THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: What lessons can be drawn from the fresh outbreaks of Covid-19 in some countries, upon re-opening?
World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom recently remarked that the six-month point of the Covid-19 outbreak coincided with a global tally of 10 million positive cases and 500,000 deaths. It is a grim milestone and a stark reminder to all of us that we must not let our guard down. Dr Tedros said that ”we all want to get on with our lives, but the hard reality is that this is not even close to being over”.
The first key lesson for us is to have a heightened sense of self-awareness that a second wave is not a question of ”if” but ”when”. Only then will we continue to practise basic health measures like safe distancing, washing our hands and wearing masks well into Phase Two and Phase Three.
The second lesson is adequate preparation. Singapore has done well in its initiatives of ”tracking, testing and tracing” and must continue to do so.
With the 1918 Spanish flu, a second wave returned with a vengeance because of both individual complacency and corporate health policy failures. We cannot allow the same to happen this time round.
To view my thoughts on Business Times, visit this link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/room-complacency-mario-singh
