Covid-19 crisis Focus our effort on the real risks
This is an insane outcome of the "safe entry protocol".

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/covid-19-long-queues-waits-5-hours-public-testing-starts-possible-exposures-ttsh-cases  

Because the infected people have visited many malls and high traffic places, the other people who visited these places are told that they might be exposed and need to be tested.

The number that are notified must be very large. This led to the large request for covid testing. The queues are very long.

What is a more sensible approach?

a) Narrow down the notification only to people who were in the close proximity to the infected person. This is the number that are captured by the trace together token. 

b) It is better to stop the "safe entry" recording, as it will probably catch a much larger net of people. It is quite useless.

c) Increase the testing centers, to reduce the waiting time for testing

d) Confine testing only to those who were caught by "trace together" or have a temperature.

e) Implement DIY temperature taking stations in all public places so that people can check their temperature on their own. If they have a temperature above 37.5 C, they can go to the testing center.

My suggested approach will not catch the asymptomatic people. The risk of spread by these people is low. We can afford to take this risk.

When someone becomes symptomatic, i.e. have a temperature, the risk of spread is high. They need to be tested.

Let us focus our effort on the higher risks and avoid wasting the resources on the extremely low risks.

Tan Kin Lian


 

Add Comment

---