REACH 329 - How do you feel about the recent number of Covid-19 cases? What are your views on the Government’s efforts to ease the burden on healthcare workers? How can Singaporeans help to alleviate the pressure on the health system?
(SK)
21 Mar 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[9:26 am, 21/03/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
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[9:56 am, 21/03/2022] +REACH: 📢Topic📢
Daily Covid-19 cases fell below 10,000 for the third time in March, with 7,859 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday (March 20), down from 10,244 on Saturday. This is the lowest daily total since Feb 7, when 7,806 new cases were recorded.
However, while the daily number of local Covid-19 cases has decreased gradually over the past week, hospitals continue to face a high volume of patients, and healthcare workers are still under a significant amount of stress.
💬 How do you feel about the recent number of Covid-19 cases? What are your views on the Government’s efforts to ease the burden on healthcare workers? How can Singaporeans help to alleviate the pressure on the health system?
To relieve pressure on our hospital staff, and our nursing home staff who are caring for Covid-positive residents on-site, the suspension of in-person visits to all hospital wards and residential care homes will be extended a second time until April 3 this year, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (March 18).
Health minister Ong Ye Kung explained that while there was a gradual decrease in the number hospitalised due to Covid-19, hospitals were still very busy and under stress due to the large number of non-Covid-19 related emergency department admissions.
To support the hospitals, MOH has stepped up various efforts:
➡️Beef up manpower for public health institutions with skilled medics and supervisors from Singapore Armed Forces and nursing students who are studying for their advanced diploma.
➡️Increase the number of transfers from public hospitals to Covid-19 treatment facilities (CTFs) by working with them to repurpose the facilities, consolidate their manpower so that the nurse-to-patient ratio can be improved. This allows the CTFs to be able to handle higher-risk patients.
➡️Partner various stakeholders, such as Singapore Civil Defence Force, to reduce emergency department admissions by taking clinically stable patients directly to CTFs.
➡️Divert some non-Covid-19 stable patients who require monitoring and management of their chronic conditions from public hospitals to facilities like private hospitals and the CTFs.
👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/covid-19-cases-fall-below-10000-for-third-time-in-march-lowest-since-feb-7
👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/in-person-visits-to-hospitals-homes-suspended-another-two-weeks-till-april-3
👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/75-per-cent-of-hospital-admissions-for-medical-emergencies-uncontrolled-chronic-conditions-kenneth-mak
👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/healthcare-system-still-stretched-even-as-spores-daily-covid-19-case-count-dips
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[10:07 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: Simply anyhow attitude towards reopening but the fact it's was huge number when I heard more then 10,000 daliy cases this can consider good result
Really bullshit
Frankly Speaking
[10:10 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: People get sick of Covid 19 or what
[10:11 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: feel abou tthe recent numbers? hahaha these numbers are just some form of mental consolation for many people ...
[10:11 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: what is the actual number is based on probability only ......
[10:12 am, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: MOH could step up the availability of video-consultation for COVID-19 positive patients, allowing doctors to make decision whether patients should be sent to hospital or continue with home recovery programme.
Medicine can also be made available via courier.
This way it reduces the transmission of virus in the community.
More outreach is needed to educate the public on when would be needed to visit A&E.
[10:12 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: G want whole island people get infected 🙅♂️🙅♂️
[10:12 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: with the numbers going like a yoyo is no doubt and surprise many are getting more reckless and heck care about safe distancing while embracing what the WEST is doing (dropping all measures but are they right)
[10:13 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: does heard immunity works?
[10:13 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: Up & Down like Share market😏😏
[10:13 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: if probably works den why take the risk... is luck we do not have kids or infant dying yet
[10:14 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: when that happens teh society will go bonkers
[10:14 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: mentioned before and again this battle is not about me me me me and self
[10:14 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: is about me u and everyone in the society
[10:14 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: Almost 70%+ get booster stIl people one by one death🙅♂️🙅♂️
[10:15 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: hong kong is a very good example -> because of 2 idiots who think their night out and drinks are impt, results in what we see today .....
[10:15 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: Are we sure vaccinated to stop the virus or just avoid death or both🙅♂️🙅♂️
[10:16 am, 21/03/2022] +Caleb: +1
[10:17 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: I believe our current vaccine just simply not good or strong enough to contain the Omicron
Simple as that
[10:18 am, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: As for the numbers published, personally I'm not so bothered.
[10:18 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: But no choice have to take the jab , that leave us no choice
[10:19 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/statistics - please read the stats. Active Cases in ICU around 15 per Million, and they are unvaccinated. There are less than 4 per Million who are vaccinated. The Country needs to move on. All these silly little stickers when you go to buy food, it's daft.
