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Today, the Singapore government has banished hundreds of thousands of citizens from public life for the high crime of making a free choice.
Today, I refuse to participate in this segregated society.
Starting from today, without proof of vaccination, unvaccinated Singaporeans will not be allowed to dine in, or to visit malls and attractions. They can't even transit through a mall integrated into a train station just to leave the area. Unvaccinated students at tertiary education institutions may not dine in at canteens or restaurants in school premises. Unvaccinated individuals need to show proof of an appointment before being allowed to access medical services inside a mall, while unvaccinated parents must produce a 'letter of support' from a childcare agency before they can pick up and drop off their children at childcare centres inside malls. Only unvaccinated people who have previously recovered from Covid-19 are exempt from these rules. Otherwise, unvaccinated people must produce a negative pre-event test result before being allowed entry into a mall for the duration of an activity or service—a test which could cost between $30 to $65 per test (cheaper if bought in bulk), and is good for only 1 day.
I have heard of private companies barring unvaccinated customers from entry even though they are not covered under the new rules. Restaurants that refuse to serve unvaccinated customers with valid PET tests. A bookstore chain that refuses all unvaccinated people from entry. A healthcare group that will not allow unvaccinated patients from booking medical appointments. An enrichment centre that will not accept unvaccinated children. Some car parks even have guards checking visitors for vaccination status.
With most critical services concentrated in malls, including banking, healthcare, childcare and supermarkets, unvaccinated Singaporeans are now treated as second class citizens. The only exemptions are the honorary vaccinated: those with natural immunity, or those with deep pockets and spare time.
The government calls this 'vaccine differentiated measures'. This is nothing less than vaccine segregation. It divides society between those who made the choice the government wants and those who have not.
The government claims that there is no vaccine mandate and that the choice to vaccinate is voluntary. Yet the increasing restrictions aimed solely at unvaccinated people reveal this claim to be hollow. A choice made under duress is not a choice.
The greatest tragedy is that these measures will not work.
The government claims that vaccine segregation is necessary to prevent infections from overwhelming the medical system. Yet it has consistently ignored data showing the world how to do this.
Early this year, the top five vaccinated countries in the world saw Covid surges: the Seychelles, the UAE, Bahrain, Israel and Chile. The Seychelles and Bahrain, along with highly vaccinated countries like Uruguay and the Maldives, have also recorded some of the highest daily infections worldwide.
This should have been a warning sign. The government failed to heed it. Instead, it consistently pushed for mass vaccinations.
Countries with high vaccination levels are seeing huge numbers of excess deaths and transmissions as well. Scotland's excess deaths are at the highest since January, even though over 91% of the population over the age of 18 has been vaccinated. 92% of adults in Ireland are vaccinated, and Ireland is also seeing the highest rate of patients hospitalised with Covid since March. The county of Waterford in Ireland is 99.7% vaccinated, and has Ireland's second highest Covid incidence rate. Vermont is the most vaccinated state in the US, and is also seeing the highest case counts.
Countries that have seen a sharp spike in the demographic of singly-vaccinated persons tend to see a rise in deaths as well. These include Palestine, Israel, Thailand and others. We are possibly seeing this pattern in Singapore, too. Of the 239 Covid deaths in Singapore, 161 occurred in the first three weeks of October, which came after a fresh wave of Covid restrictions and pushes for mass vaccination.
The vaccine will not stop the spread of the virus. It cannot. It does not sterilize, it can only mitigate symptoms and reduce the possibility of death. Vaccinated individuals are just as likely to catch and spread Covid as unvaccinated individuals. In addition, a majority of Covid patients who require oxygen supplementation and ICU care are fully vaccinated. The best case interpretation that the vaccine's protections do not last, and are now waning. The worst case is that the vaccinated are superspreaders.
Unvaccinated persons are more likely to develop symptoms than the vaccinated. When an unvaccinated person is infected, he is likelier to develop symptoms, and is then likely to seek medical treatment and be isolated from others. When a vaccinated person is infected, he is less likely to develop symptoms. Without symptoms, without routine testing, he won't know that he is infected, and will continue to spread the virus to those around him.
