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COVID-19 cases in Singapore have peaked and fallen to about 3,000 per day, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in parliament on Tuesday. This follows the World Health Organization declaring that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, more than three years after it sounded the alarm.
But as we live with COVID-19 as an endemic disease, have we gotten complacent about its risks? Survey findings that vulnerable individuals don’t plan to take COVID-19 booster shots are alarming, says respiratory specialist Dr Ong Kian Chung.
In other news, WhatsApp is rolling out in-chat payments for businesses in Singapore. It could be a game changer for small- and medium-size enterprises struggling to establish an online presence, and it could spark healthy competition among Singapore’s e-payment players. But WhatsApp’s new feature also raises concerns around user privacy and cybersecurity, says fintech CEO Jonathan Chang.
Are you following the SEA Games? From Shanti Pereira’s record-breaking 200m sprint to the string of golds clinched by Singapore’s swimmers, Team Singapore has plenty to be proud of. But there’s one sore point: The disappointing performance of the men’s football team, which culminated in a 7-0 thrashing by Malaysia on Thursday.
Though the Unleash the Roar project is underway to raise Singapore’s football standards, if results continue to slide, the nation risks losing a generation of young football fans, says CNA’s Matthew Mohan.
We hope you enjoy our selection of commentaries this week.
Erin Low
Commentary, CNA Digital
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