The Straits Times-Dec 14, 2023

Doctors are calling on people to get vaccinated and mask up to reduce the usual year-end increase in acute respiratory infections, which include Covid-19, influenza and the common cold. It’s also important to practice what became habitual during the years of the coronavirus pandemic, namely, good hygiene, including handwashing and not touching the face with the hands. These simple measures help to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, of which Covid-19 is the most troubling of course, given the deaths and social dislocation that it caused in Singapore and around the world. Covid-19 has become an endemic disease that is best dealt with through personal precautions, social thoughtfulness and the preparedness of the healthcare system for any sudden spike in cases. Read more at: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/don-t-overreact-to-rising-covid-19-infections First published in The Straits Times