Tag: virus

Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong Mentions Tropical Fish Shop in his speech on COVID-19

PM Lee Hsien Loong on the COVID-19 pandemic: “I am in this for a very long time to come. To sustain this, I need everybody’s cooperation – safe distancing, personal hygiene, cooperation when we are contact tracing and discipline when people come back, stay home notification, stay home.” (Video: PMO)

 

Something interesting in this speech is that PM Lee mentions the plight of a tropical fish shop owner in Singapore.

Time around 5.22:

PM Lee chats with a Tropical Fish shop owner in Teck Ghee, who has been there for “donkey’s years”. She says her supplies come from Malaysia, and Malaysia has locked down. Tropical fish is not an essential item, how does she get her business going?

 

 

 

Advertisement

Buy surgical mask online Singapore

Just bought this Dotafa (4-ply surgical mask made in Vietnam) mask from Qoo10.

The quality is good, with good thickness (see picture below). Delivery speed is fast as well (just 2 days using Qprime delivery). Only issue is the expensive price (around S$1 per mask), but that is the market rate nowadays…

The consensus is that made in Vietnam & made in Indonesia (3-ply or 4-ply) are the best options to get nowadays. This current batch may be the last batch since the respective countries are cracking down on the export of masks.

[S$28.90](▼52%)SG LOCAL STOCK SURGICAL FACE MASK MASKS 3PLY HAND SANITISER

WWW.QOO10.SG

Photo of the “Dotafa” surgical mask (4-ply). There are other equivalent Vietnamese manufacturers as well on Qoo10.

See also:

Free COVID-19 Insurance (DBS/POSB customers)

I looked through this free insurance by DBS, there seems to be no “catch” to it, i.e. it is really a 100% free insurance for you.

Maybe only “downside” is that you will have to provide your contact information which can be used by DBS/Chubb to “contact you via email, SMS and phone calls in respect of promotional offers”.

Sign up using the official link below.

URL: https://marketplace.dbs.com.sg/insure/personal/2019-nCoV/coverage/

  • Exclusive to DBS/POSB customers

    Free hospital income coverage for you and your family

  • Daily Hospital Cash Benefit

    Receive SGD 100 per day, up to 14 days in the event of hospitalisation due to COVID-19

  • ICU Hospital Cash Benefit

    Receive SGD 1,000 one-time lump sum payment, in the event of hospitalisation in ICU due to COVID-19

  • 30 days of free coverage

    Your cover starts immediately once you submit your application, and expires automatically at the end of 30 days

Wuhan Virus Swimming Pool

Wuhan Virus Swimming

This post is all about whether the Wuhan coronavirus can spread in swimming pools. It is a top search in Google, however there is currently zero information about it.

We will list down various sources on other types of similar flu viruses and whether it can spread through swimming pools.

Source 1: Poolman.com (Yes!)

The short answer is yes. As Every Day Health summarized, germs that cause the flu and other illnesses spread so fast because people transmit it by simple motions, like a sneeze or a cough. Everyone from children to coworkers to spouses can be culprits. If any of them uses the pool, it can easily get to you.

Source: https://www.poolman.com/can-you-get-the-flu-from-swimming-pools/

Source 2: Illinois Department of Public Health (Maybe, not conclusive)

No research has been completed on the susceptibility of H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.

Source: http://www.idph.state.il.us/h1n1_flu/sf_qa.htm

Source 3 (Channel News Asia):

Q: Can the virus be spread through water such as via swimming pools? Or through one’s eyes?

Prof Gray: We don’t know, but other respiratory viruses can, such as adenovirus which is a hardier type of virus.

Prof Wang: Transmission through the swimming pool is unlikely unless the person is swimming very close to an infected person. Yes, it is possible to be infected through the eyes.

Asst Prof Anderson: It is unlikely that the coronavirus can be spread through water, especially chlorinated swimming pools. Coronaviruses are also not known to be spread though the eyes.

There is an anecdotal case of infection through the eye and, if this infection did occur, it is an extremely rare event.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/faq-wuhan-coronavirus-and-its-outbreak-12373466

Conclusion

It is basic chemical knowledge that chlorine in pools is a powerful disinfectant. At high concentrations, chlorine is capable of destroying any living thing, not just Wuhan virus. However, swimming is not 100% underwater, there is a period of walking into the swimming pool, as well as breathing above water. During those periods above water, it is possible for the Wuhan virus to be transmitted. Also, if the chlorine concentration is not strong enough, it may not be enough to disinfect the virus.

Hence, it is better to be safe and avoid swimming pools during this period!

 

Where to buy surgical mask Singapore

You may first check out the nearest Guardian, Watsons or Unity near your place. Most likely, Guardian and Watsons are out of stock already, while Unity has a long queue. (I personally checked them out on 28 Jan near my place.)

Do check out the terms and conditions before joining the long queue at Unity. (They will put a poster in front of their store.) Apparently the queue at Unity is only for those who have pre-ordered masks beforehand!

The next best option is to buy online, specifically from Qoo10 since they have stock from Korea. I ordered these two listed below which are decently priced (some sellers are taking advantage of the situation to raise up the price). Korean masks are said to be higher quality and more comfortable to wear.

[S$35.00](▼37%)[IN STOCK!!]👍Good For Corona Virus👍Made in korea/psi/ n95/pm2.5/30pcs /health mask/delivery4~5

WWW.QOO10.SG

[S$19.99](▼64%)[surgical mask]Good for china pneumonia Kid / Aduilt Face Mask 1Set = 60Pcs / Surgical MASK / psi / n95 / pm2.5 /

WWW.QOO10.SG

Basically, the best type of mask is N95 but they are expensive. Surgical mask is cheaper and is said by experts to be good enough for preventing the Wuhan virus.

Where to buy surgical mask online

Due to overwhelming demand, even online sellers on Qoo10 are running out of stock. The next option is to buy US surgical masks from Amazon. The below are good options:

  • Barcley is the #1 Best Seller in the Medical Face Masks Category
  • Starryshine Lifeguard Masks are Medical Grade masks perfect for Surgical, Allergy, Dental, Cold, Flu & Germ. Alcohol Pads Included.


Barcley Disposable Sanitary Surgical Masks – Thick 3Ply Medical Mouth Masks with Comfortable Earloop – Pollen, Flu & Allergy Face Masks with High Bacteria Filtration (Blue)


50 pcs- (3-ply) Blue- Disposable Premium Earloop Face Masks – Medical Grade–Prefect for Surgical, Allergy, Dental, Cold, Flu Germ ect.— Alcohol Pads Included.

Where to buy N95 mask in Singapore

N95 masks are actually more powerful than surgical masks. The only downsides are that they are more expensive and also more uncomfortable to wear (over long periods of time). N95 masks are so named because they can block 95% of particles of size 0.3 micrometers. This is according to the US NIOSH air filtration rating.

Note that N95 masks can be reused as long as it “maintains its structural and functional integrity and the filter material is not physically damaged or soiled.”. The CDC (USA Centre of Disease Control) also recommends reuse of N95 masks to a certain extent (defined as “limited reuse”).

Since surgical masks are the top candidates for purchase, it is often the case that surgical masks are sold out first, while N95 masks may still be in stock. A top manufacturer of N95 masks is 3M, which is based in the US. Hence, purchasing N95 masks from Amazon is cost-effective in the sense that it is right from the source of the manufacturer (3M).

3M 8511 Respirator, N95, Cool Flow Valve (2-Pack)


3M Particulate Respirator 8210, N95, Smoke, Dust, Grinding, Sanding, Sawing, Sweeping, 20/Pack