REACH 306 - What are your views on the Singapore’s latest response to the Omicron, in particular the continuation of current safe management measures, and the need for individuals to get their booster shots to maintain their fully vaccinated status? (SK)
07 Jan 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[6:00 pm, 06/01/2022] +REACH:
More: https://str.sg/wgaX
[9:44 am, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
Welcome back! π
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Megan π
[10:04 am, 07/01/2022] +REACH: π’ Topic π’
Singapore's current set of Covid-19 safe management rules will stay in place during the upcoming Chinese New Year period from Feb 1, in view of a likely surge of infections brought about by the new Omicron variant, said Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Jan 5). But he added: “In the event that the healthcare system comes under tremendous pressure, then as a last resort, we may have no choice but to tighten some of our measures.”
From Feb 14, those aged 18 and above will have to take a booster shot within 270 days of completing their primary vaccination series in order to maintain a fully vaccinated status against COVID-19, said the Ministry of Health on Wednesday (Jan 5).
π¬ What are your views on the Singapore’s latest response to the Omicron, in particular the continuation of current safe management measures, and the need for individuals to get their booster shots to maintain their fully vaccinated status?
Director of medical services Kenneth Mak said a worst case scenario may see Singapore recording as many as 15,000 cases a day at the peak of the Omicron wave, as he urged people to take their booster jab when it is offered to them.
"We urge as many people as possible who are eligible to come forward and receive their booster vaccinations as soon as possible... (as) this is important to mitigate the risk of waning antibody levels that can occur over time and to boost the vaccine-derived protection against severe infection, reducing the risk of being infected by Delta or Omicron variants," said Prof Mak.
He added that Singapore is still seeing Delta infections, and not just Omicron, therefore getting vaccinated and boosted can protect against both variants.
ππΌ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/current-covid-19-rules-will-stay-during-cny-period-in-view-of-omicron-wave-lawrence-wong
ππΌ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/booster-shot-must-be-taken-within-270-days-after-2nd-dose-to-remain-fully-vaccinated
ππΌ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/hospitals-well-able-to-deal-with-increase-in-covid-19-cases-icu-occupancy-at-7-per-cent
ππΌ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/tightened-border-measures-helped-buy-time-to-prepare-healthcare-system-for-covid-19-omicron-variant-lawrence-wong
ππΌ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/114-of-children-between-5-and-11-years-old-got-at-least-one-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine
ππΌ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/omicron-less-severe-gps-key-in-deciding-which-covid-19-patients-require-closer-supervision
-----
[10:12 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: Then why allow 50% to go back work?
[10:12 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: To expedite the Wave to come?
[10:14 am, 07/01/2022] +Timothy Low: Even though Chinese made up the majority of the entire Singapore population, the way how the newspaper agency reported on this matter sounded like special considerations were made for CNY only (and not for other major festivals of other races). Personally I feel we got to be sensitive how we report on this matter
[10:24 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: Going to hijack this conversation for a bit to respond to a few comments that i did not have a chance to do so before the chat was closed the last time...
[10:24 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I personally think the idea of trickle down economics is not what some hype it out to be. Anyway, if you are so passionate about helping the poor/needy, don't need to wait for the Govt to do it. Donate your $ directly to the many Charitable Organisations in SG. There are those that you can even offset against your Income Tax - up to 2.5x tax deductable. You can also volunteer your time/energy if $ is an issue. If that is also "not possible", how about just buying a drink/a meal once in a while for a random poor person you come across? Irritates the hell out of me when I hear people (whom I assume) are just making a lot of grand/generous sounding comments about how we should be doing more to help the poor/needy when what they are actually saying, is SOMEONE ELSE (other than themselves) shoud be helping....
[10:24 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: Not an insult. Just stating facts. Don't be offended/insulted by facts/truths.
[10:25 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: Then the tax rate will probably have to be adjusted higher to account for the lower Net (rather than gross) Income that will be taxed π
[10:26 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I could have said the same about you and "~a"
[10:31 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: Understandable to paint the worst case scenario upfront... one month is a long time for COVID situation to change. Lets see how it develops in the next 4 weeks.