[10:19 am, 21/03/2022] +Sherie: Hopefully borders can fully reopen for trade without 7 days SHN
[10:20 am, 21/03/2022] +Anthony: Until the ✌️✌️quality✌️✌️vaccine arrive the number should look Abit better🤣🤣
[10:21 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Half of our ICU is taken up by Non-Covid cases, the nearly half are empty. Covid accounts for around 5% of our ICU beds.
[10:22 am, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: To add on, via video-consultation can be supported by MOs from the SAF or doctors from specialist clinic which may not be of critical at the moment.
[10:23 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Horrible to talk about death, but no one under 60 who is vaxd /boosted has died.
[10:24 am, 21/03/2022] +Ah Heng: many shoudl recap -> vaccinated does not block one from getting infected if reduces the seriousness of the infection
[10:24 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: *since May 2021 when 2 dose Vax programme was started
[10:24 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Yes, I know many many people who have had covid, as I'm sure we all do. Those who are vax feel bad for 2-3 days. That's it.
[10:25 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: I've never tested postive and don't want to get it, but I accept it's a reality, like any illness. I'm really fed up with the extreme and unneccessary restrictions.
[10:25 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: People should now be able to use their own judgment, like any other risk in their lives.
[10:25 am, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: +1
[10:27 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Thousands of Dollars, perhaps Millions being lost and wasted through restrictions and time spend on this - testing, processing, tracking, logging etc etc
[10:27 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: What is the point now?
[10:27 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Turnstiles in the malls? I mean, really??
[10:28 am, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: This is paid by malls not gov. Is to reduce reliance on manpowe
[10:28 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: I don't understand why we need manpower at the malls to track everyone going in and out.
[10:29 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: It is paid for by the consumers ultimately as prices have to go up to cover the cost of the turnstiles.
[10:30 am, 21/03/2022] +Dan: We are desensitised to the numbers alr. But i had noticed more ambulances on the road.
[10:30 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Maybe Dengue - those numbers are rising too, and I'm more worried about that than Covid.
[10:32 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: https://www.nea.gov.sg/dengue-zika/dengue/dengue-cases
[10:32 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: 2022 is the second worst year in the last 5 years already.
[10:32 am, 21/03/2022] +Gcml: Actually the numbers tell a small part of the story. Are there reinfected covid cases? If so, there may not be any herd immunity moving fwd.
Boosted and still getting covid, vaccines need a review or change in policy?
What about the unnecessary impact/obstacles to return to norm?
What are the concerns to be addressed? I feel we cover too many bases, the policies are cumbersome.
[10:33 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Yes, the policies are complex and confusing. What happened to the big simplification of the policies?
[10:35 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Just one example - Sports: https://www.sportsingapore.gov.sg/covid19 Look at the links, .pdfs, and other info you have to read !
[10:36 am, 21/03/2022] +BL: Guidelines and FAQs - if you need FAQ's about Guidelines, it's too complicated!
[11:22 am, 21/03/2022] +RH: +1
[11:34 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Events, F&B, hospitality sectors applaud eased Covid-19 rules but say recovery is limited
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/events-fb-hospitality-sectors-applaud-streamlined-covid-19-measures-but-say-recovery-is-limited
"I think the social needs of people aren't really going to be satisfied with five people allowed at home at one time, and I'm not sure having 10 (vaccinated people) is really going to destroy hospitals," said Professor Dale Fisher, senior infectious diseases consultant at the National University Hospital, in a roundtable discussion organised by The Straits Times on Tuesday.
"We're a species that needs to socialise, we're a species that needs to work to provide for our families and to provide for our recreation," he said.
[11:36 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: 95% are vaccinated, we are enforcing the remaining 5% and foreign visitors which maybe 1% or less.
It is an economics and medical issues to think about...
[11:38 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: To go back to normal living means "least fussing and least guildlines". Any thing more will be regarded as moving towards normalcy.
[11:39 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Vaccines vs Virus
Who is ahead?
Who's going to win?
[11:40 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Virus will always be ahead… they naturally mutate… vaccines are create to earn money..
[11:40 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Hence the initiative by government to fund global vaccine development
[11:40 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Vaccine vs Virus vs Economics
[11:41 am, 21/03/2022] +Sunshine Pooh: maybe bizes have been affected and the start stop and a long list of guidelines and restrictions is so cumbersome pple are prefer to postpone events
[11:41 am, 21/03/2022] +Sunshine Pooh: even fact within the past 1.5 yrs many F&B and events companies have closed their shutters
[11:42 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Business model… have to adapt accordingly. Can’t follow old ways of working no choice
[11:42 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Israel , Turkey, USA, UK are into the 4th dose of vaccine.