It is also possible that mass vaccination drives the evolution of the virus, selecting for more dangerous strains in the future. This was seen in Marek's disease in chickens. The vaccine against Marek's disease does not prevent infection, only prevent symptoms. This allowed increasingly virulent strains of the disease to survive in vaccinated chickens and spread to other chickens, instead of killing the host before it could spread. As a result, Marek's disease now kills 100% of all unvaccinated chickens.
The Covid vaccines are also the most dangerous ever developed in recent memory. Reported adverse events and deaths from the Covid vaccine in one year is an order of magnitude higher than all vaccines combined in the past 10 years.
The data is clear. The vaccines are potentially dangerous, they cannot stop the spread of disease, and therefore they cannot prevent the hospital system from being overwhelmed. The government has refused to grapple with this data, or even acknowledge it.
Singapore will reap the bitter harvest. Singapore continues to reap this harvest.
Compliance does not work.
Compliance merely signals that the people will continue to go along with the government. The government has no reason not to continue to scapegoat the unvaccinated, or to impose harsher measures. The government claims that the current 'Stabilisation Phase' will be extended to 21 November, but there is nothing stopping them from further extending them. There is no media or opposition party that will keep the government in check.
Compliance merely leads to more of the same. More restrictions, more discrimination, more misery. The way out of this crisis is to signal clearly that enough is enough.
This is the time for non-compliance.
This is the time to step away from a segregated society.
We Who Walk Away
Through this new round of 'vaccine differentiated measures', the government has sent a powerful signal to the unvaccinated: you are not welcome in society.
To this I say: So be it.
Let us all walk away from a society that discriminates against those whose only sin was to make a choice the government said was voluntary.
What does this mean?
Do not visit any malls, restaurants, attractions, hawker centres, anywhere that demands proof of vaccination before you can enter. If you are dependent on essential services inside a mall, switch to another provider as soon as possible. Do not go to any standalone shop or service provider that requires proof of vaccination to enter even where it is not required. Do not work for anyone who demands that you get vaccinated, or demands you to enforce vaccine discrimination. Do not take any PET tests and do not attend any events or go anywhere that requires a PET test. Do not go where you are not welcome, do not give time or money to those who do not want to do business with you, do not participate in a society that rejects you, do not collaborate with those who discriminate against others.
Do not make outrageous statements or do anything stupid. The government and the media are employing Saul Alinsky's Rule 12 for Radicals. They identify someone who can be ridiculed in public, frame him as the representative of the 'anti-vaxxer movement', and cut off everyone who walks away from outside support networks. This is how they have demonised people who criticise Covid vaccines and propose alternative treatments. Do not allow them to turn you into a weapon against your friends and family. Show people you are exactly who you say you are: a sane, ordinary person.
Do not break the law. To enforce vaccine discrimination, the government will employ scores of police officers, safety distancing ambassadors and other such personnel. They already have a hard job, and they are more likely than you to come into contact the virus. Do not make their lives harder than it is, and they will return the favour. Do not do anything that will give the Establishment a reason to paint you as an enemy of the people more than they already are.
Do develop a side income. With increasing pressure to vaccinate, you must expect an employer vaccination mandate to come down the line. You must get ahead of this by creating a side income that is not dependent on vaccination, or even in-person work. This includes remote work, Internet freelancing, creating video courses and information products, and so on. Be prepared to turn the side income into a full-time income in the worst case scenario.
Do support each other. With so many essential services concentrated in malls, people are now rushing to identify shops, clinics, supermarkets and childcare facilities that are not included in this round of measures. SG Connect Concerned Parents on Telegram is compiling a list of such businesses. I have seen vaccinated people volunteering to run errands on behalf of those who can't. Support small local businesses who are not covered under the vaccine discrimination rules, and are willing to do business with you. Similarly, identify shops that will not do business with the unvaccinated even if they are not covered under the new Covid regulations, and boycott them. To get through this period, we must all help each other out.
