Today, at 1600 hours, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered a powerful address about the new measures that Singapore will be introducing in the coming weeks that will last for a month. He declared that “there are more people out there who are infected and have not been identified” so the measures need to be bolstered to prevent the transmission and contraction of the virus. PM Lee talked of the clusters in the foreign worker dormitories and the old person home as precedent for these measures as due to the close proximity of the inhabitants, these regions could have very quick transmission rates. In addition to these, the habitants of the old persons homes are “weak” and “frail” so they are more vulnerable.
He praised Singaporeans for adjusting well to the increased measures which have been implemented over the last few weeks. “But looking at the trend, I am worried” Lee claimed as he said that “things will gradually get worse or another big cluster will push things over the edge.”. PM Lee declared that “We should make a decisive move now… We will therefore impose significantly stricter measures” as these stricter measures may “reduce the risk of a big outbreak occurring”. Lee moved to declare that a “circuit breaker” will be introduced and this will “last one month in the first instance”. This circuit breaker measures will be in three parts:
(a) Close most work places except economic sectors and essential services (take effect from next Tuesday) —> limits physical interaction
(b) Full home based learning for all school and institute of higher learning; MOE will work with the schools which will start next Wednesday; all pre-schools will also close (limited service will be there for children alone)
(c) tightened regulations of movement and gatherings:
Stay at home as much as possible
Avoid socialising with other beyond household
Go out only for essential services or essential activities
The spirit of these measures are to minimise physical contact as the “virus won’t be able to spread” if we are all at home unless necessary. Lee even went to say that complying with these measures will inhibit the spread of Covid-19 and “it’s as simple as that”. However, Lee understands that these measures will be very hard to comply with in places such as the wet market and Food courts (especially during the weekends) so he said that he is hoping that people will adjust their timetables and habits to go in public at times which are not generally crowded. In addition to this, more Social Distancing Ambassadors will be deployed to streamline social distancing in public and reduce transmission rate of coronavirus.
PM Lee reached out further to the people and said that he understands that these measures will be very emotionally and psychologically taxing as it is our human nature to socialise but he is hoping that we comply with the measures being rolled out in the next few weeks as these measures are the best way to keep our family safe and protect the seniors from becoming ill.
[Read more about these measures on gov.sg]
More economic measures will also be instilled in order to help people financially and legislations will be amended.
Lee also claimed that the government will also have to rethink their advice on the wearing of Facemasks: initially, the government declared that people don't need to wear facemasks unless they are ill (advised by the WHO) but now the government believes that in order to be safe, we may have to wear facemasks. Infected people may show no symptoms and be able to transmit the virus to others quickly so the WHO and the CDC are rethinking the facemask policies. The Singaporean Government will no longer discourage the wearing of facemasks now as this may protect you better in the public place. So, on Sunday, surgical masks which are reusable will be distributed to households.
WE ARE STRONG. WE ARE SINGAPORE AND WE WILL PREVAIL. is what PM Lee declared at the end of his speech.