First tests, then surveillance: Singapore figured out how to live without quarantines

Singapore has introduced a system that allows its citizens to live with coronavirus without quarantines, as happens with the usual seasonal flu, according to The Straits Time. True, for this, universal vaccination is still necessary, but total and completely free express tests for covid, which can be done anywhere and without restrictions, will serve as a test. If he gives a positive result, then the PCR test comes into play, and then isolation.

Alas, the next step in this scheme will be to trace the contacts of those infected, as well as those who have been in contact with these contacts, since the infected person begins to spread the coronavirus even before the onset of symptoms. In Singapore, this system is already working, including with the help of smartphones (TraceTogether systems for relatives of the infected and SafeEntry - for those who could get to the same mass event with the infected). Well, here too - tests, and isolation.

In practice, this will mean that people will think many times before "violating social distance" - that is, just talking with someone about something while sitting next to - if they are guaranteed to know that they can be monitored with consequences ... And for the "removal" of someone, and, if necessary, placement in a guarded ward, it will be enough to report that the person was sitting on the same bench with the infected. Health comes first!

The Singaporean authorities argue that such surveillance was introduced only temporarily, until there is enough statistical data to manage the medical system. After all, no one takes into account every single patient with the flu, but estimates the total burden on hospitals.

But this is in Singapore. And in countries of "sovereign democracies", which include Russia and Belarus, for example, the authorities are quite capable of keeping the system of tracking all contacts forever, and just so that everyone is afraid of any contacts, ”analyst Dmitry Prokofiev worries. - Divide - and rule...