[10:33 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I am just guessing here .... but maybe bacause:
1. There had not been as many clusters arising from workplaces as there had been elsewhere
2. Facemasks, safe-distancing measures at workplace; Some level of monitoring to ensure compliance
3. Most people will be interacting with the same group of co-workers at their workplace, limiting risk of cross-infections compared to increased risk from interactions with friends/relatives who will potentially be interacting with multiple groups of people, who themselves are also interacting with more other groups from multiple CNY visitations
[10:47 am, 07/01/2022] +BL: Because we need that to keep the economy going, to keep morale at work, and keep business active. It is a risk yes, so we have to minimise risk elsewhere.
[10:48 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I think the G/MOH should start phasing out free hospitalisation care for anyone and everyone who turns up at our Hospitals with CV19 infections/symptoms. Only subsidise (in full) patients that really need hospitalisation - critical care/oxygen supplement or some other matrix as defined by medical authorities as absolutely necessary.
I suspect (and I may be wrong) a number of people are turning up at our Hospitals insisting to be admitted even though their symptoms are mild and insisting on being admitted because it is FREE, taking up precious capacity that someone else may actually need, and at the same time, resulting in TIGHTENING OF MEASURES in anticipation of a lack of hospital bed/capacity if cases continue to rise. It should be quite obvious to most of us now, that a key matrix that G/MOH is watching to decide on whether to tighten/relax measures, is hospital capacity.
Take that - free for all CV19 hospital care - away and if the hospital utilisation drops even as new infections rise, then we will have gotten the answer to the question of whether part of the problem with hospital capacity, is kiasu-ism.
[10:48 am, 07/01/2022] +BL: Decisions taken so far have proved to be in good judgement (bar some exceptions). Whilst I am keen to open up more, I am supportive of caution. Clearly the vaccine programme is critical and might require on-going bi-annual jabs. We have to accept that now. My hope is that by Summer everyone is vax'd and boosted and we can open up more to tourists.
[10:51 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: true too ... heartland malls/businesses probably faring better with people WFH, but I observed many businesses shuttering in the Business Districts as footfall and customer base shrink.
[10:52 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: esp. F&B
[10:55 am, 07/01/2022] +JkL: Do you know how heavy the burden for one person work support family or low/income if covid no free?
[11:02 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: I think he means only charge those who don't need to be hospitalized (can recover at home) but INSIST on being hospitalized...
[11:10 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I didn't say don't subsidise anything. I suggested taking away full subsidy for frivolous requests to be hospitalised for CV19.
People are complaining about a $10 ART kit. I suspect all the G/MOH needs to do is charge a $50/day fee (instead of FREE) for people who actually do not need to be hospitalised but INSIST on being so, since it is FREE.
Yes, G/MOH has guidelines for their admissions staff for Covid patients coming in, but will you surprised that a tired/weary staff would rather just admit anyone who asked to be admitted - or risk getting shouted/scolded/threatened - by a kiasu "patient"? End of the day, if I were the admission staff, I will just admit everyone who asks for it .. so that it fills up quickly - with less sick patients, easier to care for as well - and then the next one who turns up, easier to turn them away, because just have to say, hospital is FULL,
Read, think, repeat, before replying instantly. No prizes for quick responses,. Save yourself the trouble of getting angry due to misunderstanding/misreading a message.
[11:11 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: ππ
[11:12 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: Apologies, gg to hijack this for a bit..
To talk abt the redemption of SRP vouchers...
It was a really BIG HASSLE for many of my frens (and me) to either Redeem or Donate the unused vouchers. .
Logging onto the website to Donate was an even greater "joke" , as even a web-savvy person like me got stumped by the myriad of qns upon qns tt had to be answered b4 we even got to select the item of choice.
On top of tt, there were NO proper Instructions on how to navigate the sites to donate.
Many of my frens gave up. π€¦πΌ♀️
Purely out of frustration.