UK is recommending to age 75 and above and others whin are immune compromised.
[11:43 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Only big companies can deal with it. Small companies have to learn to work with or without pandemic. Adapt or die out.. always been like that.
[11:43 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: We can’t find companies constantly to let them work the way they know how. Government give them lifeline to transition not for them to survive the pandemic only. 🤷🏻♂️
[11:44 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Can’t fund” companies
[11:45 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Have done some figures analytics on countries ability to sustain these covid + war disruptions.
Preliminary summary suggest most country could withstand further 9-12 months of downwards economics activities which transit to GDP.
[11:45 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: One travel agency have convert totally to logistic. So really depends on individual companies decision to be relevant or continue to operate how they used to.
[11:46 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Concern is not to go into retrenchment mood...
[11:46 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Eventually… retrenchment and reskill.. economy change over time
[11:46 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: With the carbon tax we expect more to come
[11:46 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: CASH FLOW is key to survive especially this time line of covid +war
[11:47 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: One job for life really is a dream nowadays
[11:48 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: cash flow.. cost.. profit
Cash flow precedes the rest...
[11:49 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: The Japanese has proven since 1990s that job security don't exist unlike the roaring 1970-80s
[11:50 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: The thing is are you ready? Japanese firm, which I am in, Japanese can be redeploy from R&D to sales to production. As long as they dim a need and they learn on the job.
[11:50 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Which is amazing, do we have the mindset to deploy in 2 weeks notice drop everything and go
[11:50 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Cannot compare really
[11:51 am, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: +1 our gov is being overly conservative
[11:52 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Hence you can work for life… for the company not the job.
[11:53 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: comfort zone, personal logistics and family issues.. needs planning.
[11:56 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: https://thepointsguy.com/news/asia-loosens-covid-restrictions/
[11:58 am, 21/03/2022] +Ken Loh: Lol Japanese firm big one is a norm.. you settle yourself lol
They provide some assistance but what are the details err I don’t really know
[11:58 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: https://e.vnexpress.net/infographics/travel/how-covid-19-derailed-vietnam-s-tourism-industry-4440392.html
How to bounce one's tourism? Vietnam is a model to start looking, with over 200,000 daily cases...
[11:59 am, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: What's our median/average number, this case covid+ cases
[0:07 pm, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: Singapore Airlines returns to Vancouver, increases flights to New York
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/singapore-airlines-returns-to-vancouver-increases-flights-to-new-york
Upscaling in progress...
[0:35 pm, 21/03/2022] +Smiley face: “Someone from outside needed to tell us that we had it good compared to lots of other places,” Viitasaari said. “But after five years of coming top [of the rankings], we’re getting used to it!”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/19/finland-named-worlds-happiest-country-for-fifth-year-running
[0:38 pm, 21/03/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza: agreed
[0:47 pm, 21/03/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza: Re the question on how to alleviate pressure on the medical system: If the government believes that covid type viruses will be around for the foreseeable future, then it should plan on regular vaccinations (in my view voluntary and annual like the flu shot); more 24h clinics at hospitals or elsewhere so that people can go when they are unwell and thus not end up in Emergency; more options for tele consultations and remote delivery of medicines; and most important of all a campaign to encourage everyone to get healthier given that these viruses tend to affect those with other conditions.
[0:51 pm, 21/03/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza: The campaigns which the Health Promotion Board launched in the years leading up to covid all died with covid and there are still people who are scared of exercising (with or without a mask) because they are worried they will catch covid from other people exercising. Unfortunately this means we will end up with an unhealthier population and more susceptible to covid and other diseases which will in turn put pressure on our medical system.
[0:52 pm, 21/03/2022] +BL: agreed! Simple, sensible approach.
[1:59 pm, 21/03/2022] +REACH: Police warn of scam involving fake property agents who ask for deposits to view homes
Another scam has popped up, where criminals pretend to be property agents and ask victims to pay money to secure an appointment for a viewing. The police said on Monday (March 21) that there are at least 144 victims so far, with losses amounting to $190,000.
More: https://str.sg/wnN3
[2:03 pm, 21/03/2022] +BL: There is a danger we'll start to look a bit ridiculous if this keeps up. https://stomp.straitstimes.com/singapore-seen/sda-seen-using-tape-to-measure-safe-distancing-at-vivocity-eatery
[2:13 pm, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: Is there a need to be so precise?
