And just today I was browsing FB and the comments of FB-ers on Straits Times about COVID.
99% of the comments on articles on COVID are about how bad the COVID situation is in SG and how the Gov should not have reopened/removed restrictions so soon.
I came to 2 conclusions.
1. These folks who want to keep SG closed/restricted are a minority but are very vocal.
2. These folks who want to keep SG closed/restricted are a majority and are representative of the SG feelings towards COVID and how the Gov is handling it.
I hope it is 1.
Cos conclusion 2 is concerning.
Cos these people are expecting the impossible.
Think about it.
Ok. Let's keep SG closed, reduce COVID numbers to under 100 per day. Only have food imports or exports but no real movement of people.
Then what? Are we going to keep SG closed for long term to maintain the low infection rate?
Remember. SG has a small market, there is very little domestic demand.
Ok, so let's do it for??? 6 months?
Then what? Reopen? Reopen to a world that will STILL bring COVID into SG eventually?
Or what? Keep SG closed forever? There is no way around it.
If SG closes borders or keeps restrictions up to have low spread, low death. No matter what, when it opens borders again, COVID WILL re-enter SG again.
So open in 1 month time, or open in 3 years time, the result is still going to be similar. Just as long as the hospitals don't overload.
COVID will come to Singapore, and will spread and people will get it, most will get well, some will die.
COVID is here to stay.
Else keep SG closed forever. And THAT, would be the end of Singapore.
In the long run, COVID won't destroy Singapore. Staying closed will.
I read commenters saying that COVID deaths can be prevented. That they are unnecessary deaths. The folks who die are someone's father, mother, g'mother, g'father, they helped build SG, etc.
Just don't open up.
Yes. That's true.
Singapore has 800 flu deaths every year.
That also can be prevented. Just close borders and keep everyone at home.
Flu deaths can also be prevented. They are also someone's father, mother, brother, sister, etc.
But no one talks about it right? Why? Cos everyone has gotten it before. It's "no big deal". And yet, there are many "preventable" deaths.
These people lack perspective. And I hope it's just a very vocal minority.
Just cos COVID-19 is a novel disease. Doesn't mean we ignore the statistics of it.
The fear and concern should be proportional to the data.
No one calls for restrictions when the death rate for flu is so "high".
Just cos it's headline news doesn't mean the statistics change.
Similarly, I had friends who told me to be careful of racism in the US.
Yes racism incidents rose 100% during the pandemic period.
But the numbers are something like 1,000 rising to 2,000. In a population of 300 million.
Yes. I know I still need to be careful. But that doesn't mean I need to be wary of everyone I meet on the streets.
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