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SINGAPORE – Singapore has done well in handling the coronavirus pandemic so far in terms of health outcomes, although its response was not without shortcomings, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.
Joining the debate on the president’s speech in Parliament on Wednesday (September 2), he noted that the country’s death rate is one of the lowest in the world, with new infections in the community dropping to just a handful. per day and less than 100 patients. staying in hospitals.
In hindsight, the government would have done some things differently, he said.
Had it known earlier that Covid-19 patients were asymptomatic, the government would have quarantined all Singaporeans who were brought home from abroad in March, rather than just those who returned from certain countries.
He added that they would have also been examined before being released from quarantine, even if they did not show any symptoms, rather than assuming that having no symptoms meant there was no infection.
The government would also have recommended the use of face masks earlier, Mr. Lee said, noting that it took the best scientific advice available at the time and changed its policy once the World Health Organization recognized that asymptomatic transmission was a Important problem.
Lee also said that authorities have acted more quickly and aggressively to control the rapid spread of the disease in the dormitories of migrant workers.
The government knew that communal living in dormitories posed a risk of infection and took precautions, which seemed appropriate, until larger groups broke out and threatened to overwhelm them, Lee said.
“This is all wisdom after the fact. We must learn from these mistakes and do better next time,” he said.
“But in the fog of war, it is not always possible to make the perfect decisions. However, we have to decide and act. We cannot afford to wait.”
Due to the scale and complexity of Singapore’s response to Covid-19, there have inevitably been some “rough edges,” Lee said.
He cited the situation of the foreign workers’ dormitories and how work is being done to help the workers return to their jobs now that the dormitories have been eliminated from the disease.
This must be done safely because of the risk of cases arising again, he said, acknowledging that it was a complicated exercise that has made things difficult for employers, especially contractors, who have to deal with new rules even when trying to revive. their companies.
“But I hope they understand that we are doing everything we can to smooth things over, and we are doing all of this to keep our people safe,” he said.
Mr. Lee said that Singapore has managed to stabilize the Covid-19 situation and carefully reopen its economy and society thanks to the combined efforts of public service, political leadership and everyday Singaporeans.
But the country cannot let its guard down, he warned, noting the irony that the more successful Singapore is in keeping cases down, the more people will wonder if tough measures against Covid-19 were necessary.
He told the Chamber of a recent email he received from a university student, who complained that Singapore’s response to Covid-19 was “one of the largest overreactions to a public health problem.”
The student noted that the hospitals here were far from overwhelmed and had advocated for herd immunity.
“You just have to look at the situation in other cities that have let this happen, to see how it could have turned out for us,” Lee said.
The prime minister warned that the coronavirus is still as infectious and powerful as it was before, and that this has not changed.
“What has changed is that we have taken measures and we have developed our capacities to contain it. If we relax these measures now because the numbers are down, we will have a resurgence,” he said, noting how this has happened. in some cities.
Covid-19 will not be Singapore’s last public health crisis, and Singapore can apply the lessons it has learned in managing this disease to prepare for future pandemics, Lee said.
He noted that scientists have been talking about “Disease X,” a new disease that is highly infectious, deadly and easily mutates.
When Covid-19 arrived, people asked if this was the case.
“Covid-19 has been a disaster for the world, but it is not Disease X,” said Mr. Lee. “It is not the worst new disease that can affect humanity.”
He warned that it is only a matter of time before this disease occurs.
“So we better learn from Covid-19 how to deal with a pandemic and be as prepared as we can, in case worse happens, when worse happens. We must develop our resilience, our instincts, our preparations. So that when it comes. Disease X one day, let’s be prepared, “he said.
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