Covid-19 outbreak memories from Singapore as Polish girl

These memories were written over the span of several months from Dec 2019 till May 2020 in Singapore

In the beginning, it was just a piece of news, information that some virus had started spreading in Wuhan, China. It was something completely new for me as a 28-year-old. My generation experienced the SARS and Ebola epidemics, but those outbreaks happened more on my TV screen than in my reality or the lives of people I know. My generation certainly wasn’t mentally prepared for the epidemic to scale up like this. We lived in a bubble, somewhat detached from reality, in a kind of Instagram-like world. I remember the moment when this information started appearing in the news. None of my friends or people I knew imagined that what was happening in Asia would also touch their immediate surroundings, that what was on the screen would stay there. Even my friends didn’t ask me about the situation in Singapore. I’ve been in Singapore since December 2019, so I had the opportunity to experience the coronavirus situation from the very beginning. I would also like to add that I usually live and work in Los Angeles. I was born in Warsaw.

People seem to not able to cross borders

During the Chinese New Year, I found myself in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a friend, and that was when the number of infections began to increase in the Wuhan area. I remember hearing a conversation between a couple from China who said they couldn’t return to their country because of the virus. After returning to Singapore, you could feel that more people from China were crowding the hotel, unable to go back home. I remember a friend jokingly saying that you could tell how many Chinese people were around by how quickly the congee (rice porridge) disappeared from breakfast.

Innocent temperature control

The situation began to take on a different face when they started measuring our temperature before entering the office building. This was long before the virus began spreading worldwide on a massive scale. Never in my life had I had my temperature taken as many times as during this epidemic. I was also never so aware of how significant it could be that this temperature might be higher than it should be. Even if you had the flu as a child, no one was as sensitive to the fact that you could infect someone else. Certainly not in such a way that the entire society would be concerned about it. It was as if the whole city had turned into a hospital ward. It felt like I had woken up in a bad dream, that my reality was starting to lose its footing, that this wasn’t the same life I had until now.

Singapore have seen it all

We were informed by the locals here and by the people I work with that the SARS epidemic left its mark here in Asia. The fact that SARS left its imprint here in Singapore is certainly not insignificant in how this situation is being managed here at the moment. The people who lived through SARS here know how the country dealt with it back then, which is why they approach every decision the government makes with great trust, aiming to minimize the number of infections. This information greatly reassured us and gave us confidence that we were in good hands.

Not so everyday notmal life

One morning, I woke up to news that the virus had started spreading on a massive scale. I remember the moment when I looked out the window to check if people were walking on the streets or if life was going on as before. A chill went down my spine. Seeing the buses moving calmed me down. But nothing could be more misleading. I recall one night going out to a party at a local club in Singapore. You definitely thought more about whether it was wise to go to a party where lots of people were in a small space. But on the other hand, you also want to live in some way and not be limited. Around 11 p.m., a medical team entered the club, dressed as if they had just arrived from a pandemic ward in Wuhan. I remember my heart jumping to my throat. The worst thoughts immediately started appearing in my head — coronavirus. I started asking people in the club with a trembling voice why these medics were here and why they were dressed so “seriously” (they were in gowns, goggles, and masks from head to toe). I found out that a dancing girl had collapsed and that this outfit was normal attire for medics in Singapore. It was hard for me to believe because I had never encountered such specific clothing. After they left, the party continued, and I tried to push those thoughts away, to enjoy every moment, and looking back on it now, I was right to take advantage of those few outings while it was still possible. I’d like to add that this was also my last time going to a club.

Potential threat everywhere

At the beginning of March 2020, I had the pleasure of being in Kuala Lumpur again. I have to admit that traveling by plane and being at the airport was no longer the same experience as before the epidemic. Now, you look at every surface as a potential threat. Being on the plane was also unpleasant, with all those looks from people, who were staring at each other as if everyone was a virus carrier, but it was also a look of human helplessness because you can’t predict when you might be near someone carrying the virus. The next trip I took was by ferry to Bintan Island in Indonesia. There was a lot of tension in the air. The looks from people and a forced calm, when in reality, hardly anyone was calm inside, and I think we were all aware of that. Temperature measurements right after arriving on the island and before entering the hotel. Such a simple act also causes anxiety, that there is a chance I might have a higher temperature. We are only human; maybe I won’t feel this temperature, but it will still be higher. What will happen to me then? Where will I have to go? There is also a lot of social responsibility and a kind of fear of infecting others. Traveling has certainly taken on a new dimension. I started wondering if we would be able to return to the normal traveling of a few months ago. Or maybe there is no return from the reality we are in now?

