under the two countries’ partnership including on low emissions in maritime and shipping, an Australia-Singapore FinTech Bridge, and separate MOUs on cooperation on healthcare and health technologies, partnership between homeland security and law enforcement agencies of both countries, and between Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The Leaders’ Meeting is for the PMs of both countries to meet to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on regional and international developments. The last such meeting was held virtually in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

 

[Donor]

It has been Dorscon Orange for some time.

Thank you for the update.

 

[jw5]

Thank you for the update.

No problem.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Mandatory testing to uncover hidden Covid-19 cases in S'pore the new normal: Expert​

SINGAPORE - In what is likely the largest swabbing exercise here involving housing blocks, mandatory tests are under way for residents of Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8, as well as staff of shops in seven neighbouring blocks.

Voluntary tests are also being offered to those living in these seven blocks after the Ministry of Health (MOH) linked 13 cases so far to Block 506.

A similar swabbing exercise earlier this week at Block 501 and Block 507 Hougang Avenue 8, as well as Block 745 Yishun Street 72, saw more than 1,000 residents and visitors tested, with four people returning positive tests for Covid-19.

Experts told The Straits Times on Friday (June 4) that such aggressive testing is likely to be part of the "new normal", with the authorities keen to detect and ring-fence cases quickly.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that given the Block 506 cluster, it is possible that the spread has extended beyond the building.

"This is especially since most people are working from home by default now, and they are more likely to be moving about their residential neighbourhoods more than usual," he added.

"The ring-fencing testing is likely to be the norm moving forward, in part because the Delta variant that is circulating in the community now is much more transmissible, and active case finding will help to minimise the extent of any onward transmissions by infected cases."

Testing is one of three strategies, on top of contact tracing and vaccinations, to help the nation battle Covid-19 in the face of new, more contagious variants.

MOH had said on Thursday night that Covid-19 viral fragments were detected in wastewater samples collected from some blocks.

Mandatory testing, it added, seeks to detect cases who were still incubating the virus in the first round of testing, conducted on May 21 and 22, and to prevent spread in the community.

Said Prof Teo: "Wastewater testing will pick up fragments of the Sars-CoV-2 virus if any of the residents in the housing block is infected. So this is a way of performing community surveillance."

He added that mandatory testing is a form of active case finding.

Experts have noted the more aggressive approach in testing compared with last year.

For example, after a student at Victoria Junior College tested positive for Covid-19, the Education Ministry last month quarantined 95 students and eight staff. About 2,200 students, staff, vendors and visitors had to also undergo swab tests as a precautionary measure.

And on Monday, MINDSville @Napiri home tested 255 residents and staff of the home after a 37-year-old female resident tested positive.

But some residents of Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8 had mixed feelings when they received notifications on Thursday informing them of mandatory testing for the second time in two weeks.

Said a 37-year-old resident who gave his name only as Mr Ang: "The situation looks bad if we're getting tested so often, but I'm also appreciative of the steps that the authorities are taking to stop the virus' spread."

This time, residents of Block 506 were not the only ones in queue. In fact, when the mandatory testing exercise began for them at 9am on Friday, the block's residents were outnumbered by staff of shops in seven surrounding blocks.

Free voluntary tests are being offered to residents of the seven blocks between Friday and June 17. They are - Block 511 Hougang Avenue 10; Blocks 681, 683 and 684 Hougang Avenue 8; Block 682 Hougang Avenue 4; and Blocks 685 and 698 Hougang Street 61.

The first case in the Block 506 cluster is a 57-year-old Malaysian woman who tested positive on May 15. Other than the 13 cases in the block, MOH had earlier reported that three cases linked to the Changi Airport Terminal 3 cluster were also residents of Block 506.

Meanwhile, a McDonald's outlet in Block 684 was closed on May 27 after a rider who made deliveries from the outlet tested positive.

The outlet has remained closed since, with deep-cleaning carried out and all employees swabbed and told to self-isolate to minimise any transmission risks.

Referring to residents of Block 506, Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam said some were wondering if the such testing would become a routine every two weeks.

"The answer is that we don't know for sure," he said.

"The reason why there is another round of swabbing is that new cases were discovered in Block 506. What we do ask is for the residents' understanding... We know it's not easy."

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Ring-fencing intensified to avoid second Covid-19 circuit breaker in S'pore​

SINGAPORE - Ring-fencing strategies that aim to limit Covid-19 transmissions and contain their spread have been intensified recently, helping Singapore stave off a second circuit breaker for now.

Experts note that larger areas are now being closed off and more people made to undergo swab testing.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that ring-fencing can help to flatten the curve of infections by preventing transmissions from spilling over to other sectors.

"It is a form of sectoral lockdown so that all the people within a location or sector can minimise further interactions with the public," he said, adding that it allows the authorities to understand the extent of the outbreak in that area.

However, it has to be executed promptly upon the discovery of cases, said Prof Teo, though the speed of execution is relative to how fast transmissions can occur.