In the first place, giving the SRP vouchers was not a bad idea but the execution of redemption of it was a "joke" & badly executed, not even thot through at all, let alone well thot thru!!
Ther was no Central body to co-ordinate the services of the various operators.
If it was so tedious to set one up, then the Gov shd not hv given out the vouchers, no matter how well intentioned it was.
As a result of the redemption process not having bn fine tuned, the Donation process was Worse!
How were we to know tt we had so many steps to do just to donate a balance of $10?
We had to firstly redeem the voucher from the operator, then go & click Donate...
Hello!!! ????
Why make us jump thru so many hoops just to do our part for charity?
It shd hv bn a simple 4-6 step process like :
*Click Donate
*Choose / type amount
*Verify voucher details and balance
*Confirm & accept
- done!
Honestly, who cares wat tour or package we want when we r just donating the voucher back to the system?
The Gov shd then re- distribute these donated vouchers among the various org tt want them & let them choose wat they want! π€·♀️
Gov, if ther ever is another such initiative, can u pls think it through from beginning to end FIRST abt the Execution b4 u launch it!
By now, I m sure thousands, if not millions of dollars of vouchers hv bn left by the wayside (tt hv not bn donated nor redeemed) becos it was just too much hassle to do it online!!!
π€¦πΌ♀️π€¦πΌ♀️wat a waste of resources!!
π π☹️
[11:13 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: what is SRP vouchers?
[11:15 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: SRP
Singapore Rediscover Program
The $100 given to us to spend on local tours, hotels, etc n 2020.
[11:16 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: *in year 2020.
Deadline to redeem was 31 Dec 2021.
[11:16 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: oh, it's over already.. over a period of 2 years liao
[11:17 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: anyway if the voucher is not used, means the money goes back to the gov right
[11:17 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: No.
Not over yet.
31 Dec 2021 was just a week ago.
Redeem by then but can use up to 31 March 2022.
[11:17 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: My family donated all our SRP vouchers.
Had a slightly different experience, maybe because we had someone collate and simplify the steps required - step by step instructions - on how to go about doing it.
But i can imagine we would have needed quite some time to figure out how to do it on our own/individually. Seems to be a recurring theme, mismatch of end-user know-how and IT/platform design. π
[11:18 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: Not sure abt tt.
Can Reach pls cfm tt?
If it "automatically" goes bk to gov, then why ask us to 'Donate'?
Good question. Tks!
[11:18 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: π
[11:18 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: actually alot of our GovTech products are not so good, comparing with other countries gov-tech
[11:19 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: Yes.
I notice 'poor quality'of personnel in IT Design teams in our civil service...
Many times, things r not well thot thru b4 implemention.
[11:20 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: But credit to the team tt designed the latest CDC redemption vouchers. ππ»ππ»
I had no problem using tt one!
[11:20 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: can even compare with Malaysia's ones
[11:21 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: Are you suggesting we should hire overseas IT experts to do GovTech projects? π€ ππππ
[11:21 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: well, even Malaysia can do better then us
[11:21 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: we shld learn from these
[11:21 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: lol
[11:21 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: π€ zhun bo....
[11:21 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: Lol.
Gov shd train Better ones... Send their curr team for Training... Hahaha. π€£π€£π€£
[11:22 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: ya
[11:22 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: send to overseas Training
[11:22 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: at least for the front-end, citizen facing websites
[11:22 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: lol
[11:22 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: All it needs is one Big Head who can think through the Flow Processes & Lead the Team!
[11:23 am, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: but SG gov, make changes very fast
[11:23 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: And involve citizens w feedback ...
[11:23 am, 07/01/2022] +jimmy chew: could be lots for reason, maybe they should do an after-action review to discover why is so. Is it leadership, people, collaboration, teamwork etc so that it can be effective and user friendly and respond fast to changes.
[11:23 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: actually SG govt is one of the more tech savvy govt in globally... of course it still lags behind private companies but seriously... I don't think many other govts are as good with the IT stuff.
