Tag: Covid
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A Thousand Nos
“Do you want to take the vaccine?” “No.” “Are you scared of needles? It’s safe!” “No.” “Everyone is getting the injection. Why don’t you take it?” “No.” “You spread the virus to others then how? Take the vaccine!” “No.” “What are you trying to prove?! Take the vaccine!” “No.” “You don’t take the vaccine, you…
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Reclaim Your Face
Last week, the Singapore government lifted the outdoor mask mandate. It still ‘encourages’ people to wear masks when outside. Nonetheless, as Mothership reports, most Singaporeans still wear masks outdoors. This matches with my own experience. Out on the street, less than one in a hundred people do not wear masks—myself among them. For those of…
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When Waves Combine
What happens when the next wave of Covid meets the Great Resignation? Singapore is going to find out—and it will be ugly. The Straits Times presents an optimistic picture of the labour market. Among other things, unemployment fell from 3 percent to 2.6 percent, retrenchments dropped from 26110 to 7820, and the Ministry of Manpower expects…
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Riding Out the Great Termination
The world is in the throes of the Great Resignation. Workers are quitting en masse, seeking better prospects elsewhere, triggering a labour shortage across the board. Hidden in this trend is the Great Termination: vaccine mandates, official or otherwise. In Singapore there is no formal mandate. However, unvaccinated workers are barred from returning to the…
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No Jab, No Job Comes To Singapore
No jab, no job has come to Singapore. The government won’t call it that, of course. They are simply barring the unvaccinated from returning to the workplace, even with a negative pre-event test, starting 15 January. Partially vaccinated workers have until 31 January to complete their vaccination regimen. Employees who cannot work from home risk…
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Walking Alone in the Age of Covid
All my life, I have walked alone. In all things I have forged my own path. As a child, I favoured solitary pursuits over group activities. My tendencies drew me away from the crowds, and towards the meditations of the ancient philosophers, the craft of art, the way of sword and pen in accord. In…