A year after Circuit Breaker
It’s been exactly a year since all of us were confined to the four walls of our home and restricted from going out, all in the effort to reduce COVID-19 community cases.
7 April 2020 was the first day all of us entered Circuit Breaker (CB), and it has impacted our lives greatly ever since. Even McDonalds had to shut down!
This World Health Day, we look at the positive outcome that’s emerged from staying at home during the CB period.
Perks of WFH
Yes, it’s true that Phase 3 has allowed us to head down to the office to do our work for half of the time, but it seems like working from home will be the new norm and is here to stay even a year after CB.
WFH sure has its advantages. You don’t have to iron your clothes the night before or worry about arriving late to the office. I know that some of you are actually wearing your pajamas while attending zoom meetings with your team, right?
Bonding time
Working from home also means more time with your family or flatmates. Before Covid, you may only see them after 7 in the evening each day. But now, you see them for almost the entire day!
It’s great to have someone to talk to, be it about work or about personal matters. You know you can always count on them.
We know some parents are thankful that they can work from home because that means more time with their young ones, just like how our Software Engineer shared with us!
Picking up new skills
Being cooped up at home for almost 24 hours has brought out the creative side in all of us.
If before 2020 (or pre-Covid) you only know how to fry a sunny side up egg, now you probably can prepare a 4-course meal in 2 hours. Maybe you can now knit your own blankie, take care of your own indoor plant or workout right at home!
I’m pretty sure some of us have picked up new skills or hobbies too. For instance, our fellow Covey, Jake, has been uploading YouTube videos of him singing songs while strumming the guitar.
Those are some of the positive outtakes that we gained during Circuit Breaker. Now, let’s look at what we can look forward to in 2021, a year after CB.
Holiday!
Travel bubble to Australia, Taiwan, Bintan and many more locations are still in discussion. Let’s just hope for the best.
While we patiently wait for these travel bubbles, why not pamper yourself to a staycation at your favourite local hotel? You can use up your SingapoRediscovers vouchers before they expire!
Take a day off and sleep in while you enjoy the view from your hotel room. Or bring your friends along to party in the room. Responsibly, of course!
If you really feel like going overseas, you can always hop on to the cruise which will bring you through the seas to enjoy the breathtaking seaview.
You can also dip yourself in the pool, play lots of arcade games, indulge in delicious buffets and watch live performances while on the cruise. Amazing, isn’t it?
Live shows are alive again
Thankfully, you can now bring your date out to watch a live theatre, musical, concert or stand-up shows.
Some of the shows that I’d recommend you to watch are I am Kumar by Dream Academy, LUNGS by Singapore Repertory Theatre and Don’t Call Him Mr Mari Kita by Wild Rice!
If you’re not the artsy type of person, be glad that movie theatres are finally open! Just remember to bring your Trace Together token or have the app in your phone before entering the cinemas.
Movies you should totally catch are Raya: The Last Dragon, Godzilla vs Kong, Chaos Walking and many more!
Hang out with friends
With the ease of Covid-19 restrictions, we can now meet up in groups of 8. That’s one of the best things ever!
That’s because some of us have bigger families and so many friends so meeting in groups of 5 wasn’t the most convenient. No more splitting tables, we can all sit together!
This also means that we can meet more friends at one time to have a good time drinking during the weekends or partake in team bonding activities with our colleagues!
Get vaccinated!
While most of us may not be vaccinated yet as elderly and frontline workers are given priority, we can still do our part to encourage other individuals who are eligible to get their vaccine!
And even once you’re vaccinated, do remember to always wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times!
Covid-19 may have eased in Singapore but the battle is far from over. Let’s not be complacent and always keep ourselves on high alert!
Like the saying goes, prevention is better than cure!