[2:15 pm, 21/03/2022] +Caleb: ya lor
[2:15 pm, 21/03/2022] +Caleb: and now everywhere increase people capacity, but f&B have not yet increase the max capacity.
[2:17 pm, 21/03/2022] +Sam: I believe they are going to take enforcement action therefore evidence needed. You cannot just summon the shop by saying I think the customers are less than 1m apart.
[2:19 pm, 21/03/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
1. The recent number of cases about 10,000 infection per day is relatively high. In other words, the R0 must have exceeded 10 - for such a high transmission rate. The only fortunate thing is Omicron seems to be relatively mild.
2. Hence not surprising, many people infected will come down with minor symptoms like running nose, sore throat, headache or even slight fever.
To alleviate the pressure and strain in Government hospitals, the following things people can do are :-
a. Do own ART test as well as for the whole family household to determine infected or not.
b. If yes, self isloate at home - if all the household members symptoms are mild.
c. If people feel uncomfortable and need medical attention, should arrange for telemediciine via Zoom call - to get doctor consultation by schedule video conferencing, get medicine through delivery - this will avoid going to public hospitals and further strain the hospital resources.
d. Arrange for delivery of groceries or food - when the whole household self-isolate at home up to 5 to 7 days - until everyone recover.
3. Government efforts to beef up medical staff from SAF, nursing students, redirect or transfer some stable patients to CTF to alleviate public hospitals to treat more non-Covid patients - is a sound move to help alleviate the pressure in public hospitals.
4. Notice that many households I know of - can recover by themselves as vast majority of the Omicron infected cases are relatively mild.
5. I believe collectively, everyone still have to hang on for a couple of more weeks - before the Omicron wave subside.
[2:30 pm, 21/03/2022] +Uncle Law: Even if rules relaxed for f&b, operators will be more cautious to change the layout in restaurants
[2:37 pm, 21/03/2022] +Rama: Exactly!
[3:03 pm, 21/03/2022] +John Khor: I feel he is just doing his duty of SOP.
[3:11 pm, 21/03/2022] +Joseph: Observed that our SDAs mostly only know how to bully legitimate business owners but steer clear of cases such as Mask-lady whom they know will retaliate. I may be wrong, but, that’s what i have observed so far.
[3:27 pm, 21/03/2022] BL: I understand, but each of us use our judgement in our decisions, including Police, Army, Teachers, Dr, Nurses. We look at context, situation, behaviour etc to determine our course of action. Using a tape measure to see if people are a few cm under 1m, shows poor decision making and an obsession with rules.
[3:28 pm, 21/03/2022] BL: I saw someone in the bank being asked to sit down while waiting. She asked why and was told the SDA prefer it that way. She, rightfully in my mind, refused.
[3:29 pm, 21/03/2022] Guillermo Cabeza: Or perhaps the particular restaurant received a warning and didn't do anything. In any case I think it's best not to be too harsh on people doing what is a thankless job - I'm sure he would rather be doing whatever he did before becoming a SDA. Which is why the government needs to do away with F&B rules amongst other ones! A
[3:29 pm, 21/03/2022] +BL: I'm not anti SDA, and recognise they have a legitimate role. However, there is a danger of a valued service becoming abused and misunderstood.
[3:30 pm, 21/03/2022] +BL: Agreed. Time to end these rules, partly because it's now unfair on SDA to expect to enforce them!
[3:33 pm, 21/03/2022] +Joseph: Yes. Quite a few SDAs had been caught (reported in ST) and punished for abusing their “power” and position. Am very sure even more went unnoticed.
I would like to see SDAs enforcing the rules against people who are blatantly breaking the law rather than merely bullying F&B owners because it’s easier to pick on them.
[4:32 pm, 21/03/2022] +Rama:I believe so
[4:32 pm, 21/03/2022] +Rama:Air head
[4:32 pm, 21/03/2022] +Rama:Blady nonsense
[4:33 pm, 21/03/2022] +Rama: A public example must be made of this bad hat's!
[6:47 pm, 21/03/2022] +~N: I do not feel good about the recent number of covid cases and the way reporting is worded. Crossing a million out of 5million people is 20%, and it's increasing, how is that an improvement?
The efforts seem to mainly be telling people not to go see doctor if they are not seriously sick.
You just shifted the responsibility of the consequences of opening up the economy to Singaporeans. I'm not sure, maybe Singaporeans can help to alleviate the pressure on health system by not seeing doctor? What I do think may be of help to the health system is perhaps to redeploy healthcare workers in private sector, not just GP clinics, to serve the public sector for this period of time, therefore increasing healthcare manpower short term. But I guess you can't deploy them like SAF.
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