Circuit Breaker
Last Friday, our Prime Minister made his 3rd speech regarding the Covid-19 situation and his taskforce further expanded on the measures to be taken starting from the 07 April to 05 May. In short, the situation has worsened and they are acting based on the current situation by introducing gradual measures. Because we Singaporeans are the panicky kind, like how funny they started to form snaking queues at the supermarkets even before our PM made his official speech..lol, they have to be careful yet inventive in the words used. For the first time, I learnt the phrase 'circuit breaker' instead of the usual word 'lockdown' as used in some other countries. And instead of saying closing down schools, they said the schools would go into full home based learning. It's also like how you are allowed to go out but then you need to be back home by certain time. So many analogies I can think of, haha.
Anyway, they really mean business this time. They tried to thread the water but now we're swimming in the deep end and the only way we can get out safe and sound, we have to abide by their stricter measures. For instance, only businesses that are essential are allowed to open. And no, buying lottery is NOT an essential. I'm not saying this for the sake of saying, but someone asked. Restaurants and supermarkets will continue to open and only difference is this time, we are only allowed takeaways for all the restaurants. Ima need to explore online food deliveries because I am one of those backward people who only mostly order from McDonald's online and occasionally Pizza Hut while for the rest, I do takeaways. No surprise since I am also one of the last few who finally had to let go of the cable services to upgrade to fibre since the former would no longer be in service. So it will finally take the pandemic for me to order from those food delivery apps, haha.
But the Pandemic has also led to the increased reliance on technology such as video conferencing, live video tutorials, fitness classes etc..that have been around for so long but most people don't really make use of them. For me, I haven't jump onto the bandwagon yet. However, this week I had started on home workouts which I was pretty much into last time until I joined the outdoor group classes. Now coz of the 'no large gathering' rule, no classes would be held so I have been looking around youtube to find suitable fitness videos. So far, I had done two and boy did I sweat and ache after that. Space was an issue because I had to workout in my room but whatever it takes to get the heart rate up and the body sweating. I know of people who would workout in their living room and using their TV to show the live class so they can still carry on their fitness classes in a virtual setting with their usual instructors.
Since tuition and enrichment centres had to be closed as well for one month, to continue providing services for these students, they also turned to technology like having live virtual classes or be creative in giving online worksheets and tutorials. Now technology isn't something that can be quickly mastered and given the short duration of time adjustment since the various announcements of measures in place, you can't expect things to be smooth sailing. It's a time to be a little bit more patient and tolerant, rather than throwing accusations left and right that these service providers were shortchanging them. You can't also expect the online classes to perfectly match up with the actual classes. Of course there would be differences and the experience would be different as well. There are kinks to work on so people have to be more understanding and also realistic.
I know some people, in a spiritual sense, believed that the Pandemic was a result of God being angry with mankind for all the bad things that we have done so we're now suffering the consequence. Whichever religion we are in, and whether we believe in God or not, it doesn't hurt to quietly pray everyday for things to be back to normal. Thousands of people are affected, in small and big ways, and the Covid-19 taught us that we can be rich and flourishing in business and entertainment, with some flouting their riches or luxurious lifestyles online, it spared no one. It sorta schooled them that we are all vulnerable and with businesses shutting down forcefully to contain the virus, at this moment we don't know which business will survive the Pandemic. In Singapore, the advantage of being a small country, the situation can be controlled, provided we abide by the measures such staying at home whenever we can and only go out when buying essentials such as food and groceries.
It's not going to be easy and I really don't know how I can cope working at home with my mum at my neck at times, lol.. and my easily unproductive behaviour, but perhaps it's also a good time for me to discover things that I have long abandoned or barely touched such as reading and watching Netflix. I can go for weeks without Netflix and yet I still pay for it monthly. So now Netflix is perhaps smart knowing that most of us have to stay home and they have been coming out with so many new programmes and unless we want to die from boredom, a little entertainment helps for our own sanity.
I am extremely nervous about the 'circuit breaker' taking place from Tuesday onwards but we gotta do this if we want the Pandemic to slow down real soon. Let us go back to our normal daily routines asap please...sighs.
Anyway, they really mean business this time. They tried to thread the water but now we're swimming in the deep end and the only way we can get out safe and sound, we have to abide by their stricter measures. For instance, only businesses that are essential are allowed to open. And no, buying lottery is NOT an essential. I'm not saying this for the sake of saying, but someone asked. Restaurants and supermarkets will continue to open and only difference is this time, we are only allowed takeaways for all the restaurants. Ima need to explore online food deliveries because I am one of those backward people who only mostly order from McDonald's online and occasionally Pizza Hut while for the rest, I do takeaways. No surprise since I am also one of the last few who finally had to let go of the cable services to upgrade to fibre since the former would no longer be in service. So it will finally take the pandemic for me to order from those food delivery apps, haha.
But the Pandemic has also led to the increased reliance on technology such as video conferencing, live video tutorials, fitness classes etc..that have been around for so long but most people don't really make use of them. For me, I haven't jump onto the bandwagon yet. However, this week I had started on home workouts which I was pretty much into last time until I joined the outdoor group classes. Now coz of the 'no large gathering' rule, no classes would be held so I have been looking around youtube to find suitable fitness videos. So far, I had done two and boy did I sweat and ache after that. Space was an issue because I had to workout in my room but whatever it takes to get the heart rate up and the body sweating. I know of people who would workout in their living room and using their TV to show the live class so they can still carry on their fitness classes in a virtual setting with their usual instructors.
Since tuition and enrichment centres had to be closed as well for one month, to continue providing services for these students, they also turned to technology like having live virtual classes or be creative in giving online worksheets and tutorials. Now technology isn't something that can be quickly mastered and given the short duration of time adjustment since the various announcements of measures in place, you can't expect things to be smooth sailing. It's a time to be a little bit more patient and tolerant, rather than throwing accusations left and right that these service providers were shortchanging them. You can't also expect the online classes to perfectly match up with the actual classes. Of course there would be differences and the experience would be different as well. There are kinks to work on so people have to be more understanding and also realistic.
I know some people, in a spiritual sense, believed that the Pandemic was a result of God being angry with mankind for all the bad things that we have done so we're now suffering the consequence. Whichever religion we are in, and whether we believe in God or not, it doesn't hurt to quietly pray everyday for things to be back to normal. Thousands of people are affected, in small and big ways, and the Covid-19 taught us that we can be rich and flourishing in business and entertainment, with some flouting their riches or luxurious lifestyles online, it spared no one. It sorta schooled them that we are all vulnerable and with businesses shutting down forcefully to contain the virus, at this moment we don't know which business will survive the Pandemic. In Singapore, the advantage of being a small country, the situation can be controlled, provided we abide by the measures such staying at home whenever we can and only go out when buying essentials such as food and groceries.
It's not going to be easy and I really don't know how I can cope working at home with my mum at my neck at times, lol.. and my easily unproductive behaviour, but perhaps it's also a good time for me to discover things that I have long abandoned or barely touched such as reading and watching Netflix. I can go for weeks without Netflix and yet I still pay for it monthly. So now Netflix is perhaps smart knowing that most of us have to stay home and they have been coming out with so many new programmes and unless we want to die from boredom, a little entertainment helps for our own sanity.
I am extremely nervous about the 'circuit breaker' taking place from Tuesday onwards but we gotta do this if we want the Pandemic to slow down real soon. Let us go back to our normal daily routines asap please...sighs.
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