REACH - 23. Enhanced Travel Restrictions
15 Mar 2020 (6pm - 10pm)

REACH
[6:02 pm, 15/03/2020] +65 9150 9127: Dear contributors, welcome back! Our chat will be open until 10pm today.
📢 Topic: How do these additional measures affect you?📢
Enhanced Travel Restrictions
As the number of cases increase internationally, many countries have imposed stricter travel restrictions. In our continued efforts to contain COVID-19, Singapore will now implement additional travel restrictions.
From 16 March 2020, 2359hours, all travelers entering Singapore (Singapore residents, long and short term pass holders) with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom within the last 14 days will be issued with a 14-day Stay-Home-Notice. In addition, they will have to provide proof of where they serve their SHN. With immediate effect, Singaporeans are advised to defer all non-essential travel abroad to reduce Singaporeans’ risk of contracting the virus.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/coronavirus-covid-19-singapore-malaysia-asean-stay-home-notice-12539952
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[7:05 pm, 15/03/2020] Danny:
(1) Tighteneing Border Control is now the priority in curbing the virus spread into Singapore --- as now predominantly, the virus has infected many Countries all over the World.

(2) Border Control can take 2 form :-
a. Immediate tests in all checkpoints (land, air, sea) on all suspected cases - with test kits.
b. Compulsory 14-day Stay-Home-Notice from Countries that are experiencing high infection.

(3) Both the measures above can help to prevent or spot as many infected cases imported from overseas--- and prevent community spreading in Singapore.

(4) Let us hope, Singapore can minimise as many covid-19 imported cases as possible.

(5) Meanwhile, Singapore business and workers will have to tighten our belt --- and rely on domestic demands as well as calibrated overseas demand --- to sustain our business and the Economy. Additional Government finance assistance can help to cushion the impact.

(6) As for the medical front, let us hope there are breakthrough in the following areas :-
a. Test kits that can be made easier to administer and test -- eg. saliva or phelgm test that can give almost immediate result ---- will help to detect more cases on entry (without the need to wait for 3 hours to be send to lab for outcome).
b. Vaccines effective to prevent virus is developed.
c. Effective standard treatment that can treat the virus.
d. Or the virus epidemic run out its full course and the epidemic stop.

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[7:17 pm, 15/03/2020] Danny:
(1) Meanwhile, Singaporeans must continue to live normally and conduct schools, business normally --- by taking all the necessary precautions as discussed all this while, maintain hygiene and adopt a common sense approach to prevent community spread.

(2) This virus epidemic is here to stay for the long shot --- and we must strive on and conquer this virus one day (until this virus run out its full course - or long-term mitigating measures are in place eg. vaccine, cure, etc that can nullify its threat).

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16 Mar 2020

(1) Today REACH whatsapp forum did not open up -- think no new topics to discuss.

(2) Difference between seasonal flu vs covid-19 :-
a. COVID-19 is “10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu”. WHO placed the global death rate of COVID-19 at 3.4 per cent, Flu kills less than 1 per cent of those infected.

b. “While many people globally have built up immunity to seasonal flu strains, COVID-19 is a new virus to which no one has immunity.

c. COVID-19 also looks to be twice as contagious with an R0, or basic reproductive number, of between 2 and 3. This means that each person infected with the novel coronavirus will potentially infect two to three others, compared to influenza’s R0 of 1.3.

d. There are vaccines and therapeutics for the seasonal flu, none yet exist for COVID-19and will not be for at least 18 months, despite the race to develop one. Regulatory issues around drug trials will involve many stages of testing before a vaccine is ready for human use. It is estimated that over 20 vaccines are currently in development, and therapeutics are currently undergoing clinical trials.

e. Advice for those who even have “mild flu-like symptoms” to see a doctor and stay at home to avoid spreading illness.A number of local transmissions have been due to “socially irresponsible actions of a few individuals who continued to go to work, attend events and participate in activities despite being unwell”.
Containment measures “will only work if individuals cooperate”.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/know-thy-enemy-influenza-vs-covid-19-003124730.html

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