S'pore trying hard to avoid start-stop approach to measures: Wong

As much as Singapore tried to avoid a "start-stop" approach in tackling Covid-19, the country still had to make constant adjustments to prevailing measures, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong yesterday.

"We understand that it is not always easy for people to keep track of the changes in our measures, and from time to time it also creates frustration because of the perceived flip-flops in our Covid strategy," he told reporters at a press conference held by the multiministry task force tackling Covid-19.

"That's why we are trying very hard to avoid start-stops in our measures, and to minimise the need to throttle back or to tighten. But I hope everyone understands it is very challenging to do this."

Mr Wong, who is one of three co-chairs of the task force, was explaining why Singapore has chosen to ease its Covid-19 measures - both domestically as well as at its borders - in a "controlled, careful and calibrated" manner.

When changes are made, the task force monitors the situation in the coming days or weeks, and makes its next move only when it is sure the overall infection situation is stable, he added.

"So, we have done some moves already. We will monitor the situation over the next few days, and early next week we will give a further update on our possible next steps."

Given how the global Covid-19 situation is evolving, with the risk of new variants and waves of infections, the same logic applies to the country's border measures, added Transport Minister S. Iswaran.

This includes the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme which allows people to enter Singapore without having to serve quarantine.

"We, too, will review and adjust our border measures based on the circumstances in other countries," he said.

"Careful and calibrated reopening of our borders also means being prepared to make the necessary adjustments to, and even curtail, the VTL arrangements, if warranted by the public health risk assessment."

He urged Singaporean families planning to travel overseas to keep themselves updated on the public health situation and border measures in the countries they are going to visit, and plan ahead for contingencies.

On the topic of Singapore having to adjust its Covid-19 measures, Mr Wong noted that other countries - including those which people had called for Singapore to emulate - are facing similar problems.

Several months ago, many European countries relaxed their Covid-19 measures and opened up their economies.

But today, many are seeing a sharp spike in cases, and have reimposed restrictions or are considering doing so. These include Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Austria recently implemented a lockdown for the unvaccinated, while the Netherlands has returned to a partial lockdown for its entire population and Denmark is mulling over the reintroduction of mask-on rules.

"The point is, countries everywhere have to deal with these adjustments throughout the pandemic," Mr Wong said.

Even those with high vaccination rates have to deal with the reality that the virus comes in "rolling waves of infection", and have to adjust measures based on these waves to protect the healthcare system.

"And we have to keep on doing that until we reach a stabler equilibrium with the virus. This is the common challenge that countries everywhere are dealing with."