Singapore must be prepared for the long haul with the Covid-19 pandemic. It took several years for the world to recover from the devastation brought on by the 1918 Spanish flu (S'pore likely to take longer to recover from Covid-19, Oct 29).

Let's take this opportunity to redo many things that we might not have done right or well from the beginning because our old assumptions were not tested like they are now.

People must be given the initiative to figure out how they can survive individually and collectively.

We need less red tape in governance and more positive support and encouragement. In some ways, we are heading in the right direction with financial and skills upgrading packages. We can do more.

Let people find their own way in making a livelihood. People must be encouraged beyond monetary support to find ways and means of making a living.

Encourage home enterprise, such as homemade foods, homemade tailored clothing, neighbourhood void deck pasar malam and selling things online that can be easily delivered without requiring intricate logistics.

Provide free online courses; many of the skills upgrading courses should be uploaded online so that anyone interested can access them.

School remedial lessons from various schools should be made available for all school children.

Encourage the creation of cartoons and small videos that tell stories of how people are coping with the new restrictive environment, so that people can learn to laugh at themselves.

Thomas Lee Hock Seng (Dr)