"This depends on the extent of human-to-human interactions, personal safe management measures and the characteristics of the coronavirus infection, such as whether infected cases have high viral loads," he said.

Ring-fencing was used in 2003 amid the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, with close contacts of patients quarantined at home.

More recently, the approach was used in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) with some success. When a 46-year-old nurse followed by a few patients in Ward 9D were diagnosed with Covid-19, the hospital moved quickly to close the ward.

It expanded the ring fence when it emerged that there was potential exposure to these confirmed cases in other parts of the hospital.

By April 30, three days after the first infection was reported, the hospital had locked down four wards. On May 4, it stopped admitting new patients.

All close contacts were placed on quarantine, with TTSH staff and patients in the affected areas tested.

There was also increased clinical surveillance of all patients who developed fever and acute respiratory infection symptoms, and deep cleaning was conducted.

Close to 28,000 people were tested for Covid-19, including 12,000 TTSH staff and 1,000 patients, as well as close to 2,500 individuals who were quarantined following contact tracing.

Contact tracing, mandatory testing and deep cleaning are carried out for areas that are ring-fenced, followed by monitoring and heightened vigilance, said Professor Josip Car, director of the Centre for Population Health Science at Nanyang Technological University's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

But he noted that Singapore's ring-fencing strategy has been tweaked since last year.

"The areas being ring-fenced are now bigger for each potential outbreak. For instance, last year, outbreaks in schools first started with classes or levels being ring-fenced, but this year, the response is swifter and wider," he said.

Last July, then Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said his ministry's approach was to ring-fence schools on a small scale, and to put students and staff on leave of absence instead of fully closing schools. The approach was to close a class to keep the school safe and, if need be, the school.

But amid the current surge which has seen more children across several schools infected this year than last year, the ministry moved schools to home-based learning from May 19 to May 28.

On Friday night, the Education Ministry reported the first case of school-based transmission - a second student of Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) had tested positive for Covid-19, after his classmate had done so on May 19.

When multiple areas are concurrently affected, Prof Car said broader measures covering larger areas may be needed to stem or slow the spread.

This would also require the co-operation of those who were potentially exposed to the virus to go for testing, and to see a doctor if they develop any symptoms, he added.

Take White Sands shopping mall, which was listed 14 times on the Health Ministry's list of locations visited by Covid-19 community cases during their infectious period. The authorities moved to get people who visited the mall from May 2 to May 11 tested.

Through the TraceTogether app and token, close contacts were identified and notified by SMS.

However, a more aggressive approach was taken for residents of Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8, after a number of residents there tested positive. For the first time, it was made mandatory for all 116 households to get tested.

Prof Car said that in scenarios of limited transmissions, locking down areas not exposed to the source of the virus could overstretch resources and may not be more effective than ring-fencing in breaking the chain of transmissions.

"Whole-country lockdowns may be necessary, but only in the event of many localised outbreaks or uncontrolled spread where contact tracing resources are overstretched," he said, adding that Singapore has been following this playbook and extending the ring-fence outwards when needed.

Unlinked cases​

As at Sunday, Singapore has had over 90 unlinked local Covid-19 cases reported since May 7, compared with a total of 68 unlinked cases reported from the start of the year till before the spike.

Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, an infectious diseases expert from the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said: "If unlinked cases start appearing in the majority of sectors in the economy, it will probably trigger a more general lockdown."

Agreeing, Prof Car said that these unlinked cases signal leakages from containment areas, and could be a result of higher infectivity of the new viral strain, rather than the non-effectiveness of the localised ring-fencing strategy.

Prof Teo said: "If the pace and scale of the spillover is so great that the contact tracing and ring-fencing are basically trying to play catch-up, then a complete lockdown becomes the only viable option to arrest the growth of the outbreak in the community."

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Testing for Covid-19: How S'pore is raising its game with DIY test kits, wastewater sampling and more​

SINGAPORE - A variety of Covid-19 tests - with the latest being over-the-counter test kits - are now under Singapore’s belt, allowing fast, extensive, easy and accurate tests to be conducted as the nation raises its game to fight the virus.

Here's a look at the different tests.

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR)​

Swab test from the nose or back of throat, or from sputum. Looks for genetic sequences of Covid-19.

Cost: Over $150 to $200 for pre-departure testing. If you have been advised by your doctor to take a swab test, this will be free.

Time taken: A few hours.

Ease of use: Requires the use of specialised lab machines.

Accuracy: Gold standard for testing. Sensitivity rate (ability to detect those who are positive): more than 93 per cent.

Other details: Very uncomfortable. An average of over 55,000 PCR and ART tests were carried out each day in the second half of May.

Antigen rapid test (ART)​

Some involve using a nasal swab from the lower part of the nose. Looks for proteins on the surface of the virus called antigens.

Cost: As low as $10.

Time taken: 20 to 30 minutes.

