Concerns from a sickly Singaporean over the city-state’s COVID-19 road map

by Felicia Loo

I express concerns over Singapore’s grand plan to open up its economy in the New Normal.

For starters, I belong to the vulnerable group, namely the sickly, who do not have the luxury to be inoculated in this pandemic.

I have refractory myasthenia gravis, stage-four thymoma cancer with Rituximab treatment prior, and a damaged left lung now infiltrated by non-TB mycobacteria – an irony since I have never lit a cigarette in my entire life and have not been exposed to second-hand smoking too.

I use a ventilator at night when I sleep. I have been battling my diseases since I was 33. It has been a good decade, a long fight.

However, news of the task force’s plan for this COVID-19 road map saddens me because without proper COVID-19 measures, this deadlier-than-normal flu would heighten the prospect of me contracting it – which I hope does not happen.

I get it that the world does not revolve around me. I understand in times of crisis with such huge magnitude, the greater collective good prevails, not the minority.

Creation of jobs and helping the hoi polloi to put food on the table is quintessential. I won’t be selfish to seek help only for myself, for I believe in the collective good – rising above the “me” mentality.

Having said that, I hope Singapore will seek a balance on the subject matter as the country opens up its economy with proper COVID-19 measures in place.

I have gone through intubation not once but thrice and have a tube inside of me for months on end. It’s through sheer determination and my Buddhist faith in Nam myo ho renge kyo (Singapore Soka Association) that I had the tubes removed eventually.

Many thanks for hearing me out.

This is an opinion piece from a member of the public, and does not reflect TOC’s position on any matter.