Can we make the cut?

According to the CNA article by Jalelah Abu Baker about the initiatives that our government is making – specifically, the ministerial pay cuts.

This should be a wake up call for Singaporeans who are ignorant and who always lambasted the government for various reasons.

A country’s unity is coherent when everyone within their capacity gives back to the society unconditionally so that they can fight whatever threatens to wipe them off the human count.

This is more than evident in light of the COVID-19 menace, where only a concerted effort can make a difference.

So yes, I would like to thank our respective officials that stepped up for taking pay cuts to provide a bonus salary for brave and hard working public officers on front line.

These types of actions do stand out because just not long ago, after watching how some of the locals rampaging into grocery stores and wiping out their stock, left me with a feeling of hopelessness. I was convinced that the majority of Singapore’s population’s heartless.

Many had not thought about the fact that Singapore ultimately relies on the people it’s made of. If the people crumble then automatically the nation crumbles.

In the weeks and months to come we will need to draw deeply on Singapore’s reserves of resilience trust and solidarity. This unity of purpose across our whole society is what will see us through these challenging times

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat

It is very important to show that we have the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties that is driven by having a mutual aim within Singapore to stop the spread of COVID-19.

However, from where I stand, I feel that many are being lulled into a false sense of security at the moment, with the number of COVID-19 cases locally falling.

True, the influx of Chinese tourists may have ceased and there are also travel bans to other locales in effect, but who knows how many infected have slipped through before the latter happened?

In my opinion, Singapore should announce Red alert with regards to the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition’ (DORSCON)  and call for all work environments, schools and social events to shut down temporarily.

At the very least, this will give the nation time to take stock and for the government to reinforce their measures while there’s a reduced chance of transmission from carriers. Within two weeks, those who now have the virus would probably be showing signs, making contact tracing much easier.

Yes, this is going to be painful for many, especially education centres and businesses but it should be carried out anyway.

Ideally, Singapore should also be deploying trained staff that are willing as well as gear up volunteers that step up. Like the UK, we might even want to consider recalling recently retired medical personnel, especially doctors and nurses (on a voluntary basis of course).

There’s no doubt that the virus will be with us for at least the year, probably more. In that year, it’ll have numerous chances to spread here. All it takes is just one lapse. An ever vigilant aegis of medical personnel might just be the bulwark to halt the progress of the virus, at least in Singapore.

Each COVID-19 cell multiplies to an massive number while in the host. So when the host coughs or sneezes among a group of uninfected people, numerous microscopic droplets may be spread to that group. Those in the group who have not practice good hygiene?

They can potentially become the new host for the cells, discovering this only after a few days.

So coming back to my point about Singapore only has its people to rely on. We have to work together wholeheartedly because one bad move will be the demise of many.

We are living in communities that are connected closely with one another.

The country is so small that we do not need to take a boat or plane to access its farthest reaches. There is nowhere on this island to hide if there’s an outbreak.

So it all boils down to this; being ever vigilant or fall prey to the newest virus on the block.

Which do you prefer?