What do you think?
Rate this book
A Defining Moment: How Singapore Beat SARS
From March to May 2003, SARS raged in Singapore. Medical staff risked their lives to try and save patients from this unknown disease. Parliament passed an amendment to the Infectious Diseases Bill. People were jailed for breaking their Home Quarantine Orders. Schools were closed. The Pasir Panjang wholesale vegetable market was closed off. Visitors stopped coming to Singapore. Changi Airport was deserted. Shopping malls and restaurants emptied out. The economy took a terrible hit as many businesses folded. In the meantime, researchers raced against time to find a vaccine.
Yet in this period of darkness, heart-wrenching and inspirational stories of courage and selflessness emerged.
The entire nation faced a crisis together – marking a defining moment in Singapore’s history. What was the Singapore response to this unknown disease? What were some of the tough decisions that ministers, officials and doctors had to make, and how did they make them? How did the government and the people manage to join hands and defeat the enemy?
A Defining Moment is the story of how Singapore struggled and prevailed in the battle against SARS. It tells of the efforts to save lives, jobs and Singapore’s international reputation. Chua Mui Hoong’s account of how Singapore beat SARS is based on exclusive interviews with patients, ministers, nurses, researchers, volunteers and officials from the various agencies who were at the frontline.
Yet in this period of darkness, heart-wrenching and inspirational stories of courage and selflessness emerged.
The entire nation faced a crisis together – marking a defining moment in Singapore’s history. What was the Singapore response to this unknown disease? What were some of the tough decisions that ministers, officials and doctors had to make, and how did they make them? How did the government and the people manage to join hands and defeat the enemy?
A Defining Moment is the story of how Singapore struggled and prevailed in the battle against SARS. It tells of the efforts to save lives, jobs and Singapore’s international reputation. Chua Mui Hoong’s account of how Singapore beat SARS is based on exclusive interviews with patients, ministers, nurses, researchers, volunteers and officials from the various agencies who were at the frontline.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
5 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 14, 2020
I read this book a long time ago but recently took it out again with the arrival of COVID-19 (and many questions from the kids). Mui Hoong has organized the facts of SARS 2003 in such a way that it begins with a mystery virus appearing in Singapore, and gradually unravels and links up how it travels through the hospitals in Singapore. With the benefit of hindsight today, this book clearly shows how and why Singapore is in 2020, 150% prepared for this new mystery virus. Not only that, it proffers a (now) predictive narrative of human behaviour at that time that was so similar to what is happening now — but promises that humanity bounces back, because when we rally, we do.
Displaying 1 of 1 review