Read on Twitter
THREAD 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⬇️" title="Downwards arrow" aria-label="Emoji: Downwards arrow">
1/ Today I& #39;ve seen/heard more than one American take that #Singapore& #39;s spike in #COVID19 cases is due to easing social distancing measures too quickly.
I& #39;d like to do a thread about what& #39;s really going on in Singapore and what lessons can be learnt from it.
1/ Today I& #39;ve seen/heard more than one American take that #Singapore& #39;s spike in #COVID19 cases is due to easing social distancing measures too quickly.
I& #39;d like to do a thread about what& #39;s really going on in Singapore and what lessons can be learnt from it.
2/ Firstly, #Singapore& #39;s #COVID19 spike is *not* to do with the easing of social distancing measures. Social distancing measures in Singapore right now are the toughest they& #39;ve ever been. Singapore was being heralded as a success *before* our social distancing came in.
3/ I wrote this piece with journalists in #Taiwan and #HongKong before #Singapore was put on a partial lockdown, which our government insists on calling a "circuit breaker". In it, we detail the good moves made to keep #COVID19 contained: https://wethecitizens.substack.com/p/fighting-covid-19-in-singapore-taiwan">https://wethecitizens.substack.com/p/fightin...
4/ After this piece was published, though, the wheels came off #Singapore& #39;s "gold standard" #COVID19 response. The day after the piece was published, two migrant worker dormitories in Singapore were gazetted under the Infectious Diseases Act as "isolation areas".
5/ Right now, #Singapore& #39;s sharp increase of #COVID19 cases is coming from the discovery of the coronavirus spreading like wildfire inside migrant worker dormitories in the country. I published a piece on this today: https://wethecitizens.substack.com/p/wtc-long-read-a-perfect-storm-for">https://wethecitizens.substack.com/p/wtc-lon...
6/ There are about 323,000 migrant workers—from countries like Bangladesh, India, and China—living in dormitories in #Singapore. They generally live about 12 – 20 men in a room, making social distancing a concept they understand, but cannot practice. #COVID19
7/ Here comes another myth to dispel about #COVID19. There& #39;s a lot of talk about how heat weakens or even kills the virus. I don& #39;t know if that& #39;s true; it seems like there isn& #39;t enough evidence yet. But #Singapore& #39;s experience shows that heat is not a protector from the virus.
8/ Even if one argues that many Singaporeans are living with aircon, this isn& #39;t the case with the migrant worker dormitories, most of which do not have aircon. In my story, a worker tells me his room is unbearably hot. Yet #COVID19 is spreading. https://twitter.com/BrynnTannehill/status/1253652643416858624">https://twitter.com/BrynnTann...
9/ #Singapore is now facing an epic problem. It& #39;s simultaneously a public health issue, a humanitarian issue, a logistical issue, and an economic issue. #COVID19
10/ Over 80% of the #COVID19 cases in the country are migrant workers living in dormitories. In a move to try to contain this and prevent it from spreading to the rest of the population in #Singapore, the government has put all dorms on lockdown.
11/ 25 dormitories have been declared "isolation areas"—the men are confined to their rooms except for essentials like going to the bathroom. At mealtimes, a representative goes to collect food for the rest, and they eat in their rooms. Basically, the dorms are like prisons now.
12/ Locking down the dorms is one way to prevent #COVID19 spreading from the dorms to the rest of #Singapore, but the lockdown is not stopping #COVID19 from spreading *inside* the dorms. In the worst hit dorm, over 15% of 13,000 men have already tested positive.
13/ The government is trying to reduce density in the dorms to try to stop the spread. 10,000 workers (those working in essential services, i.e. people we still need to keep #Singapore functioning) have been moved out already. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/coronavirus-mega-covid-19-facility-being-built-at-tanjong-pagar-terminal-to-house">https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore...
14/ But it also doesn& #39;t end with moving workers. There& #39;s also testing, & #39;cos we need to identify those who are #COVID19 positive so we can isolate them and stop them from infecting others. But how many tests can #Singapore realistically do?
15/ The government says that #Singapore is doing up to 3,000 #COVID19 tests a day, 1,500 – 2,500 of which are done on migrant workers. That sounds like a lot.
Then we remember that there are 323,000 migrant workers in dormitories. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/coronavirus-up-to-3000-tests-for-covid-19-done-daily-in-spore-most-on-foreign">https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore...
Then we remember that there are 323,000 migrant workers in dormitories. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/coronavirus-up-to-3000-tests-for-covid-19-done-daily-in-spore-most-on-foreign">https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore...
16/ The #COVID19 policy/strategy on testing migrant workers isn& #39;t very clear. Those of us who are trying to keep track and document are having a hard time figuring it out. When we ask the workers now stuck in dorms, we find that they aren& #39;t very clear about it either.
17/ So this is all one big nightmare that has consumed #Singapore& #39;s #COVID19 response. I mean, just look at that curve. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⬇️" title="Downwards arrow" aria-label="Emoji: Downwards arrow">
(Chart from @sporemoh& #39;s April 23 situation report.)
(Chart from @sporemoh& #39;s April 23 situation report.)
(Chart from @sporemoh& #39;s April 23 situation report.)" title="17/ So this is all one big nightmare that has consumed #Singapore& #39;s #COVID19 response. I mean, just look at that curve. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⬇️" title="Downwards arrow" aria-label="Emoji: Downwards arrow">(Chart from @sporemoh& #39;s April 23 situation report.)" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
18/ What should we learn from this? I think what we& #39;re seeing in #Singapore is that even if you do most things right, if you& #39;re not considering or proactively looking out for the most vulnerable and marginalised in your society, you& #39;re not going to effectively fight #COVID19.
19/ #COVID19 is enabled by, and in turn amplifies, existing inequalities and injustices. In #Singapore, crowded living conditions, coupled with the lack of protections that left migrant workers afraid to speak out/report sick, helped the virus to spread. https://wethecitizens.substack.com/p/wtc-long-read-a-perfect-storm-for">https://wethecitizens.substack.com/p/wtc-lon...
20/ This isn& #39;t as simple as arguing over social distancing or lockdowns. And it& #39;s not a discussion of whether UV rays/heat kills #COVID19. #Singapore demonstrates that this is a complex problem that can quickly spin out of control if those in charge drop the ball.
- END-
- END-
P.S. For the love of God (any god) don& #39;t drink or inject disinfectant into yourselves. #COVID19 #StaySafe #StayHome https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt="">
For everyone who is now trying argue with or talk at me about heat or UV light killing the coronavirus: I don& #39;t know for sure what heat or UV light does to the coronavirus. From what I& #39;ve seen, I don& #39;t think there& #39;s enough evidence to be absolutely sure yet. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Rightwards arrow" aria-label="Emoji: Rightwards arrow">
To those trying to strong-arm my thread to fit your narrative, give it a rest. #COVID19 spread within dorms *before* there was a lockdown; the lockdown is now a drastic measure to try to ring-fence the virus so it doesn& #39;t spread to the rest of #Singapore. https://twitter.com/Liz_Wheeler/status/1254080025504038912?s=20">https://twitter.com/Liz_Wheel...
