Covid-19 crisis Imported corona cases - in perspective
There is a daily report about the number of imported cases. It is usually a handful, but it does seem to be a large number relative to the local cases.

This may give the impression that the infection rate overseas is high, and the infected rate is low in Singapore. 

It is a wrong conclusion.

All travelers entering Singapore are tested. The imported cases represent about 0.5% of the travelers. 

If there is a random testing of the local population, the infection rate is likely to be higher than 0.5%. In the foreign worker community, the infection rate is probably 5% to 10%. I do not have the exact figure, but it would seem to be in this order.

There is a wrong perception that the people who come into Singapore from other countries have a higher rate of infection. This is the rationale for imposing the border control - to stop the virus. 

It is the wrong strategy. It kills the tourism industry. It does not stop the spread of the virus - because the infection rate of incoming visitors is probably not higher than the local population.

I suspect that the people in charge are stupid or insane.

Tan Kin Lian

 

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