After several local COVID-19 cases reportedly had no links to previous cases or travel history to China, Singapore stepped up measures and raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) to Orange on 7 February.

Ministry of Health (MOH) explained that DORSCON looks at the current situation overseas and considers how transmissible the disease is as well as how likely it is to arrive in Singapore. It also considers the impact of the disease on the population.

DORSCON is a color-coded framework that shows the current disease situation. It is used as a guideline for the Government in dealing with outbreaks. There are four codes, including Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red, depending on the severity and spread of the disease.

Following the DORSCON Orange, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced the additional measures being implemented to minimize the risk of more transmission via the community.

The measures include requiring employers to conduct daily health checks at the workplace such as temperature-taking and screening for respiratory symptoms; suspension of activities in schools, inter-school, and external school activities; and restrictions on visitors to pre-schools as well as eldercare and social services and facilities.

Later on, the World Health Organization (WHO), on 11 March, declared the COVID-19 virus outbreak a pandemic, and warned the global spread and severity of the disease due to “alarming levels of inaction”.

“We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus,” said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a media briefing, urging countries to take urgent and aggressive action.

Following WHO’s declaration, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasized on 12 March that the COVID-19 situation in the country remains under-control, and there are no plans to raise the DORSCON level to Red.

Multi-Ministry Taskforce imposed stricter measures amid a wave of imported cases in Singapore

As the imported cases increased in the country, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced on Tuesday (24 March) that it will close all bars and entertainment venues that have a high risk of transmission due to sustained close contact over a period of time.

It also limits gatherings outside of work and school to 10 persons or fewer, and ensure that physical distancing of at least one metre can be achieved in settings where interactions are non-transient.

Meanwhile, other public venues such as retail malls, museums, and attractions – where contact is more transient may remain open – are to reduce their operating capacity.

Patrons of eating establishments with fixed seating – for example, hawker centres and coffee shops – must use alternate seats. Premise managers should mark out seats to facilitate these arrangements.

These measures are expected to be in place beginning from 26 March until 30 April 2020, but it may be extended if the situation does not improve.

How close are the stricter measures to DORSCON Red measures?

Based on the DORSCON Alert Levels framework by the MOH, the Orange level indicates the disease is severe and spreads easily from person to person but it has not spread widely in Singapore, and is being contained.

At this stage, moderate disruption is expected, such as quarantine, temperature screening, and visitor restrictions at the hospital. People are advised to stay at home if they are sick, maintain good personal hygiene, look out for health advisories, and comply with control measures.

Whereas at the Red level, the disease is severe and spreading widely. Major disruption will occur such as school closures and work from home orders. What’s more, this level denotes a “significant” number of deaths. It also advises people to practice social distancing and avoid crowded areas.

With the ‘stricter measures’ being imposed for safe distancing, Singapore seems to be inching towards the DORSCON Red level measures.

The country had announced for the closure of all bars and entertainment venues such as night clubs, discos, cinemas, theatres, and karaoke outlets due to the high risk of virus transmission.

All centre-based tuition, enrichment classes, religious services, and congregations were also suspended. While places of worship – temples, mosques, churches – may remain open for private worship and essential rites, but subject to group sizes of 10 persons or fewer at any one time.

Although the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) have announced on 19 March that schools and kindergartens will reopen as planned, stricter measures have been imposed.

Some of the measures include the Government’s existing leave of absence (LOA) and stay-home notice policy, checks on individuals’ travel history at school gates, two-weeks suspension of students’ co-curricular activities, placing students who are feeling unwell in an isolation room or sent home, ensure all students to sit apart, and constant supervision on students.

In fact, the country also demanded for all events and mass gatherings to be deferred or canceled, regardless of size.

Nonetheless, the low fatality rate of COVID-19 is most likely the reason why the country has yet to raise its DORSCON level to the highest, as a “significant” number of deaths are part of the conditions for the escalation.

During the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) period in 2003, suspension of schools was being implemented but the situation was still classified as DORSCON Orange.

“When you look at the framework today, if you were to apply that framework in the SARS situation, it would have been an Orange during SARS. For it to be Red, it would have to be worse than SARS,” said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong at a media briefing on 14 February.

In comparison, Singapore reported a higher number of COVID-19 cases with 631 total cases as of Wednesday (25 March), and only 238 cases from the SARS outbreak. In terms of death tolls, the country recorded 33 deaths from the SARS outbreak, while two deaths from the COVID-19 outbreak so far.

At a press conference on Tuesday (24 March), Mr Wong was asked whether the additional measures on safe distancing can be considered as a “lockdown”.

He responded, “Beyond the baseline, we are talking about a series of measures that can be put in place or precautionary measures that can be triggered. As we say, additional breaks, as and when the need arises.”