Ease of use: Deployment is very flexible because it is a handheld device and can be done en masse with many people being swabbed at the same time. ARTs have been rolled out to almost all the public health preparedness clinics that are providing the “swab and send home” service and all polyclinics. To expand testing capacity, the Government is hoping to deploy them to private GPs as well.

Accuracy: Not as accurate as PCR tests, but able to pick up infections early. Sensitivity rate: 82 per cent.

Other details: Those with acute respiratory symptoms are required to take an ART test on top of a PCR test to allow for faster detection of cases. Used heavily for pre-event testing.

---

Breathalyser​

No swabbing; just blowing into a mouthpiece or cartridge.

Cost: Estimated to be around $25.

Time taken: Under two minutes.

Ease of use: Involves some equipment.

Accuracy: More than 90 per cent of the accuracy of a PCR test.

Other details: The Breathonix breathalyser is now used at the Causeway.

---

Over-the-counter tests​

Like pregnancy kits, these could be ART tests which are purchased from pharmacies and administered at home.

Cost: Price to be confirmed.

Time taken: ART usually takes 20 to 30 minutes.

Ease of use: Ease of use to be confirmed.

Accuracy: ART tests typically have a sensitivity rate of 82 per cent.

Other details: People who are worried about Covid-19 and wish to put their mind at ease, such as front-line workers who may wish to test themselves daily. Will be simple to use and not so uncomfortable.

---

Wastewater testing​

Wastewater testing detects the presence of the virus at a location. PHOTO: ST FILE


Detects the presence of the virus at a location. This can then be followed up with clinical tests. Frequency of sample collection varies from site to site and depends on the purpose of surveillance.

Other details: Locations islandwide that have had their wastewater surveyed include the four water reclamation plants, workers' dormitories, nursing homes and hostels.

---

Pooled testing​

One PCR test on a group of suspected cases. If the pooled test yields a positive result, all the people in the group will be tested individually to fish out the Covid-19 case.

Other details: Usually conducted in dormitories to get a sense of the prevalence rate of Covid-19 there.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

A future with Covid-19: What would life look like?​

With talk of how the coronavirus would be a permanent presence, Insight looks at what living with Covid-19 will be like.​

Experts note the possibility of fundamental changes to how Singaporeans play, heal, study, work and engage with one another.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG



SINGAPORE - You wake up with the slightest case of a runny nose. Mental note: Put on a mask before you leave for the airport - not that it's a must, but just to be safe. After breakfast, you whip out Temasek's newest do-it-yourself Covid-19 test kit, bought over the counter at Guardian pharmacy. Everyone at home breathes negative.
You submit the results as part of the advance check-in process. Also required: Proof of the latest vaccine booster shots - updated for fresh variants - that the family got at the polyclinic yesterday.
Over lunch at Changi Airport's new open-air foodcourt, you log on to the Ministry of Education website to confirm that leave has been applied for both children. No more fixed school holidays - the idea still takes some getting used to. You don't need to take leave, though - not since your employer's new outcome-based KPIs, which do not dictate how and where the job gets done.

On the plane, you recline into your economy-class seat, in a cabin now reconfigured to be roomier - or as they used to say back in 2021, "safely distanced". Before takeoff, you double-check the booking for your Bangkok hotel, recommended for its certification of five Covid-safety stars.
It's all systems go - for your first holiday in eight years.
This could be life with Covid-19 endemic - as envisioned and told to Insight by experts across fields spanning infectious disease, public health, education and tourism.



They note the possibility of fundamental changes to how Singaporeans play, heal, study, work and engage with one another.
With the transition to this future bound to be filled with uncertainty and unpredictability; Singaporeans must meet the challenge by being adaptable and versatile.
Dr Adrian W. J. Kuah, director of the futures office at the National University of Singapore (NUS), offers a starting point: Embrace what is coming as "late-Covid-19", rather than "post-Covid-19" - which suggests the unlikely chance of eradicating the virus.

Staying safe​

In a national address on Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he neither expects Covid-19 to disappear nor for it to dominate lives. He outlined a new normal where Singaporeans find ways to carry on with the virus in their midst. This also means accepting local infections and outbreaks from time to time.

Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, director of global health at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, says this acceptance level - or risk threshold of, for instance, the number of yearly deaths - will determine the extent of public health measures.
Dr Oliver Morgan, director of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) department of health emergency information and risk assessment, says governments should adopt a judicious blend of measures, rather than an "on-off switch" alternating between strict and relaxed limits.
Mask wearing is one measure experts wish will no longer be mandated, yet remain as a good habit and social norm. "I hope that we can migrate to how the Japanese wear masks - when they have a cold or flu; and to prevent spread to others," says Associate Professor Alex Cook, who is also from the Saw Swee Hock School.
Professor Leo Yee Sin, executive director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), says testing, contact tracing, isolation, vaccination and social responsibility should remain key strategies.
On vaccines, Professor Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia-Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, hopes the new infrastructure built up by the Covid-19 response can be combined with the yearly flu jab. This would enable what Prof Lim calls "one shot for everything".

