THINKING | SELF-IMPROVEMENT
My Genuine Thoughts on Policies Enacted to Fight the Pandemic in the Past 24 Hours
The best approach for maximizing our chances of survival is a contentious one
Let me start with my home country.
Singapore, just 18 hours ago, has announced a new policy to bar entry for all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to India. I missed the real-time telecast on television as I was working, so I revisited the news snippet on YouTube, uploaded by Channel News Asia.
Unsurprisingly, this news snippet has garnered “concerns” from the globalists, human rights folks, anti-racism protestors, and thumbs-up from others.
In brief, this is another one of those divisive policies enacted during the modern Pandemic era.
I clicked on and listened to another news snippet announced by the Ministerial task force on the same day. This time, I heard updates that one of Singapore’s main hospitals has had an outbreak and the immediate priority of the hospital is to contain the spread.
Contacts traced to the first detected case were sent for immediate testing. Their traces are fetched from SafeEntry Quick Response (QR) entry, and shops registering their past presence were notified for a 2-day shut down and “deep-cleaning”.
I have not seen any comments from the human rights groups, globalists, anti-racism individuals below this video. The comments are of a different nature, where citizens criticize the slow pace of policy response to the situation.
That is Singapore.
And then, Google brought to my attention a slew of similar topics about Pandemic Control. They pertain to the current situation in India. I am attaching the weblinks here: -
- Australia bans arrivals from India, citizens, and residents who fly home face jail and fines — Channel News Asia
- Biden bans most travel to U.S. from India to limit COVID-19 spread — Reuters news
- COVID-19: Singapore to stop entry for all long-term pass holders, short-term visitors with recent travel history to India — Channel News Asia
I get it. I get why people are upset because of the avalanche of news seemingly directed at one country.
There will be an army of human rights activists, anti-racism groups spreading their ideologies online, corrupting our ability to think through anguish and fear.
I cannot stop this, of course.
The purpose of this story is to highlight valid points that reside on the other end of the spectrum. In particular, I would like to present my thoughts on the purpose of such policies.
First — On My Home Country, Singapore.
Singapore is a small country. It is a 1st World nation, and our survival is dependent on international trade, very much similar to another city, Hong Kong.
We have suffered tremendously in terms of Gross Domestic Product and economic growth during the pandemic era.
The government has unlocked National Reserves of approximately $100 Billion Singapore dollars to tide businesses and individuals through this difficult period.
Having the money to spend on crisis management when we are hit by an unexpected hurricane is a relief beyond words. Our future generations are not punished through large-scale fiscal borrowings that have to be repaid through taxes in the future.
There is nothing not to like about this. I do not endorse Governments borrowing money on behalf of their citizens in Trillions, only to have their citizens foot the bill through a slew of tax increases.
I do not know and do not want to hastily comment on increases in Employment Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, and others.
Time will tell if this is a heavy fiscal burden on the people.
We have to understand that Singapore thinks of pandemic policy response via community infection rates and imported cases. By imported, it refers to people coming into the country from other countries.
I postulate that the last situation the Ministers would want to deal with is a combination of the following: -
- An increase in imported infection rates.
- An increase in community infection rates.
This is akin to Athens attempting to invade Rome when Sparta drops by to set fire on its backyard.
There must be a priority. Cases within the community (such as the hospital containment) must be addressed immediately. This threat will presence a chokepoint on Singapore’s medical system resilience against the pandemic.
Closing the borders to focus on our own backyard is a tough decision to make. Our construction sector is heavily dependent on foreign human capital.
The policymakers have to make a choice. The litmus test has to be the health and safety of their citizens.
I do not see any other viable alternatives. Of course, this is a personal opinion.
I do not think that this policy is intended to be racist, xenophobic, or nationalist.
Second — On Australia.
I have to say that the headlines from Channel News Asia surprised me.
Australia bans arrivals from India, citizens, and residents who fly home face jail and fines.
I was surprised at this policy directed at Australians by the Australian government. This is the main snippet of the news: -
“Australian citizens and residents who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday (May 3) and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said.”
I did not continue reading.
I know there will be Human Rights activists fighting for their rights. I respect that. I wanted to search for a justification for this seemingly outrageous policy.
I found this news article that tells the story from another angle.
“ … All arrivals are forced to undertake — and fund — a two week quarantine stay at a hotel, typically in a state capital city.
Currently, around 36,000 nationals are registered for government help to fly home, a level that has remained consistent over the past year. Prior to the pandemic, there were estimated to be about one million Australians living overseas.
Early on in the quarantine programme, a problem emerged. The number of people returning home — mostly from New Zealand, the US and the UK — threatened to overwhelm the system. There were only so many hotel rooms available … ”
Okay, this is one existing issue. Hotel rooms are lacking.
“ … Since the more infectious UK variant arrived in Australia, it’s tested the quarantine system.
Perth endured a three-day lockdown last week after the virus leaked out of one of the hotels. This marked the seventh time since November that an Australian city has plunged into a snap lockdown due to a quarantine leak.
In the past six months, Australia has seen 16 breaches of its hotel quarantine system as more infectious strains have come in. Breaches include transmission between travellers in separate rooms, and infections passed onto workers.
Despite efforts to fix hotel quarantine, including improving air circulation and safety protocols, the virus keeps getting out …”
The Australian government is working to combat virus leakage within the country.
“ … Critics have demanded a system overhaul to allow more Australians to come home. State governments, tired of having to plunge cities into lockdown, have called for federal government to help build more appropriate facilities.
Experts have consistently suggested that travellers be moved out of city hotels and into purpose-built centres in regional areas …”
I guess we have to acknowledge that improvements are underway. Speed is the issue. And again, this is an issue of prioritizing internal containment over managing virus infiltration at the borders.
Please Calm Down to Think
We are facing a pandemic and a humanitarian crisis of our lifetime. I do not think we have the tools for immediate response and resolution.
That said, I do not think we have to jump in and started attributing fault to various parties.
Static equilibrium analysis does not work when everyone is coping with moving parts daily. This is what I refer to: -
- The emergence of deadlier variants.
- Vaccination efficiency and re-infection post-vaccination.
- Vaccination Nationalism.
- Politicizing the need for self-protection, such as social distancing and wearing of masks.
- Many people dying.
Calm down, people. We are up against an invisible enemy. We do not know how to combat it. All we know is humans have become their hosts if we let our guard down.
Policymakers can only respond to what they currently know.
And that explains why they have to enact policies on living beings and not the virus.
Aldric
Sources:
Australians abandoned by home country — BBC News
Australia bans arrival from India — CNA News
Biden bans most travel to U.S. from India to limit COVID-19 spread (Reuters news)
Singapore Hospital Virus outbreak and containment
About the Author:
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure.
Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.