The Straits Times launches book on Singapore's pandemic story

The Straits Times has released In This Together: Singapore's Covid-19 Story, a 352-page book on the nation's first two year fight against the pandemic on Thursday (Jan 20).

Written by journalists who have been in the thick of covering the crisis, the book shines a light on how the many elements of the island city-state navigated the virus.

It contains interviews with more than 300 people - including President Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, ministers on the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force, healthcare and other frontline workers, business owners, migrant workers, volunteers, survivors of the disease, and families of those who had died from the coronavirus - as well as photographs, graphics, and gatefolds.

Sumiko Tan, who edited the book and is also Executive Editor at The Straits Times, said: "There are two reasons we wrote this book. The first is to pay tribute to the frontliners, including healthcare workers, public servants and those in essential services, people whose work we so often take for granted. The other reason is to chronicle for future generations what happened so this pivotal period in Singapore's history is not forgotten."

Health Correspondent Timothy Goh, who wrote several segments, said: "Seeing the tiredness on their faces and hearing about the various doubts that were kept private till now reminded me that regardless of our station in life, for the past two years, we've also just been human beings trying to figure out a way to get through this, together."

Among the stories are:

• Inside The War Room: A behind-the-scenes look at the government's crisis management.
• 24 People Saved Madam Tan's Life: On how it took a village to save the life of one woman who caught Covid-19.
• Crash Landings And Other Lessons: On the frenetic early days at Singapore's public hospitals when so little was known of the coronavirus.
• The Making Of 5 Budgets: The inside story of the unprecedented roll-out of financial aid in 2020.
• The Hunt For Masks: The drama behind Singapore's race to acquire face masks in the early days of the pandemic.

In This Together retails for S$28 with GST at major bookstores.