LACKLUSTRE ADOPTION OF TRACETOGETHER REASON FOR DELAYED PHASE 3
Channel: A Singaporean
Date: 2020-12-08

LACKLUSTRE ADOPTION OF TRACETOGETHER REASON FOR DELAYED PHASE 3

Singapore's situation

Singapore's community Covid-19 cases are at an all-time low, with a record two weeks in November with no cases reported. Singapore has been in phase 2 for five months thus far.

The pandemic task force has spelled out their conditions for phase 3 to begin.

1. 70% TraceTogether adoption rate
2. Sufficient testing capabilities
3. Safe management compliance

TraceTogether adoption rate too low

By the end of December the TraceTogether app or token will replace the SafeEntry QR codes, and will be mandatory at public venues. TraceTogether is considered to be more effective at contact tracing, which will be necessary to counter the risks of phase 3.

As of now, nearly 2.9 million of Singapore's 5.7 million population have downloaded the app or collected the token, nowhere near the 70% required. The tokens are currently being distributed one constituency at a time.

The app has been criticised for its heavy battery use, and there are insufficient tokens as demand was higher than anticipated.

Good testing capabilities

Singapore has a rigorous testing regime, with both proactive and reactive testing being done.

Proactive testing is done in high-risk dormitories, industries, for front-line workers, and also in the form of school swabbing exercises.

Reactive testing is done for discovered cluster sites and patients with acute respiratory infection.

Proper safe management compliance

The public is generally complying with mask wearing, social distancing, and not gathering in groups of more than five persons.

There were, unfortunately, several recent incidents of rules flouting though, at Tekka Centre, Gemma Steakhouse and Foot Locker.

Other risks

If Singapore never opens up its borders, the dire global situation will be unlikely to affect us. However, we may have to eventually open up to some countries for business travelers and tourists to support our commercial and tourism sectors.

Additionally, if we continue high restrictions with such low cases, people will struggle to follow the rules, as they may feel like their efforts are not being rewarded.

However, saying that, we also do not want to end up like South Korea, which was hit by a third wave and now has hundreds of daily cases, 85% of which are untraceable.