[11:24 am, 07/01/2022] +jimmy chew: yeah, it was mentioned in the papers, we always strive for excellence
[11:24 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: They nd to address the end user issues, not go fwd but flip the flowchart process over to make it "bottom to top" (triangle tip facing downwards)...
[11:24 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: they do
[11:25 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: Then why still do many errors in execution?
[11:25 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: it's not perfect, but if you say M'sia do better.... I highly doubt it la.
[11:25 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: dude, it's free stuff. what's your expectation for something that's free?
[11:25 am, 07/01/2022] +JC: no ads some more.
[11:26 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: * so
[11:30 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I remember many people complaining about Ministers' (and indirectly, Civil Servants') pay. Unlike my parents' generation, Private sector definitely has more bandwidth to pay, and hence attract talent than Public service sector. It is a reality. Until you are willing to pay more, the best and the brightest will go to the highest pay-masters. Even when a project is outsourced, Govt agencies probably have to be mindful about the costs involved. So.....
[11:31 am, 07/01/2022] +jimmy chew: i thought govt tech is a incubator for the private sector haha
[11:32 am, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: Incubator = not quite there yet leh π got potential ... might work might not work .. probably 10% make it if lucky π
[11:34 am, 07/01/2022] +BL: Yep agree. I switched some vouchers to find that they were not redeemable because no slots available. Although there were lots of slots if you wanted to pay cash.
[11:35 am, 07/01/2022] +BL: so you can choose which charity to give them too
[11:38 am, 07/01/2022] +RH: Nice gesture by the Gov, but they cud then just add another step
to ask which charity we wanted to give to,
Not ask which attraction we wanted for them <-- tt is a waste of effort.
[11:46 am, 07/01/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Tourism voucher problem already highlighted in Nov 2020.
[11:56 am, 07/01/2022] +REACH: ππΌ 296 patients qualified for Covid-19 vaccine injury payouts as of Dec 31: MOH
https://str.sg/wgCo
ππΌ US to revise Singapore travel advisory after Covid-19 data issue
https://str.sg/wg94
[0:22 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Agree
[0:29 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Obviously the US got confused after the WhatsApp messages stopped. π€£
[0:35 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Nothing factual from that country!
[0:38 pm, 07/01/2022] +jimmy chew: Yeah Singapore has one of the highest volunteer vs population.. that's what One social worker told me. Is the true? Not sure. Also not enough. Large scale intervention is needed.
[1:14 pm, 07/01/2022] +Smiley face: askST: How does the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine work? Can it be used as a booster?
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/askst-how-does-the-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-work-can-it-be-used-as-a-booster
[1:29 pm, 07/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-serum-hopes-launch-novavax-vaccine-children-six-mths-2021-12-14/
[1:34 pm, 07/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.hhs.gov/immunization/basics/types/index.html
[1:52 pm, 07/01/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Public Health Safety - with oncoming Omicron wave Versus Economy
1. Our Middle Path Endemic strategy - allow flexible "Balancing of Public Health Safety (to safeguard lives) and opening up of the Economy (to safeguard livelihood)".
2. Singapore is in a good position to safeguard our Public Health Safety because :-
a. We have a high vaccination rate 91%.
b. Our booster rate is 42%.
But having say so, we still need to :-
a. Persuade the remaining 9% unvaccinated - that include children, adults and elderly to vaccinate - as vaccination is best safeguard to curb and protect our population from serious illness or death.
b. Ramp up our booster rate to the maximum of 70% for eligible population - which are due for booster.
The measure to make vaccination lapse without a booster is a good measure to ensure this.
3. Only when the above vaccination objectives are achieved - then Singapore can confidently defeat Omicron and slide to relax more measures along the Middle Path Endemic scale - as our immune system through our booster specifically our T-cell and B-cell immunity can defeat Omicron, Delta and even other variants - though anti-bodies through a lesser extent.
4. For now, I support freezing the current safety measures - without sliding backward to tighten the measures or sliding forward to relax more measures as Omicron wave is looming.
