Jump in quarantine orders leaves hundreds anxious and frustrated as protocols come under strain

SINGAPORE'S system of ring fencing and isolating has appeared stretched in recent days, evidenced by Singapore residents taking to online channels to vent their frustrations on being picked up belatedly for quarantine, and holiday seekers being asked by hotels to postpone their staycations.

Some quarters, observing these trends, have speculated that a surge in cases may be straining the capacity to manage Covid-19 protocols.

More hotels have opted to become isolation facilities, according to data from STR, a data and analytics firm specialising in the hospitality sector. It saw that about 60 hotels were contracted by the government as at end-June. That figure has increased to about 70 now, after the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) announcement in July.