It's the second time in the year that I am subjected to Stay Home Notice quarantine, in a dedicated facility, which in this case is not the home but rather the fairly new JWMarriott South Beach hotel.
Unlike the first time in April, which followed a trip to Malaysia, this one was after a bit of travel to Malaysia, UK, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. So the context of having to quarantine is somewhat coloured by the knowledge of how other countries are managing.
With the exception of Malaysia (who is frankly playing catch up), other countries notably UK, Germany and UAE have led the way moving their society from pandemic to endemic mode. Once their vaccination rates approach 70%, they had the fortitude to open up their economies and borders, knowing the virus will not be eliminated, that infections will rise (esp with the highly transmissible Delta variant), and more people will get sick but not so much to overwhelm their health systems capacity. In other words, it can be managed more like the common flu.
You can see from pictures in the previous post the extent of gathering allowed. It means restaurants and tourist sites can function. In the UK, they even allow cinemas and theatres to open and I went to both to enjoy the game changing No Time To Die and a third viewing of Hamilton!!! Masks are even optional in these crowded spaces.
Yet 11 swab tests later, I am still fine - testing negative all the way.
But upon arriving in Singapore, the scene was one from the movies. Workers dressed in PPE suits directing passengers in single file to their respective areas in an empty airport, once one of the world's busiest. The question that niggle on my mind is why? These are smart people who can understand the epidemiological data that vaccinations only partially prevents infection but is highly effective against serious illness and deaths, so why the panic when infection cases go up?
Often government decisions are tempered by politics. Is this the case here?
Such are the musings of someone stuck in quarantine for the 5th day. I am at the halfway mark of this 10-day period and like the last time, I fill my day with lots of meetings. It helped that there is an Global Operating Committee meeting (on Munich time) these few days that runs till midnight which is perfect since I am still jet lagged and my body clock is still in Europe. My assistant has done a good job of setting up 10 calls per day spread over a 10-12 hour period.
After the calls, I would settle into Netflix and Youtube (talk shows, watch channels, news programmes) and fall asleep around 5am (or 11pm Munich time). And I would wake up by noon the next day. I will need to start adjusting my hours over the coming days.
In between my meetings, I would get some work done and clear emails. And of course, I chat and eat (a functional packed meal in plastic boxes) and drink (at night) as well. Got myself a bottle of Hendrick's and a bottle of Chianti upon check in and both are sustaining me well so far... and may also be prolonging my cough. So thankfully, the days and nights do pass quickly. I wonder about those who don't have the ability to work remotely like me. What do they do the while away the hours?
In my case, I paid for a larger room... a suite, to be precise, with a separate living and sleeping area with a large bathroom in between. It's not the size of the room per se but the fact that there are different sections so one feels less "trapped" in the same four walls. I would say I spend equal time in each section through the day.
Cleanliness, they say is next to Godliness and I even joined the neighbourhood rosary session.
Outside, the world ticks on.... (and one of them - an ICA officer - just called me today to make sure I am in my room. Well I am. I mean, where can I possibly go?)
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