With one of the world’s highest vaccination rates and the ability to quickly test for COVID-19 infections, some questions were raised this week when the Singapore Government said it would not rule out a circuit breaker as it navigates a path towards opening up further. [ Ссылка ]
CNA’s Lin Suling speaks to Ooi Eng Eong, Professor at the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School, and Lim Poh Lian, member of the Expert Committee for COVID-19 Vaccinations to get their thoughts on these questions:
0:00 What’s behind Singapore’s ceasing of workplace social interactions?
3:35 Why “tap the breaks” when ICU cases remain low?
4:34 With one of the world’s highest vaccination rates and treatments to treat the critically ill, why this messaging of caution?’
8:35 Is Singapore’s threshold to roll out restrictions low when we compare infection and death numbers to the flu?
11:23 Amid news of waning COVID-19 vaccine efficacy against infection with the Delta variant, does this mean Singapore should shift emphasis to other measures to manage COVID-19 – anti-viral treatments, contact tracing and testing?
17:35 Are vaccinations less of a shield than previously thought?
21:19 Is Singapore further away from its vision of endemic living?
21:53 Has the COVID-19 effectiveness waned? Why the differences in efficacy rates across countries?
24:10 Could Singapore have refrained from restrictions announced this week on workplace social interactions?
26:17 Will pervasive, regular testing remain a fixture even after Singapore transitions to endemic living?
29:05 Is Singapore’s position on contract tracing shifting towards one where pervasive, regular testing at workplaces and homes are the new normal?
30:13 What’s behind the expansion of regular testing to more business sectors and firms?
35:34 Will aggressive contract-tracing remain in the background when Singapore shifts into endemic living or only activated when the situation calls for it?
37:15 Will endemic living spell the end of circuit breakers?
39:35 What should businesses and workers be looking out for in anticipating if restrictions are on the cards?
42:24 If the Delta variant’s reproduction rate is 5 to 9 and Singapore’s current reproduction rate is 1.45, does this mean current restrictions will be permanent fixtures for a while?
47:32 Is Singapore having trouble exiting the pandemic? When can the country transition into endemic living?
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