Thinking Aloud
Covid-19 and beyond: Pitfalls and promises of the new year
The pandemic has sped up innovation and the awareness to live sustainably, but has also caused a sharp rise in inequality around the world
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ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
Just over a year since the coronavirus was identified as the source of a highly infectious disease, close to two million people have died, economies have swung wildly between shutting down and opening up, and entire communities have been - some repeatedly - sequestered at home.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on the poor and prompted debate regarding the role of the state in such an emergency. At the same time, it sped up innovation as a means for countries to partially overcome its effects. As Singapore grapples with the promises and pitfalls of the new year, here are a few things to think about: