Jubilee Post News & Views
Priyanka Parmar
Singapore which is known for zero crime, better health services, education and greenery in the world is fighting with coronavirus for the past three months. The statistics here are now enough to make people afraid but there is no fear in the atmosphere. People are not really afraid of coronavirus.
In fact people have confidence upon the government and hope they will defeat coronavirus. This is why when the entire world has closed down its services such as metro, buses, flights and trains in Singapore all these modes are running smooth.
In February after China it was Singapore that recorded maximum coronavirus cases and the first case came up on February 23. The government was on alert immediately. Singapore government has taken measures earlier only when WHO had raised alert for Chine last year with the mystery SARS like pneumonia. Till then it was not sure whether this virus gets transferred to humans from human or not. There was not much knowledge about the virus but in three days Singapore started screening at its borders.
With a case coming up big steps were taken by Singapore government. The government did not stop anything but made such arrangements that there remains no crowd at any place. Social distancing was stressed upon. The gyms, swimming pools, metro, malls, buses are running smooth as they ran before there was coronavirus. The only difference is people do not get together.
Banks and all offices are open but under such an arrangement that there is no crowd. After the first shift gets over there is a gap of 15-minutes for the staff of second shift to come. In IT sector work from home or alternate day work is applied. Work from home one day and come to office the next day.
In the second week of February when cases went up then the government sounded a high alert as the government knew the greatest danger was in Singapore. The countries that were on top of the list with cases, outside China, had Singapore on top. Singapore by then had 80 cases. The government sensed the danger and took immediate and strong steps.
After coronavirus case was confirmed the health staff tracked all those who could have come in contact of the positive case and they were kept in quarantine. All those coming to Singapore were kept in quarantine for 14-days and this is being done even today.
If the number of positive cases were limited to only 1000 there is steps by the government and strict law enforcement behind it. All those who violated the rules were dealt with strict law. No laxity was dispensed. That is why the coronavirus did not spread here like in other countries.
At present the number of the coronavirus cases has reached 900 and three deaths have been reported. People have demanded that schools should be closed here also keeping in view the upheaval in Europe and increasing number. Parents say children go to schools by metro which is not safe.
The government has not taken any decision on this but has imposed strictness in another matter. The government is allowing only permanent residents to enter the country. Those with long term stay permission are denied entry or stay. Those in the country are allowed to continue but those who have left the country for work are asked to stay where they are. The government has done this for its people.
When with the tirade against coronavirus in Singapore come to an end is not known but one thing is sure that the fight is not being fought by the government alone and that people too are fighting, by following directives from the government.
(Priyanka lives in Singapore and works in IT sector)