Out and about​

Mask wearing is one measure experts wish will no longer be mandated, yet remain as a good habit and social norm. PHOTO: ST FILE

In social settings, the experts point to urban design and planning as preferred tools to managing Covid-19, compared with distancing restrictions that come at a cost to businesses.
As an alternative to air-conditioning, Prof Lim suggests engineering high ceilings, large open windows and cross-ventilation as natural cooling methods.
Dr Woo Jun Jie from NUS' Institute of Policy Studies, who researches urban policy, says other measures include better air filtration systems, reducing the occupancy load of malls, improving crowd circulation in public transport hubs, and even safe evacuation routes for infected people.
Overseas travel is expected to resume. Last month, the International Air Transport Association said global air travel would bounce back strongly by 2023, surpassing pre-Covid-19 levels. PM Lee said on Monday that visitors would again come to Singapore, and Singaporeans would travel again, if only to countries where the disease is under control.
Tourism consultant Christopher Khoo believes planes and cruise ships will, for some time, continue to be perceived as viral "petri dishes", even as they overhaul systems and safety measures. Vacation tour itineraries and programmes will have to be planned down to the last detail, with slots pre-booked at attractions and eateries, he says.
As PM Lee also predicted, this time in a BBC interview in March: "It won't be like before when you can just buy a ticket, hop onto the plane and go off to Hong Kong or Bangkok or Bali for a weekend."

​

S'pore planning for a new normal of living with Covid-19: PM Lee​

A future with Covid-19: When does a virus become endemic?​

​

Rethinking school, work​

Experts are also thinking beyond home-based learning and work from home.
Dr Kuah from NUS notes the repercussions of school ceasing to be at a fixed location. "We are looking now at a generation that didn't get to play team sports, experience campfires... First dates, first surreptitious brush of one's hand against another's, forming friendships for life - where will these take place?"
He also warns that teaching could risk becoming even more transactional, and reduced to delivery of content. "How effectively can we educate if we can't make that human connection?"
Last month, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing stressed the need to find new, safe ways for students to keep learning in a physical environment as far as possible.
Professor Paulin Straughan, a sociologist at Singapore Management University, was more sanguine about the future of work.

With the transition to this future bound to be filled with uncertainty and unpredictability; Singaporeans must meet the challenge by being adaptable and versatile. PHOTO: ST FILE

Should offices increasingly disappear, taking physical meetings with them, the businesses that will thrive are those able to foster cultures centred on strong trust in employees, she says. Done right, this could result in better control over individual time, and even rewarding relationships with co-workers and supervisors.
She feels Singaporeans need to step up as active stakeholders in the community too. "We shouldn't have to rely on safe distancing ambassadors any more."

New frontiers​

Dr Woo notes that citizens and policymakers will need to accept that governments do not have all the solutions. Going forward, governments may need to rewrite parts of their policy playbooks.
Prof Leo thinks countries will have to stand together more. "There needs to be equitable access to healthcare, personal protective equipment, vaccines, technology, information sharing, data sharing, surveillance and the ability to ramp up research."
NUS' Dr Lim believes Singapore's health system capacity needs to be bolstered. "Is one NCID enough, or do we need two? The difficulty is, as the saying goes, generals are always fighting the last war. And we don't know what Disease X is going to be."

S'pore planning for possibility that Covid-19 becomes endemic here: Lawrence Wong​

Preparing for Disease X: S'pore to boost defences against future outbreaks post-Covid-19​

​
Disease X is the as-yet-unknown but deadlier pathogen many believe will spawn the next calamitous pandemic.
The WHO's Dr Morgan says that to face down this threat, one area to be urgently improved is humankind's relationship with its surrounding ecosystems.
Adds Dr Kuah: "Some might argue Covid-19, and the inequalities that surfaced in its wake, were due precisely to the way things were, for example, pushing against the planet's resource constraints. This is an opportunity to do something else and to rehabilitate the planet and our societies."

 

[jw5]

Luckily they did not have to move to Red.

Bad news is that they have not moved back to yellow either.

 

[jw5]

Looks like testing will become a very common activity in the new world order.

Certainly. They are even selling test kits in the pharmacies.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Students to gradually return to school from 28 June: MOE​

SINGAPORE — Students will be progressively brought back to school following the June school holidays, with all levels expected to return from 6 July, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday (14 June).

Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) will also gradually increase the number of students allowed back on campus for face-to-face learning, said the ministry in a media release.

From 28 June, students from Primary 4 to 6 and Secondary 3 to 5, along with all students from junior colleges as well as the Millennia Institute, will return to school.

Secondary 1 and 2 students will be on Home-Based Learning (HBL) until 30 June and will return to school on 1 July. Primary 1 to 3 students will be on HBL for the first week of the new term, during which schools will continue to provide instructions and support for students to access online and hardcopy HBL materials.

