"Yes. Speed up herd immunity," wrote one Singapore netizen in response to United States health officials warning of Covid-19 parties where people hang out with an infected person in the hope of getting sick.

But most other Straits Times Facebook users found the idea of infection parties for people who hope to gain so-called immunity this way just sickening. Some were even afraid that such reckless partygoers would pop up in Singapore.

While some people in the US had only expressed an eagerness to get the virus, two parties in Washington state were initially believed to be the first dedicated events to be confirmed by public health officials.

The officials in Walla Walla in south-east Washington state said in a statement last Wednesday that the county had seen a sudden rise in Covid-19 parties - but they retracted those claims later, reported The Guardian.

Instead, local media said that US officials became aware of a social gathering where at least one person was infected with Covid-19, and that most of those who attended it were aware there could be people present with the virus.

Two people who went to a gathering have since tested positive for the coronavirus.

The partygoers told health investigators that they figured they would be able to recover quickly from the virus, apparently not considering that they could at the same time spread it to others more vulnerable to getting seriously ill or even dying.

SURVIVAL OF THE…

ST Facebook readers were appalled by their actions. The word "stupid" in various forms came up a lot.

Patrick D Soh said: "Cause of death, half by the virus, and the other half by stupidity." "Stupid and stubborn," echoed Tong Chih Sheng. Jessica Yeoh commented: "This is good. The world needs to reduce its numbers of 'stupids'."

Richie Yeung called them "fools" and levelled a serious accusation at the partygoers, saying: "Having been infected, they may die. If they don't, they will infect their family members. Seniors in that family will die."

Ms Meghan DeBolt, director of community health for Walla Walla, said of the partygoers: "They feel really bad now, knowing that they put families and friends and others at risk."

ST Facebook user Swee Png wrote of the partygoers: "But they will be the entitled ones demanding precious hospital beds when they need ICU and ventilators. They should sign a waiver that they will not go to hospitals when they become unwell."

Felicia Chew said: "Don't strain the healthcare workers. Selfish."

ST Facebook reader Mohamed Habib said wryly: "Darwin award goes to…"

But the partygoers may very well win at this game of Darwinism after all. According to Ms DeBolt, the two people who became ill after the party were young and had not needed hospital care.

The losers would be whoever was unfortunate enough to be close to them and vulnerable to falling sick.

KEEP BORDERS CLOSED

Not wanting to be anywhere close to such partygoers are ST Facebook readers such as Priscilla Tan, who wrote: "I hope Singapore closes our doors to these people who may harm our population."

Conrad Li said: "Singapore will probably keep travel restrictions for the US for a long time."

But while travel restrictions can keep people out of the country, they cannot keep out ideas of infection parties and speeding up so-called immunity.

The US has a long history of people choosing purposeful infection in the hope of gaining immunity, according to The New York Times. US health officials, for example, had worked in the past to halt chickenpox parties at which parents sought to expose their non-vaccinated children to the disease.

When it comes to Covid-19, the World Health Organisation said: "There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.

"People who assume that they are immune to a second infection because they have received a positive test result may ignore public health advice."

Perhaps some attendees of possible infection parties have darker motives.

"Consensual pozzing has been around for ages ever since HIV," wrote ST Facebook user Bing Tng. This could possibly be referring to people purposely trying to get infected by HIV-positive persons.

HIV or the human immunodeficiency virus causes the chronic, potentially life-threatening condition Aids or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Perhaps they want thrills that could kill.

They may win at this dangerous game of Darwinism, but innocent bystanders standing a mere metre away may not.

NOTABLE TRENDS

ASIAN 'MURDER' HORNETS IN THE US: Native to China and South-east Asia, giant hornets turned up in Washington state, where they pose a threat to humans and bees. ST Facebook users made sly digs about this in the light of the US-China row over the origins of Covid-19. Howe Wah Beng had someone in mind when he wrote: "Donald is sure to blame someone for this."

STAFF KEEN TO WORK FROM HOME: A survey found that 90 per cent of employees in Singapore wish to continue working from home in some capacity after the end of the circuit breaker. ST Facebook user Vincent Teo said: "We work longer and harder at home than at work." Another, called Raphael Lim, wrote: "LOL, most haven't got their electricity bill yet." And Priscilla Tan said: "Many of us are afraid of bumping into asymptomatic people."