

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05:03 Then-Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on the importance of changing national direction when assumptions are no longer valid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 (sumiko@sph.com.sg), 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: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Sumiko Tan's stories: https://str.sg/Jbhe
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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
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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
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