As 5 July is the Youth Day school holiday, all levels of students will return to school the following day.

Graduating students taking centre-based classes – for subjects such as third languages, art and music programmes – will resume in-person lessons from Week 1 of Term 3, while non-graduating students will continue with HBL. All students taking centre-based classes will return for in-person lessons from Week 2 of Term 3.

To help with care arrangements, MOE kindergartens and school-based Student Care Centres will also resume full operation from 28 June. For Special Education school students, their return to school will be staggered from 28 June based on students' needs, with all students expected to be back at school from 6 July.

MOE also plans to resume in-person co-curricular activities (CCAs) from Week 2 of Term 3, starting with low-risk activities. "Given the need to minimise intermingling of students from different schools in line with the gradual resumption of student activities, the National School Games for Junior and C Divisions as well as the remaining games for A Division will be cancelled," the ministry added.

For IHLs, small-group classes or consultations that were previously held online will be allowed to resume from 21 June. Students will continue to return for essential in-person sessions such as labs and practicals, while in-person examinations will also continue to be held with no more than 50 persons per venue.

Classes and lectures with more than 50 persons will continue to be held online. All schools and IHLs will also ensure that the appropriate safe management measures are in place for the students' return.

"Students should have their TraceTogether token or app with them throughout the school day to facilitate accurate contact tracing, should the need arise," said MOE.

All tuition and enrichment classes for students aged 18 and below will also be allowed to resume in-person lessons from 21 June. Sports, along with arts and culture classes can take reference from SportSG and the National Arts Council's latest guidelines, said the ministry.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Why do some people get side effects after COVID-19 vaccines?​

Why do some people get side effects after COVID-19 vaccines?

Temporary side effects including headache, fatigue and fever are signs the immune system is revving up -- a normal response to vaccines. And they’re common.

“The day after getting these vaccines, I wouldn’t plan anything that was strenuous physical activity,” said Dr. Peter Marks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine chief, who experienced fatigue after his first dose.

Here's what’s happening: The immune system has two main arms, and the first kicks in as soon as the body detects a foreign intruder. White blood cells swarm to the site, prompting inflammation that’s responsible for chills, soreness, fatigue and other side effects.

This rapid-response step of your immune system tends to wane with age, one reason younger people report side effects more often than older adults. Also, some vaccines simply elicit more reactions than others.

That said, everyone reacts differently. If you didn’t feel anything a day or two after either dose, that doesn’t mean the vaccine isn't working.

Behind the scenes, the shots also set in motion the second part of your immune system, which will provide the real protection from the virus by producing antibodies.

Another nuisance side effect: As the immune system activates, it also sometimes causes temporary swelling in lymph nodes, such as those under the arm. Women are encouraged to schedule routine mammograms ahead of COVID-19 vaccination to avoid a swollen node being mistaken for cancer.

Not all side effects are routine. But after hundreds of millions of vaccine doses administered around the world — and intense safety monitoring — few serious risks have been identified. A tiny percentage of people who got vaccines made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson reported an unusual type of blood clot. Some countries reserved those shots for older adults but regulatory authorities say the benefits of offering them still outweigh the risks.

People also occasionally have serious allergic reactions. That's why you're asked to stick around for about 15 minutes after getting any type of COVID-19 vaccine — to ensure any reaction can be promptly treated.

Finally, authorities are trying to determine whether temporary heart inflammation that can occur with many types of infections also might be a rare side effect after the mRNA vaccines, the kind made by Pfizer and Moderna. U.S. health officials can't yet tell if there's a link but say they're monitoring a small number of reports, mostly male teens or young adults.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

In Talks: Malaysia-Singapore Travel Restrictions To Be Lifted​

Talks on allowing cross-border travel between Malaysia and Singapore have been going on since May. Unfortunately, due to the concerning number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia, the proposal had been put on hold. However, Malaysia and Singapore are both determined and eager to recover economic relations as soon as COVID-19 cases in the country show a decline.

Singapore’s COVID-19 situation is on a good track compared to that of Malaysia’s. As of June 13, Singapore reports reveal a total of 13 new cases. By comparison, Malaysia recorded a total of 5,304 new cases on the same day. Until Malaysia shows a consistent downward trend, the talks regarding cross-border travel will be as far as it gets.

Previously, Malaysian authorities were hesitant to re-initiate the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to economic concerns. However, taking into account the immediate and long-term effects of a relaxed restriction, a full lockdown is required to keep the pandemic’s spread under control. Malaysia is currently serving an extended two-week lockdown that commenced on 1 June and is expected to end on 28 June. This comes as COVID-19 cases showed a sharp increase after Hari Raya, even in spite of the vaccination rollout and movement protocols.

Malaysia is still far behind in achieving full recovery. It is everyone’s responsibility to take care of each other by taking care of ourselves. Until we do, talks on travel bubbles and reciprocal green lanes will remain just that – talks.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Delta variant of Covid spreading rapidly and detected in 74 countries​

The Delta variant of Covid-19, first identified in India, has been detected in 74 countries and continues to spread rapidly amid fears that it is poised to become the dominant strain worldwide.

