Singapore goes back to semi-lockdown
#61
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
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Will be interesting to see where is tipping point for government to decide, "screw it, we will open up our borders if vaccination rate don't hit their target numbers" it's not fair for government to keep borders closed for too long if there is plenty of vaccines available but people either refuse or being too slow to take it. Obviously, SG government can decide what they want to do with tourism / border but it seems all states in usa decide to go forward with "we are opening up, so get vaccinated asap or don't weep if you refuse to get it and get sick from covid".
They aren't holding the door for people who refuse to take it so risks fall on them. Will be interesting to see if SG and others in Asia will take similar approach (hopefully next few months).
They aren't holding the door for people who refuse to take it so risks fall on them. Will be interesting to see if SG and others in Asia will take similar approach (hopefully next few months).
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,222
Will be interesting to see where is tipping point for government to decide, "screw it, we will open up our borders if vaccination rate don't hit their target numbers" it's not fair for government to keep borders closed for too long if there is plenty of vaccines available but people either refuse or being too slow to take it. Obviously, SG government can decide what they want to do with tourism / border but it seems all states in usa decide to go forward with "we are opening up, so get vaccinated asap or don't weep if you refuse to get it and get sick from covid".
They aren't holding the door for people who refuse to take it so risks fall on them. Will be interesting to see if SG and others in Asia will take similar approach (hopefully next few months).
They aren't holding the door for people who refuse to take it so risks fall on them. Will be interesting to see if SG and others in Asia will take similar approach (hopefully next few months).
#63
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: the little red dot
Posts: 259
Note that Singapore has not yet extended vaccination to people under 40 and have stretched the time between shots in order to be able to get more first jabs into people due to a lack of vaccine supply. So hitting the target numbers is not just because people are being slow to get themselves vaccinated.
#64
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ZRH, Switzerland
Programs: M&M, Fan of MO, Shangri-La.
Posts: 687
I do not agree that there's no way that any of those countries will change their track.
Thailand and Indonesia (at least tourist islands) are trying to find a way to get out of this corner. - Within weeks and months, not years.
Maybe they were never full members of that "club of zero" countries, but they were surely not nearly as open to their neighbours as the EU/USA either.
The will and the economic pressure to open up is obviously strong enough for those countries to make this turnaround.
This will not go unnoticed in Singapore, regardless of how much money is in Singapore's bank account.
- Reuters coverage on Thailand reopening in 120days
- SIA to increase flights to Phuket from current 2 to 7 weekly
> I'm optimistic that Singapore will not keep the head in the sand for much longer.
Thailand and Indonesia (at least tourist islands) are trying to find a way to get out of this corner. - Within weeks and months, not years.
Maybe they were never full members of that "club of zero" countries, but they were surely not nearly as open to their neighbours as the EU/USA either.
The will and the economic pressure to open up is obviously strong enough for those countries to make this turnaround.
This will not go unnoticed in Singapore, regardless of how much money is in Singapore's bank account.
- Reuters coverage on Thailand reopening in 120days
- SIA to increase flights to Phuket from current 2 to 7 weekly
> I'm optimistic that Singapore will not keep the head in the sand for much longer.
#65
#66
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 5
In country where the government rules with an iron fist, they will continue this behavior. I don't think Singapore will get better before the end of the year. To many countries around it will not be able to vaccine a majority of their population.
#67
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 617
I do not agree that there's no way that any of those countries will change their track.
Thailand and Indonesia (at least tourist islands) are trying to find a way to get out of this corner. - Within weeks and months, not years.
Maybe they were never full members of that "club of zero" countries, but they were surely not nearly as open to their neighbours as the EU/USA either.
The will and the economic pressure to open up is obviously strong enough for those countries to make this turnaround.
This will not go unnoticed in Singapore, regardless of how much money is in Singapore's bank account.
- Reuters coverage on Thailand reopening in 120days
- SIA to increase flights to Phuket from current 2 to 7 weekly
> I'm optimistic that Singapore will not keep the head in the sand for much longer.
