Though our front-liners are well protected by personal protective equipment, the coronavirus is still able to penetrate our hospitals, airport and sea port because we tend to overlook and underestimate the weakest links in our system.

From what I have gathered from the news, the people who are getting infected and spreading the virus in the community include airport cleaners, security personnel, immigration officers and operating theatre nurses.

I fear that these workers are less protected and overlooked in the fight against Covid-19.

We underestimate the risk of these cleaners and auxiliary workers contracting the virus.

Some of these workers could take on other part-time jobs, which could amplify the spread of virus into the community.

Another weak link is workers in high-risk exposure jobs who do not seek medical attention immediately when they develop respiratory symptoms, and delay diagnosis of Covid-19. The longer they go undiagnosed, the more they spread the virus in the community.

I hope the Government can pay more attention to these weak links, to win this war against Covid-19.

Lim Boon Hee (Dr)