Covid-19’s Global Divide: As West Reels, Asia Keeps Virus at Bay

​Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, commented that the public health advice given in Asian countries has been consistent, and how countries implemented and enforced the advice is different. He mentioned that Asians were better at taking advice and putting in place the necessary rules, and that independent actions will have consequences on the health of others, which is very well appreciated in most Asian societies.

Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble: tourists could spend US$600 on four Covid-19 tests

Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, commented on how travellers could be faced with multiple tests which bring a degree of fatigue, and that not every traveller would be willing to pay the fees especially those with bigger families. With increasing number of travellers, there would be economies of scale that could reduce PCR testing costs but going forward, people will need something even cheaper, faster and better.
 
A/Prof Hsu Li Yang, Programme Leader of Infectious Diseases at SSHSPH, shared that there are potential alternatives to PCR tests if the incidence of Covid-19 is extremely low, and the authorities would have to factor in the lower sensitivity of antigen test kits and weigh that against a more rapid result at a cheaper cost.

Stress less, eat right

More people in Singapore are overeating or binge eating to cope with increased stress during the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
Dr Cheah Ming Hann, Family Physician (Jurong Polyclinic), noted that some patients are having a more difficult time controlling their diet as they lead a sedentary lifestyle during this period.
 
Ms Toh Hui Moon, Senior Clinical Psychologist (National University Polyclinics), explained that an individual’s survival mechanism known as the fight-or-flight response is triggered under stressful situations, and if prolonged, results in an increase in cortisol which increases our appetite.
 
Ms Lynette Goh, Principal Dietitian (National University Polyclinics) advised individuals to practice mindful eating by being aware of the types of food consumed as well as how the food is prepared.

When one door closes, another opens

Ms Priscilla Teo, NUHS Group Chief Human Resource Officer, shared that a wide array of jobs is available in the healthcare sector including patient support care, medical informatics specialists, administrative and ancillary roles for fresh graduates and mid-career entrants with or without healthcare experience.

NUS team taps AI to evaluate drugs here for treating Covid-19

A group of researchers from the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) at NUSMed, led by Professor Dean Ho, Director of WisDM, will tap their artificial intelligence (AI) platform to evaluate 12 locally available drugs to derive a combination that can be used to treat COVID-19. The interactive platform, known as IDentif.AI, leverages AI to calculate the most effective combination of drugs – along with their respective doses – from more than 530,000 possibilities.
 
The researchers have also been able to leverage their AI technology to offer personalised treatments for cancer patients. Using another platform known as CURATE.AI, drug doses given to patients can be modulated to produce optimal results throughout the duration of their care.

Genetic scissors from bacteria, a tool to slice and dice code of life

​Article contribution by A/Prof Swaine Chen of the Infectious Diseases Programme at NUSMed, in which he discussed the significance of the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) system, the recent Nobel Prize-winning technology. He noted that one key feature of CRISPR is that it is programmable and general, yet what sets it apart was that it is also a relatively small, independent functioning protein machine.

‘Humbling experience’ for NUS undergrad who rallied 94 students to work at frontlines, now awarded for efforts

​Mr Ainsley Ryan Lee, Year 3 medical student at NUSMed, was one of the five winners of the Leader of Good award presented by President Halimah Yacob at the President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2020. He spearheaded several initiatives that allowed fellow students to help in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore. He also coordinated volunteers and raised money for three hospitals in China, among other projects.

• Lianhe Zaobao, 17 October 2020, Page 8

S’pore, HK in pact on leisure travel

When asked about the risk of not having a 14-day stay-home notice for travellers who have spent 14 days in either Singapore or Hong Kong, Prof Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant, NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, said countries with good contact tracing systems would have placed contacts in quarantine, and social distancing and mask-wearing would further reduce the risk of transmission. So even if a case entered, the risk of virus transmission is small and the benefits make it worthwhile.

与香港推出航空泡泡 专家：两地防控措施相近 (Launch of air travel bubble with Hong Kong. Expert: Similar prevention and control measures in both places)

​Prof Dale Fisher, Department of Medicine, NUSMed, commented that, if Singaporeans are able to behave the same way in Hong Kong as they did in Singapore, travelling will be made possible.

肝肿瘤可否烧掉 (Can liver tumour be burned?)

​年长病人常说，人老了，即使患有肿瘤也很怕动手术，长者宁愿承受痛苦也不要动手术。最近遇见了患有慢性肾病的80余岁的老翁，虽然还没有严重到需要洗肾，但所有事情还是须慎重。

S’pore, Indonesia establish reciprocal green lane

​Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, said that despite Indonesia’s high COVID-19 case count, the Singapore Government decided to establish the green lane because of the economic ties with its close neighbour. He added that Singapore is clearly aware of the risk of cross-border infections, but pre-departure and post-arrival tests will help to significantly reduce the possibilities of infectious patients slipping into the community here.

揪出原因防治足底筋膜炎 (Uncover the cause and prevent plantar fasciitis)

​睡了一觉早上起床，或在巴士上久坐后，起身踏出的前几步，感到脚后跟底部疼痛。这或是足底筋膜炎的症状之一。许多患者可能为此感到困扰。本期《活得好》，骨科医生教做伸展足底筋膜和小腿肌肉的运动，可帮助改善病情。医生也解析这病的防治方法。

Rawatan Cara elak pedih hulu hati yang serius implan tambahan bagi penyakit usus Gerd

​Pesakit mengalami penyakit usus gastrooesophageal reflux (Gerd), kini boleh mendapatkan rawatan implan tambahan yang baru di Hospital Universiti Nasional (NUH). Gerd adalah keadaan apabila kandungan dalam perut naik semula ke tekak (esofagus) lalu menyebabkan rasa tidak selesa, kepedihan ulu hati, regurgitasi atau rasa masam di hujung tekak.

Phase three expected to be calibrated, cautious, say experts

​Comments by A/Prof Alex Cook, Vice-Dean of Research at SSHSPH, Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH and Prof Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant, NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, on the need to take a calibrated approach to easing curbs for phase three. A/Prof Cook stressed that health consideration are threefold (transmission risk, risk to vulnerable and the impact on physical and mental health) and are very hard to measure. Prof Dale Fisher lauded the cautious approach, sharing that steady forward progress is better for the community. Prof Teo commented that the necessity of accepting the risk of community transmissions in order to allow more economic activity to resume is a gamble governments must take.

本地夜店转型求存 ZOUK 白天当运动室 晚上拟变电影院 (Local nightclub Zouk converts to workout studio in the day and cinema at night)

​Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean of SSHSPH, commented that the current safety measures enable the authorities to control and lower the risk of community transmissions. He added that with the pandemic still ongoing, the priority is to balance between business resumption and prevent further transmissions.