Thailand and Indonesia (at least tourist islands) are trying to find a way to get out of this corner. - Within weeks and months, not years.
Maybe they were never full members of that "club of zero" countries, but they were surely not nearly as open to their neighbours as the EU/USA either.
The will and the economic pressure to open up is obviously strong enough for those countries to make this turnaround.
This will not go unnoticed in Singapore, regardless of how much money is in Singapore's bank account.
- Reuters coverage on Thailand reopening in 120days
- SIA to increase flights to Phuket from current 2 to 7 weekly
> I'm optimistic that Singapore will not keep the head in the sand for much longer.
#68
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
In a local telegram group, which was originally created for travel and credit card deals, there was a poll - ‘if you are fully vaccinated, would you be in the same room with someone who is infected?’
80% said ‘no’. And this is among people who love(d) travel and are educated. Plus there is very vocal online community which on every corner declares that ‘we need to be safe’ with requests to ‘keep Singapore safe and the virus out’.
If you have such attitude, why would you even bother to think about opening?
#69
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SFO
Programs: UA
Posts: 200
I don’t think it will be ‘just’ end of the year.
In a local telegram group, which was originally created for travel and credit card deals, there was a poll - ‘if you are fully vaccinated, would you be in the same room with someone who is infected?’
80% said ‘no’. And this is among people who love(d) travel and are educated. Plus there is very vocal online community which on every corner declares that ‘we need to be safe’ with requests to ‘keep Singapore safe and the virus out’.
In a local telegram group, which was originally created for travel and credit card deals, there was a poll - ‘if you are fully vaccinated, would you be in the same room with someone who is infected?’
80% said ‘no’. And this is among people who love(d) travel and are educated. Plus there is very vocal online community which on every corner declares that ‘we need to be safe’ with requests to ‘keep Singapore safe and the virus out’.
#70
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Here's what I mean. Before I had been vaccinated, I was willing to risk potential exposure with mitigation measures if I had felt the reward was commensurate with the risk. On the other hand, would I stroll into a room full of people who are all 100% beyond a shadow of a doubt infected? In this case, irrespective of whether or not I've been vaccinated, the answer would be, no. Why would I knowingly hangout with infected people? The only reason would be if there's something I had to gain to justify the risk; and, right now, I can't imagine what that would be.
#71
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 5
I don’t think it will be ‘just’ end of the year.
In a local telegram group, which was originally created for travel and credit card deals, there was a poll - ‘if you are fully vaccinated, would you be in the same room with someone who is infected?’
80% said ‘no’. And this is among people who love(d) travel and are educated. Plus there is very vocal online community which on every corner declares that ‘we need to be safe’ with requests to ‘keep Singapore safe and the virus out’.
If you have such attitude, why would you even bother to think about opening?
In a local telegram group, which was originally created for travel and credit card deals, there was a poll - ‘if you are fully vaccinated, would you be in the same room with someone who is infected?’
80% said ‘no’. And this is among people who love(d) travel and are educated. Plus there is very vocal online community which on every corner declares that ‘we need to be safe’ with requests to ‘keep Singapore safe and the virus out’.
If you have such attitude, why would you even bother to think about opening?
I have friends that live there, and thee seem to be the same way. Thanks for the info.
#72
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
Ah, it depends on how one interprets that question.
Here's what I mean. Before I had been vaccinated, I was willing to risk potential exposure with mitigation measures if I had felt the reward was commensurate with the risk. On the other hand, would I stroll into a room full of people who are all 100% beyond a shadow of a doubt infected? In this case, irrespective of whether or not I've been vaccinated, the answer would be, no. Why would I knowingly hangout with infected people? The only reason would be if there's something I had to gain to justify the risk; and, right now, I can't imagine what that would be.
