Things seem to be looking up finally. At least in Singapore.
As the COVID-19 cases are contained, and the vaccination programme is in full flow, the restrictions are being eased, allowing more group activities to take place, still mindful of social distancing measures.
And almost every event is a ‘maskerade’.
The restaurants are filling up and the public spaces are becoming busy again. And it’s almost as if everyone’s forgotten that this time last year, we were all going into the Circuit Breaker.
Well, that’s Singapore today.
Other countries are not so fortunate.
The new variants of the virus have resulted in a spike in numbers and fresh lockdowns are being ordered.
The pandemic has infected almost 130 million people worldwide, and more than 2.8 million have succumbed to it, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
so, Are we on the road to recovery from COVID-19?
Join our WED WEB CHAT on Wednesday 7 April at 12:45 pm with panellists, economist Dr Thierry Apoteker, Chairman of TAC Economics, naturopath Dr Sundardas Annamalay, CEO of NTC Alliance Group of Companies, and travel specialists, the co-founder of A2A Safaris, Victor Dizon, and the Head of its Singapore operations, Monica Alsagoff.
“(With COVID-19) you’re dancing with a hammer,” comments Dr Apoteker, who is based in France.
“In 2021 we will see the asynchronous recovery from the pandemic loop into the confidence loop.
“When moving from the confidence loop to the adjustment loop in 2022, just be mindful that there’s no free lunch!” he warns.
He will explain his statement further, during the WED WEB CHAT on 7 April, at 12:45pm.
Dr Sundardas observes that among the biggest issues people have with this pandemic are anxiety and fear, which he feels “can create significant health issues beyond COVID-19”.
On a more optimistic note, Manila-based Victor, whose company A2A Safaris develops specialised tours, is pleased that the vaccination programme is rolling out globally, and is hopeful that the borders may open up soon.
“Time to wander where the Wi-Fi is weak, and into wide, open spaces. There has never been a better time to visit and to follow the herds without the crowd,” he reasons.
Hailing from Singapore, Monica reckons travel will look “a little different post-pandemic”.
“We see travel becoming even more specialised and travellers will find great value in having travel services to help sift through the multitude of information,” she adds.
And coming from a small island with nowhere to go for a real change of scenery, the desire to break free and roam will be hard to contain.
What are your thoughts on COVID-19? Are we on the road to recovery? Join the discussion with your questions and views on 7 Apr from 12:45-1:30pm.
Watch our previous wedwebchats: https://storm-asia.com/category/wed-web-chat/
Got a topic of interest? Know a good panellist with a thought-provoking perspective on a subject? Please email editor@storm-asia.com with your details and a short summary about the person or topic.