Outbreaks of the Delta variant have been confirmed in China, the US, Africa, Scandinavia and Pacific rim countries. Scientists report that it appears to be more transmissible, as well as to cause more serious illness.

In the US, according to the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb, cases of the Delta variant are doubling roughly every two weeks and account for 10% of all new cases, while in the UK it accounts for more than 90% of new cases.

While health authorities around the world are collecting and sharing data on the spread of the new variant, the fear is that in countries in the developing world with less robust monitoring systems, the Delta variant may already have spread much further than has been reported.

Ashish Jha, the dean of the Brown University’s school of public health in the US, last week called the Delta variant “the most contagious variant we’ve seen so far”.

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As in introductions of previous strains of coronavirus during the pandemic, the Delta variant is proving to be pernicious and effective in avoiding border controls and quarantine measures.

As with previous variants, Delta is proving to be effective in avoiding existing border and quarantine measures. In Australia, cases have been seen in Melbourne despite strict controls.

The World Health Organization designated Delta as a variant of interest in April and a variant of concern on 11 May. It appears to cause more severe symptoms, according to evidence seen from India and elsewhere, including stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, hearing loss and joint pain.

The evidence from Guangzhou in China, in particular, has been concerning. There, health officials have reported 12% of patients becoming severely or critically ill within three to four days of the onset of symptoms – up to four times higher than in previous outbreaks – and sick individuals infecting more people.

Research in China, mirroring in broad terms that in the UK where the Delta variant has become dominant, has also found the strain appears to be somewhat more resistant to vaccines, in particular a single dose.

All of which has prompted renewed debate over how governments should be responding to the Delta variant. Amid the difficulties in preventing the spread of the variant globally, different countries are attempting different approaches to try to control its spread.

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Perhaps most radical, as was also seen in the initial outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, has been China’s approach after its first confirmed case of the Delta variant, in a 75-year-old woman in Liwan, a district of the southern city of Guangzhou, after visiting a restaurant.

It prompted new measures including driverless shuttle vehicles delivering food and supplies to tens of thousands of people in districts that are under a strict lockdown, while a fleet of 60 drones ensures people stay indoors.

Indonesia said on Monday it expected that a new wave of coronavirus infections would peak in early July, as the Delta variant becomes more dominant in some areas and with the occupancy of hospitals in Jakarta hitting 75%.

Caseloads in India have been dropping in recent weeks, and the UK in particular is being watched closely as the canary in the coalmine by countries whose vaccination programmes are already well advanced – such as the US and Israel – who are keen to understand what the advent of the Delta variant means for hospitalisations and deaths.

Speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation, Gottlieb, who is on the board of Pfizer and has written a book on the pandemic, said it was inevitable that the Delta variant would become dominant in the US.

“Look, and it’s going to continue to spread. It’s concerning. It appears to be more transmissible … So this is more contagious. It appears that people who get this virus have higher viral loads and they have those viral loads for longer periods of time,” he said. “Right now in the United States, it’s about 10% of infections. It’s doubling every two weeks. So it’s probably going to become the dominant strain here in the United States.”

Gottlieb’s comments echoed those of Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who a week earlier warned that the US could not allow the Delta variant to become dominant as had happened in the UK.

“Clearly now its transmissibility appears to be greater than the wild type,” Fauci said. “This is a situation, the way it was in England where they had a B.1.1.7 [Alpha variant] dominant, and then the [Delta variant] took over. We cannot let that happen in the United States.”

For now, however, the US – where 43.6% of adults are fully vaccinated – is sticking to its policy of protecting against the variant through encouraging vaccination, with little pressure for renewed lockdowns or similar restrictions.

While concern is mounting in countries with well-developed health systems and vaccine programmes, most worrying is the potential impact of the Delta variant in poorer countries.

Hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, have been “overwhelmed” by a rise in Covid infections. The president, Félix Tshisekedi, said the country was in the midst of a third wave driven in part by the Delta variant.

“I am going to take drastic measures to deal with this upsurge of the disease. We’re talking about the Indian variant in particular,” Tshisekedi said, without specifying what measures he planned.

The Zimbabwean government announced at the weekend a two-week localised lockdown for Hurungwe and Kariba districts after detecting the Delta variant. The government said more than 40 cases had been recorded in the last three days.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Singapore finds Delta most prevalent among virus variants locally​

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore has found the Delta variant of the coronavirus to be the most prevalent among local cases of variants of concern (VOCs), according to health ministry data, highlighting its level of infectiousness.

There were 449 local cases with VOCs as of May 31, of which 428 were the Delta variant first detected in India and nine of the Beta variant first identified in South Africa, the health ministry said in emailed statement on Wednesday.

Singapore authorities first reported the presence locally of the Delta variant in early May.

