It's make-or-break time for Singapore

Singapore

SINGAPORE has finally shut schools and curbed non-essential physical interaction in an attempt to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission. The next month is a make-or-break time as residents decide on the fate of the nation.

The effectiveness and success of the latest measures lie in their hands. Much will depend on whether they have the grit and tenacity to comply with the stay-home orders, social distancing and commuting only for essential needs.

So, it is quite alarming that in the days following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's clear explanation on why most of the workforce have to stay home, some tutors have been insistent that home tuition can continue, while others from centres affected by closures offered to conduct lessons at students' homes.

Parents, who are afraid of their children "losing out" from missing tuition lessons, have recklessly cast aside health concerns when they flagrantly violate the government's advice to keep within immediate family members when they choose to accept such offers.

They fail to understand the severity of the situation facing Singapore - that the virus is living among unsuspecting individuals who are not showing any symptoms and have not been identified. Thus, passing the virus unknowingly to others.

Clusters have mushroomed. On Sunday, a daily record of 120 new Covid-19 cases were reported, of which four were imported and 116 local.

This is not a time to worry about missing a few tuition lessons. If those residing in Singapore cannot understand this global health crisis, which has already created an economic crisis, then Singapore is destined to fail in its battle against Covid-19.

Just look at what's happening elsewhere to see how much worse the situation can spiral to. In Italy, the military was eventually called in to reinforce rules as deaths spiked and hospitals buckled under the strain.

Singapore's government has not chosen a draconian lockdown. It is keeping open essential services like food establishments, markets and supermarkets, clinics, hospitals, utilities, transport and key banking services. They are essential services, not home tuition.

For those who still cannot or choose not to grasp the gravity of the situation, it's simple: Just stay home. You should not be meeting friends. If your friends ask you to meet, you should say 'No.' You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home.

In his appeal for everyone to cooperate, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said everyone should immediately stop going out except for critical work and obtaining food, essentials for families.

"Too many clusters are breaking out from social interactions. This will further strain our medical resources and contact tracing teams," he said. "We need to break the transmission chains decisively by having everyone minimise social contact to the minimum necessary."

If the latest measures fail, Singapore may be forced to make a more draconian move. Surely, we don't want to end up in a situation where healthcare workers are forced to take a utilitarian approach in assessing which lives to save if hospital capacity is overwhelmed.

It pays to heed that the marginal costs of lockdowns increase dramatically with duration. Short lockdowns impose a relatively minor cost, longer ones disproportionately more.

This global health crisis has already ravaged the economy by disrupting supply chains and shutting businesses, threatening to leave many unemployed. Just look at the US, where jobless claims have hit a new record of over six million, taking the total to 10 million in just two weeks.

Singapore's government has announced generous aid to the tune of nearly S$60 billion, but these just buy time until the situation stabilises. For many people, their only hope is for things to return to normal as soon as possible before money runs out. But we know the second quarter of 2020 is going to be tough.

More economists believe a V-shaped recovery in consumer spending may be unrealistic as lockdowns have led to a collapse in economies worldwide.

Despite the government's aid, the wider economy could take some time to normalise with the associated slower job recovery and damaged sectors.

It is time for the people here - locals and foreigners, alike - to band together and make the latest measure the invaluable force multiplier to reboot the economy. Failure is not an option. Neither is a lackadaisical attitude.