With new Omicron wave on the way, Singapore must continue to keep its guard up

THESE days, daily life in Singapore certainly has the look and feel of the pre-pandemic era. While the donning of face masks is still mandatory indoors, almost every other restriction has been lifted.

There’s no need to fiddle with one’s mobile phone or TraceTogether token to enter a mall or shop, people can gather in groups at home or outside without a capacity limit, and international travel is back with a vengeance with only a handful of countries still requiring some form of pre-departure or on-arrival Covid-19 testing.

At times, it’s almost easy to forget that the country is still busy waging an ongoing battle with the stubborn Covid-19 virus, although every now and then we hear of a family member, colleague or work acquaintance getting infected.