freed0m

ktv is not the reason to lockdown. Wet markets and hawker centers are more lethal.

the Bloomberg columnist does not seems to understand the situation in Singapore, probably an AMDK from another country.

Topcare

Yah. I'll look elsewhere.

lokijuh

MOH have made clear how they will treat overseas vaccinations of those who live (or are entitled to live) in Singapore, including citizens, PRs and long term pass holders. This includes documentation of the vaccination of an approved (WHO emergency list) vaccine and a serology test with positive result showing presence of antibodies. Not sure what that will end up meaning for foreign visitors, but the big problem will be the veracity of vaccination records, particularly from many nearby countries.

https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highligh...nation-records

quirrow

The columnist probably went before to KTVs but not Jurong Fishery Port.

Joking aside, not really sure if wet markets and hawker centers are 'more' lethal. KTV cases have led to clusters in HK, South Korea and Japan as well. While not much has been reported of local infections in Japan arising from their fish markets.

My take is that Indonesian fishermen probably had close contacts to fish market workers in Jurong port, and it led to fishmongers getting infected. One just need an infected fishmonger or worker to go KTVs to infect someone. Butterfly effect at work here, and showing why contact tracing is essential to get ahead of this disease.

freed0m

the major difference is that KTVs are only visited by a small segment of the population, but the wet markets and hawker centers are visited by a lot of locals(at least a few times of the KTV population, especially risky seniors, which have a relatively lower percentage of vaccination).

The result also shows the same. KTV cluster shrinks quickly, but wet markets shoots past KTV in just a few days.

freed0m

veracity of vaccination records can be confirmed through serology test. But will they subject to the same pre-event testing like local vaccinated with non-Pfizer/Moderna?

lokijuh

Yes who knows.

I was thinking in the context of allowing vaccinated visitors in, where is the serology testing done? How to verify that it is legit as well? Or do on arrival? Long way to go before these things are resolved. International vaccine passports may help, who knows.

freed0m

my thought is isolation until serology result comes out. if no antibodies, go to quaratine. got antibodies, continue journey.

invisible

Not going to work for tourism and business and is not scalable.

freed0m

tourism is hardly the thing Singapore is looking for. Pre-COVID, tourists don’t just come to Singapore.

Business, if they don’t like, there is always full quarantine for them.

freed0m

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...2-ktv-15263610

Singapore heath minister said the same. lockdown not because of KTV cluster

lokijuh

Not sure I understand this comment. Plenty of tourists once came to Singapore for short trips.

freed0m

only Singapore for a trip? It is hardly worth of a few days.

Singapore is expensive for our neighbors. and Other fly too far for just a few days.

lokijuh

Look at the tourism stats pre-2020. In 2019, $27b in tourism spend and 19m international visitors. Lots of visitors from China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Australia.....

Could see this at various attractions - take the concourse in front of Universal Studios (pre-Covid), it would not be uncommon to see heaps of foreign tourists (lots of Indonesians and Malaysians, judging by appearance and language being spoken). Lots of Chinese came here, lots of Indians too. Personally, I know quite a few people who've come here from Australia as a stand alone trip , for a few days or a week (in addition to the many who did a stopover on the way to somewhere else), when Scoot had fares for $300 return, it's not that expensive, and it appeals to a different type of traveller to the Bali/Phuket crowd. Also accommodation need not be super expensive if you avoid the 4/5* properties (and don't mind staying in properties that are sometimes rented by the hour, such as Hotel 81, Fragrance - many of which have become ibis budgets now - etc) .

freed0m

I don't dispute that many high-end travelers (especially from Indonesia/Thailand etc) coming to Singapore to spend big money. But for mass tourism, Singapore alone is hardly appealing. Everything here is expensive. Price of Hotel 81 is equivalent of 5* price around the region. Attractions are man-made.

A big No from Chinese tourists as they have to quarantine a month back.

Around the region, I don't see quarantine-free for them anytime soon.