When Indonesia got the explosion of COVID-19 cases, Singapore prepared a road map to live together with coronavirus. Like three ministers of Singapore stated, they will consider COVID-19 as a common cold. If so, it will grease the wheels of the economy.

"It's been 18 months since the pandemic has spread out and our people are tired of fighting. Everyone is asking, ‘When and how will the pandemic end?’" Three Singapore ministers said in a press conference last week.

They added that the bad news was that COVID-19 might never go away, while the good news was we have a chance to live everyday life with coronaviruses in our midst. 

They assumed that the possibility of getting worse due to flu is low to rerun their daily routines. Like common flu, mouth, and nails disease, or chickenpox, we can still live normally with it. 

These are how Singaporean arrange road maps to live with COVID-19. 

Vaccination as a first guard

Vaccination seems to be an effective way to reduce infection rates. Most people vaccinated in two completed doses show mild or even haven't symptoms, even if they got COVID-19. In the next month, two-thirds of the population of Singapore will receive all the shots. Currently, they use the Pfizer vaccine and Sinovac that is being traded in the market. The ministers said people would be able to travel again, at least to countries that have also controlled the virus, with testing and vaccinations removing the need for quarantines.

"It will be our history that two-thirds of our populations are fully vaccinated with two doses. We are working so hard to speed up in importing vaccination,” said three ministers. 

COVID-19 test kits are accessible

Singapore will simplify the availability of COVID-19 test kits by making free sales at pharmacies. In this way, people can monitor their condition independently. For those with mild or no symptoms, they will suggest self-quarantine in a home. In the meantime, authorities will focus on the outcomes, such as how many fall very sick, so there will be less concern about the stressed healthcare system.

Testing will be less of a tool for ring-fencing and quarantining people but will be used more to ensure that events, social activities, and overseas trips can occur safely. The ministers said people would be able to travel again, at least to countries that have also controlled the virus, with testing and vaccinations removing the need for quarantines.

They can progressively ease their safe management rules and resume large gatherings at significant events, like the National Day Parade or New Year Countdown. As a result, businesses will have certainty that their operations will not be disrupted. They also explained that ultimately whether people will live with Covid-19 depends on Singaporeans' acceptance that the disease will eventually become endemic.

They believe that the community will be a lot safer if all carry the load together, with workers keeping their colleagues safe by staying at home when sick and bosses not blaming them. Lastly, the Singapore ministers said, "Science and human ingenuity will eventually prevail over Covid-19. Cohesion and social consciousness will get us there faster. We must all do our part".