Here's what I mean. Before I had been vaccinated, I was willing to risk potential exposure with mitigation measures if I had felt the reward was commensurate with the risk. On the other hand, would I stroll into a room full of people who are all 100% beyond a shadow of a doubt infected? In this case, irrespective of whether or not I've been vaccinated, the answer would be, no. Why would I knowingly hangout with infected people? The only reason would be if there's something I had to gain to justify the risk; and, right now, I can't imagine what that would be.
- would you, who is vaccinated, be in a room with people who are infected, but neither you nor they are aware of it?
If you think about what kind of answer you will get here, then you would understand based on what articles about ‘first vacation in eight years in a hotel which has Covid free five stars’ are based on…
Last edited by invisible; Jun 22, 2021 at 7:12 pm
#73
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
FYI - friend of mine took 9 months old baby to a doctor - baby had a fever. Now he, baby and his wife are serving 5 day home arrest, I mean SHN.
Any fever now is treated as Covid regardless of age and other peculiarities and everyone in household must stay at home for 5 days.
Any fever now is treated as Covid regardless of age and other peculiarities and everyone in household must stay at home for 5 days.
#74
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,379
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion...-with-covid-19
IIt's an opinion article but written by govt taskforce members. Dunno how government/official you would consider this, but i think this is a pretty clear roadmap (except the timing part)
authors: Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung are co-chairs of the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force
(There are cases in other countries where fully vaccinated individuals (>2weeks after last mRNA dose) have died or gone into ICU. Some are elderly or with preexisting conditions, not sure the rates of those who are not in those categories)
IIt's an opinion article but written by govt taskforce members. Dunno how government/official you would consider this, but i think this is a pretty clear roadmap (except the timing part)
authors: Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung are co-chairs of the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force
Second, there may not be a need to conduct massive contact tracing and quarantining of people each time we discover an infection. People can get themselves tested regularly using a variety of fast and easy tests. If positive, they can confirm with a PCR test and then isolate themselves.
Third, instead of monitoring Covid-19 infection numbers every day, we will focus on the outcomes: how many fall very sick, how many in the intensive care unit, how many need to be intubated for oxygen, and so on. This is like how we now monitor influenza.
Fifth, we will be able to travel again, at least to countries that have also controlled the virus and turned it into an endemic norm. We will recognise each other's vaccination certificates. Travellers, especially those vaccinated, can get themselves tested before departure and be exempted from quarantine with a negative test upon arrival.
Third, instead of monitoring Covid-19 infection numbers every day, we will focus on the outcomes: how many fall very sick, how many in the intensive care unit, how many need to be intubated for oxygen, and so on. This is like how we now monitor influenza.
Fifth, we will be able to travel again, at least to countries that have also controlled the virus and turned it into an endemic norm. We will recognise each other's vaccination certificates. Travellers, especially those vaccinated, can get themselves tested before departure and be exempted from quarantine with a negative test upon arrival.
In Singapore, of the 120 plus fully vaccinated individuals who were nevertheless infected with Covid-19, including some aged above 65 - and were not resident at hospitals or nursing homes - all had either no or mild symptoms. In contrast, about 8 per cent of the unvaccinated developed serious symptoms.
Last edited by paperwastage; Jun 23, 2021 at 9:12 pm
#75
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
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Posts: 3,317
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion...-with-covid-19
IIt's an opinion article but written by govt taskforce members. Dunno how government/official you would consider this, but i think this is a pretty clear roadmap (except the timing part)
authors: Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung are co-chairs of the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force
(There are cases in other countries where fully vaccinated individuals (>2weeks after last mRNA dose) have died or gone into ICU. Some are elderly or with preexisting conditions, not sure the rates of those who are not in those categories)
IIt's an opinion article but written by govt taskforce members. Dunno how government/official you would consider this, but i think this is a pretty clear roadmap (except the timing part)
authors: Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung are co-chairs of the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force
(There are cases in other countries where fully vaccinated individuals (>2weeks after last mRNA dose) have died or gone into ICU. Some are elderly or with preexisting conditions, not sure the rates of those who are not in those categories)