The past 4 days see our infection number looming at 800 plus while before that the infection number is looming around 400 plus --- with Omicron increasingly contributing to the high infection number.
5. Keeping the current 50% workforce and allow children to return to schools - concurrent with our vaccination effort plus other social distancing effort like wearing mask, 5 in a group maximum etc ---- currently is still appropriate - unless we see a spike in infection number - above 1000 over cases and our healthcare system come under pressure with high hospitalisation number ---- as we need to keep Economy, business and jobs going.
6. In other words, hospitalisation number, serious illness and death - in conjuntion with infection number - will be a good combination indicator to determine whether we need to slide backward our Middle Path Endemic scale.
7. I am confident that we can overcome the Omicron wave like we have been overcoming the Delta wave.
On hindsight, many data coming our from the overseas Countries will large Omicron wave - indicates that the peak come very quickly (4 weeks) and then slide drastically (2 weeks) --- with less severe illness - ie. less serious illness or death ---- though with overwhelming number - can still swarm our healthcare system.
We just need to be prudent and conservative to ensure that our healthcare system are not overwhelm.
[1:53 pm, 07/01/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/omicron-may-be-less-severe-young-and-old-not-mild-who-2419416?cid=internal_sharetool_androidphone_07012022_cna
Omicron may be less severe in young and old, but not 'mild': WHO
[2:04 pm, 07/01/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Notice the:-
1. Upward trend in infection number.
2. But downward trend in hospital number, serious illness like oxygen support and ICU.
3. Death rate is stable
[2:05 pm, 07/01/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Thus we can still maintain our current safety measures without needing to slide backwards.
But we need to freeze our scale without relaxing more measures - as we monitor the important indicators.
[2:08 pm, 07/01/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Death rate stabilise.
[2:18 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: spammed!
[2:59 pm, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic π
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[3:05 pm, 07/01/2022] +Caleb: More worried about cost of living and gst increase
[3:06 pm, 07/01/2022] +chan5956: and jobs for matured workers
[3:14 pm, 07/01/2022] +Eunice ChiaMuch as we dread GST increase and increasing COL, i think GST increase cannot be avoided to fund all the programmes that we have.
Education for our children
Healthcare for our elderly
Invest in jobs/training for our future.....
With GST, there's also social transfers.....
I was just thinking about rough figures.....if a family spends $30,000 per annum (about $2500 per month), the 2% increase works out to be $600....how much do we receive in GST rebates? about $500 for 2021 I think. Correct me if i'm wrong.
[3:26 pm, 07/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3157943/singapore-becomes-worlds-second-most-expensive-city-what
[3:26 pm, 07/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.gov.sg/article/singapore-is-it-really-the-most-expensive-place-to-live#:~:text=Singapore%20was%20ranked%20the%20second,position%20in%20the%20previous%20year.
[3:29 pm, 07/01/2022] +Eunice ChiaThanks
[3:48 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Meaningless Headline. Applies to those who buy big cars, houses, bottles of wine and send kids to international schools...
[3:49 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: It's the sort of journalism designed to whip up anxiety and unsettle the population.
[3:49 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: and on the back of a GST increase, just to fuel the frustration.
[3:50 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: And create leaning on the ruling party for all types of cure
[4:24 pm, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic π
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[4:25 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Eventually… as we matured. No choice
[4:26 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Cost of living increase, but pay hard to catch up.
The balance need to be there for liveable city. Don’t want to be another Tokyo or NYC.
[4:29 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Those om public assistance of any kind too need a upward realistic adjustment to cope.
[5:11 pm, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic π
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[5:16 pm, 07/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Wages not really risen as compared to inflation and increased prices of cost of goods. Yes singapore still expensive to live in.
[5:17 pm, 07/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Yes. Salary bo increase lo
[5:18 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: Some people's wages rise much more than inflation tho... it's not the same across e board.
