Covid19 - A disaster waiting to happen

 Note. This piece was written a week ago before the ban on visitors from India was imposed yesterday. But many points are still relevant and need to be aired.

 

Learning from other people's mistakes. We have seen many countries that were doing quite well in controlling the pandemic but plunge into despair overnight just because of a slip or a little carelessness. There was only one case in the USA, now more than 30m cases.

Other than China, the only country that is taking this pandemic very seriously is Australia.  They don't mess around and clamp down quickly whenever a few new cases appeared. But they too are waiting for a disaster to happen as they are also in a hurry to want to open their economy. They have started gingerly with New Zealand. But all is one minor slip and the infection could spread beyond control. So far they are acting very fast and snuffing out every new cases that appeared. But luck can run out if one is flirting with this virus.

What about Singapore? We have 600,000 or so time bombs in the dormitories. Yes, they have been infected and have some immunity.  They are also checked frequently. Presumably all have been vaccinated but from what we know today, vaccination does not mean one would not be reinfected.

The other big hole in Singapore's control is to let in people from three of the worse infected countries in the world, the USA, India and Britain. Not sure which is the most infected as the numbers reported are not real, not the truth. To make matter worse, new strains keep mutating and getting more serious. 

And these people are let in and the only safe guard, when found positive, is stay home notice. (OK, this part is overtaken by events). There is this hope that after they recovered, all is well. Never heard of reinfection? Never heard of the virus still hibernating in their bodies? Never mind, no symptoms means ok and after stay home notice they can socialise with the locals, exchange their breath with the community. Not to worry.

In the same logic, those in the dormitories are safe, just let them out. There is nothing to worry about. Let them drink more Newater will do. Never mind the new cases from those that have recovered. These are once in 50 years stuff. These very nice people should not be kept in the dormitories or more will turn into wildlife like the one at One North that molested two locals, a student and an adult woman, on two consecutive days. He was so desperate and must satisfy his urges.

Singapore has been lucky so far. But for dancing with the virus daily, flirting with the virus with each new arrival, luck may soon run out. Many are very disturb by this over confident or lackadaisical attitude, open the door wide wide. OK, OK, door is closing now. Singapore is a lucky country. How dare the virus come here?

Singapore cannot afford to live with an outbreak that runs amok. It is better to be safe than sorry. Hong Kong is stopping entry of flights from highly infected countries like India. We were embracing everyone from India. Soon Hong Kong would also stop flights from Singapore if the Indians switch flights from Singapore to Hong Kong. But this is small problem, other people's problem.

The big problem, the big disaster is the numerous infected cases from India that are now residing here, in our community. It only takes a few cases to become infectious with the new mutants and we will be dead ducks. Why is Singapore exposing itself to such unnecessary risks, especially allowing people from India that is likely to be the worse infected country in the world to come in so easily? The unreported cases could be many times more than the reported cases in the USA?

PS. If one dose of mRNA not enough to cause adverse effects or mutation, what about two doses, three doses or more doses? As things develop, it is looking like getting vaccinated is an ongoing affair, not going to stop at 2 or 3. With more and more mRNA being injected into the body, the risk will only get higher. the probabilities for mutation will also get higher. 

When are we going to get Chinese vaccines that are produced using the traditional method? Why is this taking so long when half of the countries in the world are using it?