Double Standards?
Daily Dose: Double Standards
This is probably going to be controversial.
However, given the discontentment on the ground for high imported cases, surely it has to be addressed. For the past 3 days, there are reports of Covid19 positive cases that comprise of short term visitors from one country. The reason for the visits - to see relatives. Given that it is a country with high infectious rate for Covid19, it puzzles many as to why we continue to allow Short Term Visitors from there.
According to an advisory on Covid19 for visitors, 'short term visitors are not allowed entry, except those coming under Green/fast lane, Air Travel pass or special prior approval'. Visiting relatives during a pandemic does not seem to justify special prior approval, especially from countries with high infection rates. After all, we are advised to interact via zoom for CNY, surely the same standards can apply here.
While it is understandable that we have to open our economy and cannot stay close to visitors, the high rate of short term visitors from one or two particular countries with spiralling Covid19 daily cases does raise more than just an eyebrow. The best way to approach this is to be transparent as to why this is so. Else, speculation on the ground makes this own episode uneasy and a hard pill to swallow.
1) 14 Covid19 cases
14 Imported
After a large number of cases for the past 2 days, the imported cases have tampered down to 14.
• 2 (Cases 59648 and 59649) are Singaporeans and 1 (Case 59647) is a
Singapore Permanent Resident who returned from Russia, UK and US.
• 2 (Cases 59650 and 59654) are Dependant’s Pass holders who arrived from
India and Portugal.
• 2 (Cases 59658 and 59659) are Work Pass holders who arrived from
India.
• 6 are Work Permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India and
Indonesia, of whom 1 (Case 59657) is a foreign domestic worker.
• 1 (Case 59651) is a Short-Term Visit Pass holder who arrived from India
to visit her child who is a Singapore Permanent Resident.
For the past 3 days, we have 7 short term visit holders from India visiting relatives. These are only the cases that were tested positive. If the incidence rate is at 1%, that could mean that there are a lot more approval of such cases. As stated that incidence rate is rising, shouldn't there be a review on the existing policies with the aim to reduce imported cases?
Source: MOH
2) Covid19 vaccination centres in all 24 HDB towns
There will be one community vaccination centre by end-March that will be capable of delivering 2000 vaccinations in a day. For those waiting to be vaccinated, look out for letters that will inform you of the dates available for vaccination.
Source: ST
3) Moh offers Covid19 tests to those working at Jewel Airport, T3 shops after 3 past cases found to have UK Strain.
As a precautionary measure, the MOH will offer testing to staff who have been working from Dec 31 at Jewel Changi Airport, and at the shops and food establishments at Changi Airport Terminal 3 that are open to the public.
Source:ST
4) Sheng Siong Staff gets up to 16 month's bonus after strong earnings amid Covdi19 pandemic
I want to work at Sheng Shiong!
Eligible Sheng Siong staff will receive total bonuses of up to 16 months, inclusive of the annual wage supplement (AWS) for 2020, with the supermarket operator having raised the variable bonus to 20 per cent of the company's profits before tax, Today reported.
Source: ST
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/sheng-siong-staff-to-get-up-to-16-months-bonus-after-strong-earnings-amid
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