Do understand your rights. I have seen job advertisements for vaccinated people only. I have heard of a doctor who refused to treat an unvaccinated patient. I have seen reports that government agencies are dividing visitors by vaccination status, and are forcing unvaccinated visitors to wait in longer queues. Expect employers and stores to pressure you to get vaccinated. You must be aware of your rights. Recognize that it is presently illegal for employers to fire someone for not being vaccinated, and that a refusal to treat an unvaccinated patient is a violation of medical ethics. Going beyond that, you must be prepared to stand up for your rights, and push back against those who would take it from you.
Do take care of your health. Less than 1% of Covid transmissions take place outdoors. A leading driver of Covid deaths is obesity and vitamin deficiencies. Spend more time exercising in the sun, eat healthy, and look after your health. This is far cheaper and way more convenient than dealing with a disease down the line, Covid or otherwise.
Do not cling to the hope that things will get better. It may happen, once the virus naturally burns itself out, but be prepared for this period to last a long time.
Do prepare yourself for things to get worse. Be prepared for the government to further increase restrictions, for the media to paint you as an enemy of the people, for your friends and family to turn against you, for you to lose everything. As far as possible, pre-empt all this from happening by decoupling yourself from a society that does not want you. Do this now, while you still can.
Do not go out of your way to make enemies. Do not disrespect, degrade, mock, curse or otherwise discriminate against those who have made different choices from you. They have made their choices; let them live by them. Always remember that the Establishment is always looking for an excuse to cast you as deranged lunatic who wants to place everyone at risk.
Do be the best person you can be. Now, more than ever, is the time to practice the great virtues. Patience, equanimity, charity, goodwill, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, courage. Be a light unto the world and set an example for everyone—your friends, family, even complete strangers.
Do not despair.
Do live in faith.
All this demands much of you. Discipline, fortitude, good cheer, resilience, planning, endurance. Remember that the 'minority' the Establishment wants to segregate represents hundreds of thousands of people like you. With 85% of the population vaccinated, that leaves over 818,000 people affected by vaccine discrimination. You are not alone in this.
The government is trialing Covid vaccine boosters. Should they be approved for the general populace, the next step is to follow in the footsteps of Israel: only those who have taken the booster shot will be considered fully vaccinated. After all, the numbers in Singapore are showing that vaccine protections are fading, and the vaccine is supposed to be for your protection.
Proof of vaccination has now become a de facto Covid pass. It becomes easy to mimic Lithuania: everyone without proof of vaccination will be banned from stores, restaurants, supermarkets, banks, anywhere indoors. What is happening in Singapore now is only a few steps removed from Lithuania, so there is still room for medical tyranny to expand.
There may come a day that the only way to participate in public life is to take the vaccine every few months. A still-experimental vaccine whose long-term safety data is unknown, which is already showing signs of high risk. Any government with the power to make you take the vaccine has the power to make you comply with the government in all things in the name of public health and safety. Taking the vaccine will no longer be for your protection, but to prove your obedience. Refusal to take the vaccine will mark you as an enemy of the state.
To prevent that day from coming, we must walk away now, and show that this is the one line that the people will not cross, that the establishment can only go so far and not one step beyond.
The great dream of Singapore is that people from different backgrounds can come together to create a peaceful and prosperous society. The role of the government is to realize this dream and to preserve it for future generations. The imposition of medical segregation has shattered this dream.
Beyond walking away from a society that rejects you, it is time to demand for accountability.
Calling to Account
The Government
I do not expect the government to change course anytime soon. I do expect it to grow desperate, to impose even tighter restrictions, and to fudge the numbers further. Already Singapore lumps together unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people together. It leaves one wondering what other data it is hiding. Having imposed vaccine discrimination on Singapore, and having created the current situation we are in, the government must take responsibility.
The government must lift all restrictions. Until then, the Republic of Singapore will remain a divided nation, with a country of the vaccinated and a country of those who walk away. The government must respect what was supposed to be a free and personal choice. If someone chooses to accept the elevated risk of severe illness and death, the government should respect that.