[5:18 pm, 07/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Normal wage employees dun have much increase lo. My hubby company only give 0.01% increment
[5:18 pm, 07/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Zzz
[5:19 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: society becoming more divided unfortunately. i see so many young people earning big money early cos they go into crypto/banking
[5:20 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Crypto is gamble π₯
[5:21 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH6JEuMufxA&t=5571s
[5:21 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: watch this video - Ravi Menon lecture. 4mins onwards.
[5:21 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: Actually quite a good summary of why wages are stagnating for some
[5:21 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: and growing fast for others
[5:22 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: MD of MAS
[5:22 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: start from 5mins onwards.
[5:40 pm, 07/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Like high volatile stocks
[5:41 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Different volatile stock have a company… crypto is pure speculation
[5:41 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Not at all! Crypto has huge benefits ahead.
[5:43 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: It can be, like any investment, including setting up a business. But if you do your research there are some excellent uses for crytpo that will transform supply chain and other infrastructure. It's not all about buy low sell high
[5:43 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: I'm actually more referring to people who work for crypto companies not those who speculate... π They r paid in SGD btw.
[5:43 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Crypto is the future, so it's good we are positioning ourselves as an Asian Hub
[5:43 pm, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: Crypto, imho, is nothing more than a giant ponzi scheme. My take is that there is nothing wrong with punting in as long as the person recognises it for what it really is ....and be prepared that he/she might end up holding the bag when the music suddenly stops π
[5:44 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Agree
[5:44 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Credit Cards charge 2-3% per transaction, which costs consumers billions each day. If that could be reduced through Crypto which is a few cents per transaction then all of society benefits. That's just 1 use case.
[5:45 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Crypto is not about gambling or speculation, despite some people in it for that.
[5:45 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: If done correctly.. if not will be a place for money laundering π
[5:45 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Crypto is just the 'fuel' for transformation of a vast number of industries.
[5:46 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: All transactions are public so money laundering is harder to do than with cash.
[5:46 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: You only know the wallet don’t know the person behind
[5:46 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: π
[5:47 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: You can trace back every $ to every transaction; at some point when it gets converted to fiat currency you can follow the trail. That's how people are getting caught.
[5:47 pm, 07/01/2022] +JC: Tot we talking about wealth/income divide and stagnant wages... Crypto is another thread la π
[5:47 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Like the suitcase full of cash lol
[5:47 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: π€£
[5:47 pm, 07/01/2022] +jimmy chew: Only problem is that if it's Money laundering they will claw back all those who have bought the Bitcoin.
[5:48 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: We have to have more value added job
[5:48 pm, 07/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Not any job that people can pick up easily
[5:49 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Inflation is offset by wage increases, but what happens when you stop earning, or stop getting raises? Your savings get whittled away through inflation.
[5:50 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Exactly
[5:50 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Which is why Bitcoin is a good hedge against inflation. It's value will keep in line with wages, because it's a store of value.
[5:51 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Not financial advice! lol
[5:51 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: Like a property does, but cash does not.
[5:51 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Okay
[5:52 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: You are guaranteed to lose money in a bank. The interest is always lower than inflation.
[5:52 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Γes
[5:53 pm, 07/01/2022] +BL: We need to be teaching people about money management. CPF alone is not enough.
[5:53 pm, 07/01/2022] +Rama: Definitely
[6:03 pm, 07/01/2022] +Boon: Dear REACH, it would be very beneficial if there are regular SG authoritative sources on the effects of Omicron, and the comparisons of Omicron's effects with Delta and other variants. This is to explain and to share what is known to the ordinary people so that self-awareness can be the source of prevention and discipline against Covid. For example, effects on children, on aged, on those with heart allegies, etc. Why can't a similar Health WhatsApp groups - like REACH - be formed for online Q&A by ordinary concerned citizens on Covid and vaccines? Instead of having such regular sources of reliable info to inform, the use of daily case numbers and big numbers like 15,000 people as fear factors to motivate vaccine compliance seem to be the main tool. Fear factor as a motivation is not sustainable - it wears people down.
