S’pore will have to change strategy if cases keep rising / Children less likely to be sick from Covid-19: Professor / WHO expert gives advice on the virus through comic strips

A Full-page interview with NUHS Group Director of Medicine Prof Dale Fisher, who chairs the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, highlighted his remarks that Singapore has been ahead of the curve for several weeks in the COVID-19 outbreak. However, its strategy will have to evolve if infections continue to rise.  He noted that Singapore does not let positive patients go back to the community, which is different from what some other countries are doing. 
 
Report also highlighted a Q&A with Prof Fisher on how children appear to be asymptomatic or less likely to be sick from COVID-19 than adults, which is why there is no real reason to close schools for now. 
 
Report also featured NUS Med’s The COVID-19 Chronicles, a comic series aimed at educating the public about the disease.  ST noted that the idea for the comics were initiated by Dean Prof Chong Yap Seng.  Report added that A/Prof Hsu Li Yang from SSHSPH had also partnered graphic artist Sonny Liew to produce educational comics on COVID-19. 

Isolation not that bad, infected S’porean says of hospital stay

​Mr Raymond Sim, Case 227 of Singapore’s Covid-19 patients, shared his personal experience having caught the coronavirus in France and being in the isolation ward at NUH. The 53-year-old pastor at Lighthouse Evangelism church said that nurses enter the room to measure his vital signs every five to six hours. Mr Sim hopes to encourage people who are afraid of reporting themselves to step forward and get tested if they suspect they have the virus.

4年过一次生日寿星婆在家待命 (Celebrating her birthday at home which comes once every 4 years)

​今天是国大医院高级流行病学家勒瓦蒂（ Revathi Sridhar，60岁）的生日。四年才过一次生日的她，今天却得在家待命，若有人确诊感染冠状病毒，她得立刻对病患14天内的所有活动进行分析。

肺炎由哪类微生物引起

​每个肺炎病例究竟具体是由哪类微生物所引起的，医生也只能靠所知的局部感染模式来判断如何综合使用抗生素或抗病毒药物来治疗病患。

Take heart, the time you eat matters too

All hands on deck at public hospitals

​A doctor tells of seeing her young daughters for only half an hour each day, while others share the challenges and fears they face in the fight against the coronavirus

When age is just a number

​Associate Professor Reshma Merchant (Head and Senior Consultant, Division of Geriatric Medicine) commented that beyond the physical, mental and social realms, active ageing is also about giving back to society and the community. She also commented about the benefits of active ageing, which includes staving off stroke, warding off frailty and dementia and keeping chronic conditions like diabetes under control.

Simple Stretching Exercise

​久坐不动、缺乏运动，肩颈容易僵硬、酸痛，国立大学医院高级物理治疗师钟佳讳接受《活得好》访问时，分享了一个简单的肩颈伸展操，帮助缓解肩颈的不适。

Exercising after a big feast

​农历新年期间，遇上武汉肺炎疫情，许多人避免到人多的地方，选择在家休息、享受大餐或打麻将。不过多吃会增加体重，久坐也对健康不好。该如何通过运动保持身体健康？本报请物理治疗师提供一些简单而实用的建议。

NParks moves to curb inappropriate conduct at hot spring

​The National Parks Board (NParks) has deployed additional staff and signs with guidelines at Sembawang Hot Spring Park to advise users on proper behaviour following recent reports of visitors misusing the facilities.

科技总监为母转当护士 (Technology director becomes nurse because of mother)

​高级注册护士郑顺平的母亲2007年患病，为陪母亲走完最后的日子，他辞去工作，报读中医课程以增进医学和护理知识，好照顾母亲。他入行后看到病患对生命的坚定和渴望，觉得自己从病人身上学到很多。

Facilities determine where heart attack victims are taken

​Director of NUHCS Prof Tan Huay Cheem shared that it is not always distance that determines which hospital should treat a patient in a critical condition, but the facilities which offer that patient the best chance of survival. Prof Tan noted that NUH is a high-volume, 24/7 heart attack centre supported by a multidisciplinary cardiology team able to treat the highest-risk patient. This is why NUH and NTFGH have been working with SCDF to have all patients in the western part of Singapore sent directly to NUH. Prof Tan assured that there is no need for concern over the extra distance travelled to NUH as care is not compromised but rather enhanced. 

低风险妊娠转为高风险分娩 (Low-risk pregnancy turns into high-risk birth)

​苏菲将为人母，中午12点左右，因为羊水从阴道流出而送抵产房。破水的那一刻，夫妻俩真的很惊讶，也很兴奋，期待着马上见到宝宝。在昏暗与充满丈夫鼾声的产房里，苏菲瞄了一下时钟，已经凌晨四点了。从入院到现在，16个钟头过去，她依然还在待产。

Lunch at 2pm, dinner at 5pm

​When Saiful Iman Saiful Nor Mirza returns home from school at around 1.30pm, he does not have lunch. Instead, the Primary 1 pupil has a snack such as cereal or a sandwich.

哭吧，让冰山融化 (Cry, let the iceberg melt)

​陈女士48岁，患有糖尿病12年，育有四名子女。 她是一名小贩中心的熟食档口员工， 长时间在厨房里炎热的环境工作。这些年来，她都定时复诊拿药，但血糖始终控制得不好。