The Numbers
767,773 – That is the number of people in Singapore who have contracted COVID-19 as of 2 March 2022. Chances are that the actual number may be higher as this number only includes those on MOM’s system, and it will not include many people who may have had COVID-19 but did not test for it.
94% – That is the proportion of the eligible population that has completed the full vaccination regimen as of 1 March 2022.
18,000 – The 7 day moving average for the number of new cases today in MOH’s system (remember, there are many who test positive but are not captured in MOH’s system)
While the number of cases have been skyrocketing, the number of people suffering serious infections that require admission into the ICU remain low. This is, of course, due to the fact that almost everyone is vaccinated, and more than two-thirds of our population have received their booster shots.
Bearing these numbers in mind, we turn to the Government’s ever-changing narrative on TraceTogether.
Only for contact tracing?
On 5 January 2021, Vivian Balakrishnan informed Parliament, in no uncertain terms, that Tracetogether will be stood down when the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
This representation around the same time as Vivian’s concessions regarding how TraceTogether was used for purposes other than contact tracing. By way of a brief recap, on 8 June 2020, Vivian had confidently stated that:
TraceTogether app, TraceTogether running on a device, and the data generated are purely for contact tracing. Period.
On 5 January 2021, Vivian acknowledged that he misspoke:
“Frankly, and I think members know me well, I’m always very frank. Frankly, I had not thought of the CPC when I spoke earlier,” he said while making an unscheduled statement in Parliament.
“After I realised that the CPC applied to this, I did have sleepless nights wondering: Should I persuade my colleagues to change the law?”
This misrepresentation about TraceTogether came under the limelight again as the COP cross-examined WP leaders during the Raeesah Khan hearings.
“Nothing is wrong with it. [But with that logic] why don’t you do the same when TraceTogether happened in late October? Why didn’t the government just come out a tell the truth straightaway, don’t wait for a parliamentary question?”
– Pritam Singh pic.twitter.com/uDgNFgcAIX— Pritam Singh Fan Bot (@PritamFanBot) December 13, 2021
In October 2021, MOH noted that close contacts of COVID-19 cases will no longer be subject to quarantine orders. In November 2021, the MMTF noted that it was no longer taking a “blunderbuss” approach to contract tracing. Instead, it intended to adopt a more targeted approach.
Why is Tracetogether still a thing when the entire nation has COVID now
— Barisan Hantu (@barisanhantu) March 2, 2022
Fast forward to March 2022 – with an average of 15,000+ new cases daily – what is the point of contact tracing anymore?
For Vaccinated-Differentiation Measures?
On 3 March 2022, Janil Putucheary noted in Parliament that TraceTogether will be used at least until vaccination-differentiated measures are no longer needed. Mr Putucheary also made reference to how TraceTogether assisted with the issuance of Health Risk Warning Orders. This was stated in response to Mr Leon Perera’s question about what crtieria the Government would use to phase TraceTogether out.
However, Mr Putucheary’s rationale warrants close scrutiny. As many have pointed out, you do NOT need TraceTogether just to see whether you are vaccinated or not. All that you need is a HealthHub app or a vaccination certificate.
doesn't healthhub show vaccination status without the location tracking part of things?
— 🍍 __ 🙀 (@sharanvkaur) March 3, 2022
Also, with so many malls putting up “temporary” SafeEntry gantries, we can’t help but wonder how much money has been spent erecting these structures.
Although the Government did not go so far as to say that the main purpose of TraceTogether now is to check vaccination status and not contact trace, it is troubling that the phasing out of TraceTogether is tied to VDS. Put simply, you do not need an app that uses Bluetooth to verify verification status. Nothing more than what is necessary should be used.
Whether VDS are still necessary or effective, in light of the 3 sets of numbers at the start of this article, is a topic for another article. We all know the Government’s desire to “punish” those who choose not to vaccinate, but does excluding them from society actually help the vaccinated? That remains to be seen.
If VDS is the only thing keeping TraceTogether relevant, then it is time for TraceTogether, and all the annoying gantries, to check out. If the Government is serious about treating COVID-19 as endemic, TraceTogether must end. Don’t let TraceTogether become TraceForever.
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