Thread: Corona Virus

Originally Posted by bob10

How Singapore was ready for the coronavirus. Other countries should take note.


Singapore Was Ready for Covid-19—Other Countries, Take Note | WIRED

An extract.

"People in Singapore, for now, get information from multiple government websites, frequently updated, as well as from a government WhatsApp account. People get their temperatures taken before they can enter most buildings, including businesses, schools, gyms, and government agencies, because fever is one of the main symptoms of Covid-19. (According to my sister-in-law, whose family has lived in Singapore for six years, everyone whose temperature is normal gets a sticker, and people are expected to acquire two or three stickers every day.) Hibberd, who’s in Singapore now working on the new coronavirus, says, “On every lift I ride, there’s a notice saying what I have to do. Everywhere you walk there’s information … There’s a confidence in that information, in the government and what they’re saying, and there’s an expectation you should follow it.” The country gives a bit of money to people who don’t have the kinds of jobs that support being out of work—and fines people who don’t follow the rules.In at least one hospital, the experience of SARS led to a complete reimagining of the ways physicians deal with patients. One article from personnel in the radiology department at Singapore General Hospital describes keeping teams of health care workers separate from one another in case one has to be quarantined, and physical separations for different kinds of patients—all sorts of seemingly small systematic changes that limit the spread of an infectious disease.

As one Singaporean researcher told The Guardian, “We don’t do anything different, we just do it well.”"

I work in a hospital and we have already been split into teams. We have coloured badges so we know who is on what team and not to mix. Lunch rooms for each team so no mixing there. Telehealth where possible, patients to be asked not to bring people with them unless needed. We are not having large meetings anymore and are doing phone hookups, heaps of other precautions happening. We are preparing to have %50 of staff down.

Originally Posted by Aussie Jeepster

I was in Singapore 2 weeks ago, and they were handling the whole virus thing really well.
The people are pretty compliant, but it certainly made me feel safe having our temp taken everywhere we went.
I've been umming and ahhing about a prebooked trip to the US next Friday, and today decided that I'm going ahead with the trip.
I'm not concerned about the virus issue - I'm healthy and well under 70, but the only area I'm a little worried about is political decisions about travel bans.
But, what the hell, I've got friends over there, and places to stay, to I'll make the most of it.

Of course that will depend on whether Trump sees fit to close their borders to in going Australian residents as well as getting out of Oz, but remember, once you are in, then the borders could be closed to outgoing travellers very quickly if he locks down the whole country. eg. Italy.


You really want to be holed up in 'vegas for a few years?