[6:06 pm, 07/01/2022] +~N: @+REACHconsidering the feedback of negative reaction or incidences of adverse reaction some has after the vaccinations, and that there is possibility of adverse reaction developing over time or virus developing resistance to drugs, what is the longer term population health plan?
[6:07 pm, 07/01/2022] +Boon: As for the vaccine validity period, given the limitations of the current experimental vaccines, when will today's 3rd booster shot becomes the 4th or 5th? Can MOH ensures that health and medical insurance will cover Covid and suspected Covid-related illness into the future, when any ill side effects are then likely to be clearer (hopefully no ill side effects of course)
[6:09 pm, 07/01/2022] +Boon: π
[6:10 pm, 07/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Until now still no directions when should recovered covid persons take booster shots
[6:41 pm, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic π
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[6:43 pm, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: hmmm... 3 words ... Etherium Gas Fees π
[6:45 pm, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan
[6:50 pm, 07/01/2022] +Joseph: I think more Regulations and Oversight is needed in the AI/Tech sector.
We have gone past the peak of BENEFICIAL technological advancement where Tech complemented manual labour and improved productivity. Right now, Technology has increasingly concentrated wealth in the hands of Tech Founders/Owners, leaving low-end roles/jobs which pay lower wages and offer no career advancement.
New legislation is needed so that the wealth is distributed more equitably.
Just compare Anthony Tan's wealth versus the many Grab drivers/delivery drivers/F&B etc who are doing the heavy lifting while earning meagre wages with little employment benefits/protection.
[6:58 pm, 07/01/2022] +Smiley face: 7 January, 2022
To: Distinguished MTF and All Honorable Members
"Director of medical services Kenneth Mak said a worst case scenario may see Singapore recording as many as 15,000 cases a day at the peak of the Omicron wave,..."
Latest R0 is 1.5, what if R0 rises to 9 in the next 30 to 45 days given continuous vaccination and bolstering initiatives? Will it be the LARGEST infection wave since 2020/21 and what previous variants achieved, Omicron will equal that 2021 number of cases, possible?
What if daily 15,000 cases do arrive and spree to 800,000 recorded cases within 30 days + 30 days?
It will be a big challenge! We may have to execute cooling measures of up to 10 days inclusive of 1 weekends, that's the minimum to avoid a 3 weeks lockdown?
Simple Model:
Assuming 15,000 omicron cases, non for Delta and the starting point of reference in counting exponentially.
2% x 15,000 = 300 critical numbers
30% x 15,000 = 5,000 more symptomatic
30 days + next 30 days
(15,000... ) (R0@4.0 and dropping)
Capacity & Capability:
Estimate 300 people need hospitalisation of all degree of medical interventions. Are our medical infrastructures (24 hrs) ready to handle this estimate and including all non covid hospitalisation to include intra-day surgery & recovery. What's the total "operational ready" ambulance count?
At the GPs and community public clinics, can we SWIFTLY (8 to12 hours) treat up to 5000 daily cases for consecutive 60 days assuming not mild cases and same time no need for hospitalisation?
The remaining 10,000 people may self medicate, rest at home and observe the 5 days self isolation including day 1 of ART positive.
Yes, cautiously optimistic, we are learning and ready to ride this O wave where R0 is 4 and less? Perhaps many valuable experiences and a big exposures in formation, this O and us!
News:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/us-to-revise-singapore-travel-advisory-after-covid-19-data-issue
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-as-omicron-spreads-israel-keep-changing-its-covid-rules-what-s-the-logic-beind-it-1.10520841
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/belgium-suffers-record-covid-19-cases-adapts-quarantine-strategy-2419406
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/127436108/covid19-omicron-may-be-what-lifts-us-out-of-the-pandemic-according-to-a-danish-official
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/booster-shot-must-be-taken-within-270-days-after-2nd-dose-to-remain-fully-vaccinate
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-serum-hopes-launch-novavax-vaccine-children-six-mths-2021-12-14/
https://www.hhs.gov/immunization/basics/types/index.html
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/resp.14191
- - END - -
[7:01 pm, 07/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan π
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