PM Lee to provide Covid-19 updates in nationwide address

Singapore — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is set to address the nation on Monday (Dec 14) to provide updates on the Covid-19 situation as the year winds up.

Mr Lee, who has delivered several national addresses on how Singapore will tackle the  pandemic over the past year, said in a Facebook post published on Sunday (Dec 13): “It’s been some time since my last address on Covid-19. I will be doing it again tomorrow, to update everyone on the current situation and the outlook for next year.”

He quipped: “But please stay calm – no need to stock up on anything!”

Mr Lee’s address will livestreamed on his Facebook page at 5 pm. It will also be telecast live on Mediacorp television and radio channels.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chair the Government’s multi-ministry task force on Covid-19, will hold a press conference immediately after Mr Lee’s address.

It is not known if Mr Lee or the task force co-chairmen will announce a date for a move into Phase 3 of the country’s reopening.

The Covid-19 pandemic came to Singapore’s shores during the Chinese New Year period in January. Early cases were primarily imported until local transmission began to develop in February and March. The Government’s response to the virus was initially held up as the gold standard by the international community until the number of cases spiralled out of control when the virus spread like wildfire in the crowded migrant worker dormitories.

The Government imposed a Circuit Breaker from April 7 to May 4 and announced a three-phased approach to resume activities safely with the gradual re-opening of economic activities in each phase. Phase 1 lasted for 17 days from June 2 to 18.

A mere five days after Singapore entered Phase 2, Mr Lee called an election. The People’s Action Party asked for a stronger mandate to fight the pandemic but received one of its poorest results when Singapore went to the polls on July 10.

Singapore is currently in Phase 2 and has the lowest case fatality rate in the world at 0.05 per cent, which is significantly lower than the World Health Organisation’s global case fatality rate of 4.34 per cent. /TISG

PM Lee confident that Singapore can emerge stronger from the impact of COVID-19