Mr Wong opined that the suspension of schools and workplaces is the most drastic step, which may be necessary but there is no need for the country to go to that level.

“So closure of schools, closure of workplaces, other than essential activities, that’s the most drastic step, if you will. That’s what I suppose, people call a lockdown,” Mr Wong noted. “And that set of drastic measures may well be necessary, but again, we do not have to get there in one step.”

He added that the country can take a series of breaks and proceed to take a drastic step at a later stage if the situation warrants it.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

【选举】王瑞杰称不曾说过把人口增至1千万

在昨晚(1日)于新传媒进行的朝野政党电视辩论,民主党武吉巴督单选区候选人徐顺全,质问政府有意作一千万人口的规划,但随即被行动党荷兰-武吉知马候选人维文驳斥,指这是虚假声明。 至于东海岸集选区候选人王瑞杰则声称,他不曾说过要把人口增至1千万。政府也未有这个目标。而当前的趋势来看,到2030年可能人口还少过690万。 然而,他坦言自己是在去年3月,出席南洋理工大学常年部长论坛。当时有与会者提问人口白皮书一事。 他表示前总规划师刘太格曾公开提议,我们的人口目标应比现在更高。但自己未认可有关主张,只是解释人口规模不单只是实体空间,也包含社会空间,以及如何保有凝聚力。 不过,当时王瑞杰也曾指出,新加坡的人口密度还不算过高,还有其他城市在宜居空间方面更加拥挤。 城市规划之父”刘太格是在2014年曾提议,新加坡要保持长远永续成长,就应以人口达到一千万的情况作规划。 另一方面,人力部也发文,指前进党代表阮健平在电视辩论提出,有关失业本地PMET(专业人士、经理、执行员和技师)的数据有误,因为根据今年1月30日公布的《2019年劳动力报告》,截至去年6月,只有3万9000名PMET失业。

李显龙:无法恢复至疫情前原状 与冠病战斗仍未结束

我国总理李显龙,于今日(20日)在脸书发文,尽管阻断措施已发挥效用,现况有所改善,但对抗冠状病毒19的战斗还未结束,而我们也无法恢复到疫情前的原状。 针对昨日跨政府部门防疫小组,在记者会上宣布6月1日后分阶段逐步放宽管制,李显龙相信大部分人都希望恢复生活恢复平常、可接送孩子上学、生意复工、能和朋友聚餐、拜访亲友等。 但目前与冠病的战斗仍未结束,而我国选择逐步重启,包括只有在确认社区传播病例保持在低水平,才允许民间在餐饮店内堂食。他也指出,目前可看到一些国家在重开后,疫情复发。“只要一个感染者,就足以形成新的感染群。” 但他也指出,我国不能永远保持封关,所以必须适应新常态,在疫情下调整我们的生活习惯,安全地生活和工作。

Tan See Leng: Mrs Teo a very good mentor and provides me with lots of guidance

At a media interview on Wednesday (1 Sep) to mark his first…

今年累积29起 两船只新加坡海峡遇海盗

昨日(23日)凌晨新加坡海峡有两艘船只遭海盗袭击,使得短短四日内类似的海盗袭击事件已累积五宗。 亚洲区域反海盗合作协定(RECAAP)资讯共享中心是在昨日发文告揭露上述两起海盗事件,并指今年在新加坡海峡已接到至少29起类似的海盗事件通报。 昨日凌晨两小时内,一艘货运船和一艘油槽船分别被海盗登船,船员虽被绑,不过好在及时响起警报,海盗只得空手而逃。 海盗是在23日凌晨12时12分,登陆“Bamzi”号油船。该船从印尼尼帕岛启航前往中国青岛。两名船员被绑;船上的工程师在引擎室发现海盗,目击一人持刀,船员立即响起警报,三名海盗只得逃之夭夭。 船员在仔细搜寻船内确认无藏匿其他入侵者后,“Bamzi”号才继续航行,船员安全也未蒙受损失,船长将此事通报新加坡船舶交通资讯系统(VTIS)、新加坡海军、警察海岸卫队(PCG)以及印尼执法当局。 紧接着在1时54分,另一艘号货船“Trust Star”号遭至少六名海盗登船,在引擎室有两名船员被绑。其余船员发现海盗后立即拉响警报,海盗再次空手而逃。该货船在新加坡警察海岸卫队和海军护卫下,将船只驶向新加坡海港。 海岸卫队登上“Trust Star”进行搜寻,确认无其他海盗后,该船则继续航程。 今年发生29宗海盗事件 根据RECAAP文告,在本月20日也分享另外三起发生在新加坡海峡的海盗事件,涉及两艘货船和一艘油船。 有鉴于五宗海盗袭击事件时间间隔相近,RECAAP不排除犯案者为同一批人。…