Forum: Don’t let our Covid-19 vigilance fade

Singapore has always prided itself on its civic consciousness. Yet, one pandemic-forged habit appears to be slipping away: the instinct to protect others when we are unwell.

Six years ago, a cough in a crowded MRT carriage would prompt those nearby to change seats or reach for a mask. Today, that same cough barely registers a glance.

As a student, I see this mostly in the classroom. It has become increasingly common to see classmates attending school while visibly symptomatic and dismissing it as a slight cold.

There is a fading awareness that in a shared space, one person’s minor inconvenience can become another person’s serious illness, particularly for those who return home to elderly grandparents or immunocompromised family members.

The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that ordinary habits carry extraordinary weight. 

Building these habits starts at home. Parents can teach their children to wear a mask when ill, cover their mouths when they cough and wash their hands regularly.

Schools also have an enduring role in teaching students that showing up sick is not resilience but a risk to everyone else in class. This change in mindset can help young people understand that personal hygiene is a shared responsibility. 

At a public level, personal hygiene should be treated less as a mandate and more as a reflection of character. Public health campaigns should cultivate a social norm where being inconsiderate carries a degree of social discomfort, like littering or drink-driving does.

My generation grew up during the pandemic and understands this intuitively. That understanding should not require another medical crisis to keep it alive.

Rhesha Balwan, 19
Year 3, Temasek Polytechnic