S1E4: Singapore's mask U-turn and other Covid-19 lessons

Synopsis: This podcast series is based on selected chapters from a book, detailing Singapore’s experience battling the Covid-19 pandemic. The book - written by journalists of The Straits Times and edited by ST’s executive editor Sumiko Tan - is titled In This Together: Singapore's Covid-19 Story and is available in major bookstores now. Details online: https://www.stbooks.sg/ In this fourth of six instalments, ST's executive editor Sumiko Tan looks back at the lessons Singapore learnt from fighting the pandemic. Two, in particular, stood out: The need to quickly adapt its policies as more was known about the coronavirus in the first half of 2020, and how being prepared helped its fight. Highlights (click/tap above): (Headphones recommended) 02:18 Two biggest lessons that Singapore's government learnt from the pandemic 04:25 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reflects on the U-turn on wearing masks 05:03 Then-Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on the importance of changing national direction when assumptions are no longer valid 06:20 Minister Lawrence Wong says the multi-ministry task force was guided by science but had to be flexible 09:00 The big bet on buying vaccines early during the coronavirus outbreak 14:53 Lessons on how to tweak future lockdowns 15:25 Using Covid-19 as a rehearsal for the Big One that is yet to come, the dreaded Disease X Produced by: Sumiko Tan ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Hadyu Rahim Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Follow Singapore's War On Covid podcast series here: Channel: https://str.sg/wuJa Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3n Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJy SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected]  Read Sumiko Tan's stories: https://str.sg/Jbhe  --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #stcovidbookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.