Worried Singaporeans mask up amid rise in Covid-19 cases but won’t ‘dwell on it’
- Health minister Ong Ye Kung has reassured Singaporeans that reintroducing Covid-related safety measures was ‘last thing on [the government’s] minds’
- Instead of tightening rules, the government is likely to issue more advisories on hygiene, mask wearing and precautions for vulnerable groups, experts say
“We have to protect ourselves from Covid. I just recovered from Covid in November for the second time and it was very serious for me, so I always tell my children to bring their masks whenever they leave the house,” said the father-of-two, who is between jobs.
Other Singaporeans interviewed by This Week in Asia have not taken the same level of precaution as Daniel but have started to wear masks again on public transport or in crowded spots.
“I’ll wear a mask depending on where I want to go, like the market or indoor places that are very crowded. I’m a bit worried about catching the virus but I’m not going to dwell on it,” said Wati Sawab, 62, a housewife.
Covid-19 infections rose to 56,043 in the week of December 3 to 9, a 75 per cent increase from 32,035 a week ago, the health ministry said last Friday.
The number of infections and hospitalisations was on the rise, the ministry said, but has not surpassed pandemic numbers and that the circulating variants are not known to result in more severe illness. It attributed the rise in the number of infections to the year-end travel season and waning population immunity.
Health minister Ong Ye Kung reassured Singaporeans that reintroducing Covid-related safety measures was “the last thing on our minds”.
