Here in Singapore, where I have lived for many years, as my husband was stationed here by his company, Taiwan’s success in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the nation to avoid a lockdown, has all along been a matter of pride among Taiwanese.
Over the past week, the severity of the situation in Taiwan has increased sharply, and Taiwanese — who, used to their safety, slowly relaxed their vigilance — have finally realized that the virus is among them. One really cannot relax for even a second.
Here are a few suggestions based on Singapore’s preventive measures as reference for the Taiwanese people and government.
First, it is better if measures are too strict; they must not be too relaxed. Ever since Singapore implemented circuit-breaker measures, anyone who leaves home has been required to wear a mask at all times, regardless of whether the pandemic situation has improved or not. Anyone who does not follow the regulation is fined S$300 (US$225).
In restaurants, only five people per table are allowed. Likewise, no more than five people are allowed at gatherings of family or friends, and no more than 50 people are allowed at indoor gatherings. Contravention of any of these rules results in a fine.
Second, enforced use of Singapore’s contact tracing app TraceTogether: According to regulations, anyone who enters an office building, shopping center, shop, market and so on, must use the app and register using their name or scan their identification card, or they would not be allowed to enter.
Some busier markets also direct people flows based on whether their identification numbers end with an odd or even digit. This means that the past whereabouts of anyone who has tested positive can be quickly determined and anyone they have been in contact with can be notified so that a virus swab test can be quickly administered.
Third, schools and businesses must raise their response readiness. When the circuit-breaker measures were first introduced last year, any business that was not considered a provider of essential services was only allowed to have a maximum of 15 percent of their staff on their premises, and all schools introduced home-based learning.
Step-by-step, the number of company employees allowed increased from 15 percent to 25 percent, 50 percent and 75 percent.
Over the past year or so, Singaporeans have gotten used to this approach. As the number of staff testing positive at Tan Tock Seng Hospital recently increased, the number of staff at the hospital has been reduced from 75 percent to 50 percent, without encountering any problems.
Singaporean companies are prepared to respond as required at any time.
Most Taiwanese businesses still have no experience in having large number of employees working from home, and while it hopefully will not become necessary, companies should prepare for such a scenario.
If they do not, Taiwan will fall behind other countries, where people have already gotten used to this new model of working.
Finally, community transmission and a raised alert level is not an entirely bad thing for Taiwan, because it can once again raise pandemic awareness.
Perhaps it can even change how the government and businesses deal with the pandemic, and make Taiwan even safer and more stable.
This would be a good change indeed.
Lin Hsin-yi is a Taiwanese expatriate in Singapore.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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