Pandemic reality check :
A view from Singapore
While many countries are still logging high numbers of new COVID-19 cases more than two years after the disease first appeared , the public health situation in most regions of the world is much improved thanks to vaccination and infectioninduced immunity .
Singapore offers a good example of this new phase . The city-state is relying on an array of tools to live with COVID-19 without imposing strict lockdowns , allowing people to go about their daily routines provided they follow a few safety measures , including wearing masks , limiting social gatherings to five persons , safe distancing in mask-off settings , and showing proof of vaccination for social activities like eating in restaurants or going to the movies . We sat down with Dr Leong Hoe Nam , a leading infectious disease specialist in the city-state , for some insight and advice on dealing with this stage of the pandemic and how to navigate it .
Q . Over the last weeks , thousands of daily COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Singapore , though the death toll hasn ’ t trended upwards . Can you provide an update of the current COVID trends and explain whether Singaporeans should be worried ?
A . The numbers look terrifying , but it ’ s a given for any
44 MARCH 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com