Borders start closing

I have a friend in India, and we planned to meet in Goa. Everything was planned, the places we would visit, the plane tickets bought. My parents did not approve of my decision to fly when the virus was wreaking havoc. But I felt that it wasn’t often that you get the chance to be in this part of the world, so I decided to plan the trip. The night before the flight, my friend started getting nervous. The whole situation of us meeting after two years was quite surreal, and then this virus posed a certain threat. All this nervousness made sense when, a few minutes after midnight, I got a text message that India was going to cancel tourist visas a few hours after my flight, which among other things meant that tourists wouldn’t be able to enter India. What bad luck! The whole next day, I hesitated about whether it was worth taking the risk and flying because, after all, this ban would come into effect only a few hours after my flight. But what if I had to quarantine as soon as I arrived in Goa? What if Singapore closed its borders and I couldn’t return to Singapore at all? After all, all my things are there. I’d like to remind you that this was the same day Trump banned flights from Europe to the USA. So what does this mean for the rest of the world? Every country in the world will probably follow the USA’s lead and stop air travel. The risk that Singapore would also take drastic measures was very high.

If that wasn’t enough, it was also the time when I was supposed to fly to the USA and Europe (including Poland to visit my family) a week later. The scale and consequences that these decisions could bring were overwhelming. I remember going through many consultations with people, asking for their opinions because it was hard for me to assess on my own how big the risk such travels would carry. I remember asking my family if they were afraid if I came home. Because the risk that I could bring the virus with me did exist. At that time, there was also talk in the news about asymptomatic cases, those who didn’t have symptoms. Even then, I was convinced I wanted to fly. I hadn’t been in Europe for a long time, and the desire to see my loved ones was enormous. A few days after that conversation with my family, the situation changed significantly. It was right after Trump blocked flights from Europe. I remember that Singapore then also started restricting arrivals from countries with a large number of cases. That’s when Poland also began to limit flights. My family started strongly advising against traveling at that time. The outbreak in Europe was much larger than in the USA, so I seriously started thinking about only flying to the USA. Europe was a place where it was better not to be because large-scale infections were just starting to gain strength. I recall calling my family, and my mom advising me on how well-prepared I should be for traveling and being at airports. I couldn’t imagine how I could be in goggles, a mask, and a plastic suit for 18 hours or even more. “I’d get boiled in that outfit,” I exclaimed in frustration. Just thinking about such a form of travel made me lose enthusiasm, which I had felt just a few weeks before while planning my vacation. A few days passed, and the situation in Los Angeles worsened significantly. Now everyone was advising against traveling even to the USA. Singapore seemed like a haven of safety and refuge, where the situation was very controlled, and we could live a relatively normal life compared to Europe or the USA. Such practical and logical thinking began to overshadow my thoughts of traveling, and unfortunately, the scale began to tip towards not flying to the USA. “What if they close the borders in Singapore?” After all, I’m working on a project here in Singapore, so remote work in another time zone didn’t seem like a good solution, especially since it was unclear when the situation would change. Most people who had plans to fly to the USA stayed in Singapore, saying that they felt very safe here.

There was one day when I was lying on the bed in the hotel, crying, thinking about what if I wouldn’t be able to fly to Europe or the USA for a long time? “I’m not mentally prepared to live in Singapore,” I thought to myself. Dark thoughts hovered over me. I started asking people around me if it was even possible that Poland would close its borders. I checked if there were flights from Singapore to Warsaw, and it turned out there were. That thought calmed me down. It was at that moment that I decided to stay in Singapore and not fly anywhere.

Work from home begins

A few days later, we found out that we would be working remotely and that Singapore was closing its borders. I thought to myself that if I had flown, I would have been working remotely anyway. At least I’m in a safe place — this thought has stayed with me to this day. Singapore is a very well-organized place. Every day, we receive a message on WhatsApp with the current number of infections, the number of people who have recovered, and the number of deaths. Since the number of deaths is so small, each case is described, giving us insight into the causes of death. This transparency in information gives us peace of mind that if something happens to us, we will be in good hands. These WhatsApp messages also include guidelines on how to maintain safety measures and inform us about new rules/laws, what they entail, and what the consequences will be if we don’t comply. This form of informing the public is an excellent way to ensure everyone knows what is happening, how to behave, and what to expect if they leave their home. These rules change every day, so it’s important not to be caught off guard.

New reality

Now we lead virtual lives, both privately and professionally, just like the rest of the world. My colleague in India, in Malaysia, people from work in LA, or my family in Poland — we are all in the same situation, which unites us. It’s as if barriers have disappeared, and we are living in a virtual village. Unfortunately, the very thing that spreads the virus — our global mobility — also connects us at the end of the day, and for that, we can be grateful. Let’s hope that the only thing that remains from this epidemic is our strength in coming together, while the rest fades into oblivion (with lessons for all of us on how to prevent such situations in the future, of course).