"18 months have passed since the beginning of the pandemic, and our people are tired of fighting." The Corona task force in Singapore wants to create a roadmap for the transition to a new normal.
Singapore - In Singapore, gatherings of up to five people are again allowed, restaurants and fitness studios are to open soon.
The city-state is pursuing a new strategy in dealing with the corona virus.
Multi-ministerial corona task force calls for cohesion
Singapore is still trying to keep the Delta variant under control.
However, 18 months have now passed since the beginning of the pandemic “and our people are tired of fighting.
Everyone is wondering: When and how will the pandemic end? ”The Corona taskforce published a letter in the Singaporean newspaper
The Straits Times
.
The multi-ministerial council includes Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
“The bad news is that Covid-19 may never go away.
The good news is that it is possible to live with it normally, ”they give hope to the population.
The uncertainty in dealing with the virus is still great in Singapore.
In order to be able to come to normality, they rely on vaccinations, tests and medication.
The disease, they hope, will eventually lose its horror.
Then be accepted as less threatening, such as "flu, hand, foot and mouth disease or chickenpox."
Strategy: test, vaccinate, treat and cohesion
In order to achieve this goal, further vaccinations are primarily planned.
Another focus is on testing.
“There are even faster test kits in the pipeline, similar to an alcohol test, which take about one to two minutes to deliver the results and which do not compromise.” Third, Singapore now has a number of effective treatments and medications for the sick.
The task force hopes that the result will be a new procedure should someone fall ill.
A vaccinated person with illness could most likely cure the illness at home in the future.
Because the symptoms are milder in vaccinated people.
"A minority, especially older people and those with previous illnesses, can get very sick and some die," the ministers admit.
But the risk of a severe course is very low for the general population.
Furthermore - according to the plan - it will no longer be necessary to carry out massive contact tracing and strict quarantine for every infection discovered.
Corona Task Force: We all have to do our part
"History has shown that every pandemic will take its course," it continues. To get to the desired final state, everyone has to use their energy, resources and creativity. They are betting that science and human ingenuity will ultimately prevail against the virus. “Cohesion and social awareness will get us there faster. We all have to do our part. "
