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Apr. 3rd, 2003
Journal of the Plague Year
Apr. 3rd, 2003 09:35 pmOkay, you all probably know that Singapore is one of the "hot spots" of this new super-virus that has been causing widespread panic throughout the world this last month or so. We're apparently the country with the third highest number of infections - 95 infected as of this Tuesday, 52 of which have recovered, and with 13 in serious condition. Another 977 have been quarantined at home. The death toll so far is 4.
No, I haven't been infected, thanks for asking. I can't decide, however, to be aggravated or amused by the amount of quiet panic that's been going around. Singaporeans are much too well-behaved to run riot, and I don't see people on the street wearing masks, but it creeps up on you in more subtle ways. Rumors, for example - we had a rumor ripple through the Courts on Tuesday claiming that someone in court had exhibited SARS symptoms and a cop was also sent to prison - and quelle horreur, the cop had been in touch with other cops. Turns out that no such thing happened and a stern e-mail went around from the higher-ups cautioning against spreading rumors.
Still, we've had a few more e-mails reassuring us and updating us on the situation and precautions being taken... we're a high traffic facility, after all. It's been getting so that my office mailbox has been pinging for attention every half hour or so, and when I'm in the middle of trying to vet Notes of Evidence it's pretty annoying, especially when one update comes in from Personnel, and then the same one comes in from management, and then the same frickin' e-mail comes in from another department attempting to show concern, and then from another drone asking us for feedback. I mean, enough already. If I'm not sick from SARS, I'm sick from the goddamn e-mails. Just leave me alone in my office and let me do my goddamn job quietly. Today, they purged the air-conditioning system. Lovely. Now shut up. Maybe I should exhibit symptoms so they'll quarantine me and then I can get some work done.
There are other signs people are starting to show the strain - the junior and high schools have been closed until April 6, but now parents are asking for the closure to be extended. One of the polytechnics has shut down because one student had SARS-like symptoms. However, I am glad that the usual practicality of the Singapore parent and the triumph of competitiveness over concern still exists: while asking for the closure of schools to be extended, most have said that if the schools open, they'll send their kids to school because they don't want them to fall behind in their lessons.
A more subtle sign of hysteria can be seen in the lack of people frequenting shopping centres. When I had dinner with Logam on Saturday at the Serene Centre McDonald's, it was practically deserted - usually it's teeming with teeny boppers. That aside, it's getting a bit much when taxi drivers drive around with the windows down to "air" their vehicles, and refuse to pick up passengers from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (where the SARS patients are being treated) or the Communicable Diseases Centre, or even taken people to those places, or just flat out refuse to pick up people in nurses' uniforms.
I mean, yes, we may be infected - yes, infections are rising, but the number of cases that are serious just aren't there. The fatality rate is four percent, I'm told, and the statistic is pretty on the money, considering that out of 95 cases of infection only 4 have died. There's no panic, yet, but these small signs are starting to concern me a bit. I don't like signs of paranoia in other people, as much as I encourage it in myself, and my own fear is that this will cause me delay when I try to fly over to the US end-July. Yes, in the end, it's still all about me.
No, I haven't been infected, thanks for asking. I can't decide, however, to be aggravated or amused by the amount of quiet panic that's been going around. Singaporeans are much too well-behaved to run riot, and I don't see people on the street wearing masks, but it creeps up on you in more subtle ways. Rumors, for example - we had a rumor ripple through the Courts on Tuesday claiming that someone in court had exhibited SARS symptoms and a cop was also sent to prison - and quelle horreur, the cop had been in touch with other cops. Turns out that no such thing happened and a stern e-mail went around from the higher-ups cautioning against spreading rumors.
Still, we've had a few more e-mails reassuring us and updating us on the situation and precautions being taken... we're a high traffic facility, after all. It's been getting so that my office mailbox has been pinging for attention every half hour or so, and when I'm in the middle of trying to vet Notes of Evidence it's pretty annoying, especially when one update comes in from Personnel, and then the same one comes in from management, and then the same frickin' e-mail comes in from another department attempting to show concern, and then from another drone asking us for feedback. I mean, enough already. If I'm not sick from SARS, I'm sick from the goddamn e-mails. Just leave me alone in my office and let me do my goddamn job quietly. Today, they purged the air-conditioning system. Lovely. Now shut up. Maybe I should exhibit symptoms so they'll quarantine me and then I can get some work done.
There are other signs people are starting to show the strain - the junior and high schools have been closed until April 6, but now parents are asking for the closure to be extended. One of the polytechnics has shut down because one student had SARS-like symptoms. However, I am glad that the usual practicality of the Singapore parent and the triumph of competitiveness over concern still exists: while asking for the closure of schools to be extended, most have said that if the schools open, they'll send their kids to school because they don't want them to fall behind in their lessons.
A more subtle sign of hysteria can be seen in the lack of people frequenting shopping centres. When I had dinner with Logam on Saturday at the Serene Centre McDonald's, it was practically deserted - usually it's teeming with teeny boppers. That aside, it's getting a bit much when taxi drivers drive around with the windows down to "air" their vehicles, and refuse to pick up passengers from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (where the SARS patients are being treated) or the Communicable Diseases Centre, or even taken people to those places, or just flat out refuse to pick up people in nurses' uniforms.
I mean, yes, we may be infected - yes, infections are rising, but the number of cases that are serious just aren't there. The fatality rate is four percent, I'm told, and the statistic is pretty on the money, considering that out of 95 cases of infection only 4 have died. There's no panic, yet, but these small signs are starting to concern me a bit. I don't like signs of paranoia in other people, as much as I encourage it in myself, and my own fear is that this will cause me delay when I try to fly over to the US end-July. Yes, in the end, it's still all about me.