2021年8月24日
Brian Wong
EJ Insight
A multi-pronged approach in COVID-19 efforts is needed
The administration recently tightened entry rules for arrivals from 16 countries swept up in the resurgence of COVID-19, extending the length of the mandatory quarantine requirements to 21 days. Many of these states were combating a conspicuous spike in cases, induced by – amongst other reasons – the delta variant and vaccine hesitancy. Whilst some have taken to social media to lament the draconian measures adopted by the administration, others have noted that such measures are by no means tenable or sufficient in combating the pandemic – we need more than just isolation and quarantine, as combative measures and remedies in face of the pandemic.
Elsewhere, a debate has erupted over the extent to which states should seek to "clear" the number of COVID-19 cases – whilst some posit that it is imperative for administrations to whittle the number of cases down to single digits, or 0, others (including many medical and public health experts in the West) have noted that such aspirations are, frankly, unrealistic and impractical.
To frame the debate as one between "open up and live with the virus" and "eliminate the virus at any and all costs" is tempting – though also disingenuous. The government needs a multi-prong approach to the pandemic; one that ensures that effective reopening-up can be swiftly and expediently enacted, without compromising our overarching push for reducing the volume and spread of diseases. The dual objectives of opening-up and curbing the spread of the virus need not be mutually exclusive. Yet what is thus required here, is a flexible and dynamic combination of approaches – some of which we shall explore here. ...
（節錄）