The Delta variant is stoking concern of a major spike in infections in other countries where it has been found, such as the United Kingdom, potentially delaying reopening plans after the rollout of vaccines in many regions.

Singapore performs viral genomic sequencing for all confirmed COVID-19 cases, unlike some countries who typically sequence a smaller proportion of their infections.

A recent rise in cases, including those linked to the Delta variant, prompted Singapore to tighten curbs on social gatherings last month. It reported 476 domestically transmitted cases during May.

Infections have been falling since, with only 2 cases on Wednesday, the lowest since early May, ahead of possible easing of measures after June 13. Singapore's mass vaccination programme is in full swing.

The city-state has reported more than 62,000 coronavirus cases overall, domestically transmitted and imported, with 34 deaths.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Covid origins mystery continues to spark speculation and tension​

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has scorched its way across the world killing millions and bringing economies to a standstill. But where exactly did it come from?

With few clear answers, speculation has persisted since the beginning of the pandemic, spawning misinformation and conspiracy theories as well as sharp diplomatic tensions.

Here is a look at leads scientists are following -- and others they have rejected -- in trying to determine how the virus made the leap to humans. Finding the right answer, they say, could help avoid the next pandemic.

- Animals -

Bats were identified early on as the probable origin of Covid-19.

But scientists think the virus would have passed from the winged mammals to another species before reaching humans.

The pangolin was singled out as a suspect because it is one of the wild animal species sold at the market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, which was linked to most of the first known cases of coronavirus.

However, uncertainty about this theory persists.

A joint investigation by World Health Organization (WHO) experts and Chinese scientists who visited Wuhan in January 2021 was supposed to help shed light on the theory but did not find the missing link.

Other animal intermediaries have come under suspicion, including minks and the ferret-badger.

- Man-made -

Another idea floated early on was that the virus did not reach people through animals but was engineered.

This idea often went hand-in-hand with the theory that the virus had leaked from a secure biolab in Wuhan. The idea spread widely online with some help from former US president Donald Trump.

One version of this theory alleges that the virus was created and spread on purpose.

Some internet publications have claimed that the existence of coronavirus patents offer "proof" of this, although in reality they are pointing to patented research on other coronaviruses.

The idea that the other pathogens had been spliced into the virus has also proved popular, even though scientists say such genetic manipulation would be visible in the Sars-CoV-2 genome.

Professor Olivier Schwartz of the Pasteur institute calls such ideas "completely unfounded".

- Lab leak -

The idea that a virus of natural origins -- taken from a bat, for example -- could have escaped from a secure biolab has been under increased consideration in recent weeks.

The WHO team that travelled to Wuhan in January said in their report that animal transmission was "likely to very likely" while a lab leak was "extremely unlikely".

But WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus has said the laboratory leak theory "requires further investigation, potentially with additional missions involving specialist experts, which I am ready to deploy".

In May, a group of 18 experts echoed the sentiment in an editorial that appeared in the journal Science.

"We must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data," they wrote.

"A proper investigation should be transparent, objective, data-driven, inclusive of broad expertise, subject to independent oversight, and responsibly managed to minimise the impact of conflicts of interest."

Citing a US intelligence report, The Wall Street Journal reported in May that three workers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalised with a seasonal illness in November 2019, a month before Beijing disclosed the existence of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak.

Days later US President Joe Biden gave intelligence agencies three months to report to him on whether the Covid-19 virus first emerged in China from an animal source or from a laboratory accident.

Experts point out, however, that the renewed interest in this theory comes from a lack of information -- not from new evidence.

"There is no new factual element that has moved the needle one way or the other," says Schwartz at the Pasteur Institute, noting that the natural transmission theory remains "the most plausible" explanation.

- Diplomacy and geopolitics -

Assigning blame for the pandemic has had Beijing and Washington eager to point the finger at one another.

As host country to the world's first identified cases, China has come under intense scrutiny.

Western countries have accused it of lacking transparency, both in its initial response and in its cooperation with investigations into the origins of the virus.

Tensions between the US and China were already high in the spring of 2020 when Trump raised the lab-leak theory -- a charge Beijing answered with its own hypothesis that the virus came from an American lab.

Last week, WHO emergencies chief Michel Ryan told reporters that the finger-pointing was not helping investigations to go forward.

"This whole process is being poisoned by politics," he warned.

The WHO says understanding how an epidemic began is "essential to preventing further introductions to the human population".

But at the end of last year, even before its team embarked to Wuhan, the organisation warned that the process of tracing how a disease jumped from animals "is a riddle that can take years to solve".

"The introduction of a new virus to the human population is one of the greatest mysteries an epidemiologist can hope to unravel," it said.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

COVID quarantine procedures confusing, inconsistent: Singapore residents​

SINGAPORE — Inconsistent and sometimes conflicting information given by officials enforcing quarantine orders (QOs) has left some Singapore residents alarmed at the lack of clear communication and apparent gaps in procedures.

Two women who were recently quarantined – one of them alongside her family and helper – told Yahoo News Singapore that they found their recent experiences confusing and frustrating. Multiple online comments by others who have served quarantine also suggest that the women's experiences are not unique.

"The whole thing felt a shambles," said Elaine (not her real name), a 35-year-old employment pass holder with a background in healthcare. "Everyone in this new world is working as hard as they possibly can. But they (personnel overseeing quarantine orders) need better leadership and better communication."

After going for a family staycation at a hotel from 7-9 May with her husband and two children aged one and four, Elaine was notified via text on 14 May of possible exposure to a COVID case at the hotel pool. The family and their helper were then issued a seven-day quarantine order by Certis officers.

Over multiple calls with Certis officers about whether the family home was suitable for quarantine and when their swab tests were taking place, the overall impression Elaine had was of a "disorganised" effort. "The next day, someone turned up with a quarantine order and armbands (which we had to wear). They installed these little black boxes, which work in tandem with the RFID in the armbands," recalled Elaine.

"We said we already had the Home app, where you can log your temperature three times a day and it tracks your location. It felt like we were criminals."

Who needs to be tested?​

Elaine and her two children were eventually conveyed to a hospital for swab tests, but not her husband. Certis officers were "unhelpful" when she called the local security company and asked why. "When we called MOH (Ministry of Health), they were much more helpful and sent a nurse around to do swab tests."

She added, "Literally no one told us what would happen if we tested positive. We were really worried that the kids might be taken away from us if they were positive."

After multiple calls, Elaine obtained negative results for herself and her boys, while the results for her husband and helper came two to three days later. On 15 May, a day before the QO was to end, a nurse was sent to their home, after Elaine had made multiple calls to MOH to clarify her family's quarantine status, to conduct swab tests.

Her one-year-old son was not tested for a second time as the nurse said it was not necessary. "They told us we would be fine as long as we didn’t get a positive," said Elaine, who was informed of her four-year-old son's negative test results on 17 May.

However, the next day, there was a knock at the door in the morning. "My helper was given a document by a Certis officer, and she felt she had to sign it. They didn’t tell her what it was for. It was an extension of my one-year-old boy's QO. I called MOH, and they couldn’t give me any info," said Elaine, who noted that the family had been to multiple places since the end of their quarantine.

Her husband took their younger son to get tested, where he was told that the extension was likely due to the fact that the boy had not been tested when the family was let out of quarantine. The boy was eventually cleared.

"The lack of communication is very frustrating. It really impacts your anxiety levels," said Elaine.

'Communication is abysmal'​

A 37-year-old lawyer who only wished to be known as Ms Wang also endured a "frustrating and confusing" experience after being issued a QO from 18-25 May, following her possible exposure to COVID-19.

Having confined herself to her room, the mother of two was informed that Certis officers would assess her home for quarantine suitability but no one turned up. At the end of the QO, having received a negative swab result on 21 May, she interacted with her family members.

On 26 May, she received an SMS telling her to go for a swab test and that she had been issued another QO from 20-29 May. After numerous calls to the Certis hotline, Ms Wang was told that her QO would be rescinded if she were to get a negative swab result.

The following day, despite her HealthHub app displaying a negative result, a Certis officer came to issue her the new QO. She was then told by two other officers over the phone that the negative result was invalid as her quarantine had been extended and she needed another swab.

After multiple calls, her QO was finally rescinded in the evening.

"You basically have to keep calling until you find someone helpful," said Ms Wang, who was in a "state of anxiety" for fear of possibly infecting her family members. "The communication is abysmal. I understand that they need to do this, but they need to manage the process properly. These are people’s lives."

Alluding to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's remarks last month that the government will take a more aggressive approach to testing and quarantine, she added, "The current process already seems overstretched. I think it would be so easy to improve this just by being clear. If you tell people what to expect, there won’t be so much anxiety."

As neither woman wanted to be identified, their detailed accounts and personal details could not be shared with the MOH.

MOH responds​

Yahoo News Singapore asked MOH about the volume and nature of complaints it has received regarding the serving and enforcement of QOs during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), which lasted from 16 May to 13 June. In light of PM Lee's remarks on more aggressive testing and quarantine, the ministry was also asked if it is confident that it has sufficient resources to test and quarantine potentially thousands more.

In response, an MOH spokesperson said that extensive contact tracing, including leveraging on TraceTogether and SafeEntry records, is a key strategy to cast a wide net to isolate and ring-fence any possible emerging transmissions in the community.

The spokesperson noted that "wider rings" are being drawn around cases to combat the more transmissible strains, while more people are now using TraceTogether and SafeEntry, which provides MOH with more data for contact tracing and quarantine.

"This has led to a higher number of persons under quarantine (PUQs), resulting in delays in the testing and conveyance to quarantine facilities," said the ministry.

"We seek the public’s understanding and patience. We will continue to improve our operating processes and improve communications between the various agencies involved in managing the quarantine process."