The government must be totally transparent with Covid data. No more obfuscations. No more lumping together unvaccinated and partially vaccinated. No more hiding embarrassing numbers. Present all the data.
The government must allow people to freely choose alternative medical treatments. People will take drugs like Ivermectin regardless of legality. And for good reason. Ivermectin has recorded 3680 adverse events in America from 1996 to October 2021. This is two orders of magnitude lower in 35 years than the Covid vaccines in 1 year. If people wish to use a medicine that is extremely well-tolerated and much safer than the Covid vaccines, it is better to have them take human-dose drugs under the guidance of a medical professional. The risk of adverse reactions is much lower the vaccine, and the payoff of prevention and rapid treatment of Covid is much higher than the payoff of a leaky vaccine that cannot stop transmissions.
The government must immediately stop mass vaccination campaigns against Covid. With so much data on adverse reactions and unknown long-term risks, any responsible government must err on the side of caution. People should still be allowed to take the vaccine if they feel the risk of infection outweighs the potential harm from the vaccine, but there should be no further pressure or encouragement to take the vaccine. The government must review and make public safety data concerning the vaccine.
The government must ensure all persons who choose to take the vaccine are informed of the risks. This includes but is not limited risks of death and disease from Covid versus risk of adverse reactions, the possibility of antibody dependent enhancement, and the risk of long-term unknown health effects.
The Media
Singapore's nation-building media is not known for investigative journalism, or indeed asking hard questions. With the future of Singapore on the line, it is high time to start asking the hard questions.
What criteria and what data is the government using to decide policies?
Why did governments and the media the world over call Ivermectin 'horse dewormer' when Ivermectin has successfully treated millions of people over 40 years with minimal side effects, and shows promise as a Covid treatment?
Why did Singapore support BioNTech's move to open a new regional headquarters in Singapore and produce mRNA vaccines?
How many people have died after taking the vaccine, and how many have suffered adverse reactions? Why does the government insist that the vaccine has not caused any deaths, while other governments such as Taiwan have attributed high numbers of deaths to the vaccine?
Why is the government fudging the Covid patient numbers? What is the full breakdown of cases by vaccination status?
What qualifies as a vaccine adverse reaction? Why do some doctors believe that some illnesses that occurred after being vaccinated do not qualify as an adverse reaction? What criteria do the authorities use to judge whether a death was indeed caused by the vaccine?
Do hospitals require patients to sign a form declaring that an illness is not a vaccine injury?
Which companies are deliberately discriminating against the unvaccinated, even if the regulations do not require them to do it?
The Opposition
I must confess, I reserve the greatest ire for the opposition.
They have one job: to keep the government in check. To represent the interests of the people. To ensure the government does its job well.
Covid-19 represents the most pressing crisis of our generation. Not since separation from Malaysia has Singapore faced an emergency of this magnitude. In this most critical of hours, most of the opposition has remained silent.
Who raised concerns about vaccine safety? Who discussed mask mandates and lockdowns? Who spoke against medical tyranny? Who asked the hard questions?
Brad Bowyer did. For this, he was brigaded by government and vaccine supporters, suspended from Facebook, and eventually resigned from the Progress Singapore Party.
Leong Mun Wai, Professor Paul Tambyah and Goh Meng Seng also spoken out against various aspects of vaccine discrimination and public policy.
Who else?
I have received private messages about certain opposition members who oppose vaccine discrimination as well. Nonetheless, they have not spoken publicly, either as a party member or as an individual. If they will not speak up now, when the government has divided one united Singapore into two countries, when will they ever speak? How can they claim to represent Singaporeans when they will not speak up for the most oppressed minority?
As the Establishment clamors for more vaccines, more discrimination, more and more and more measures, the silence of the opposition rings the loudest.
There could be three reasons for this:
- The party lacks the data to make a coherent party-wide policy position. In this case, by continuing to share information on vaccines and related matters, we can yet reach out to them.
- The party believes it lacks the political capital to make a stand. It is afraid if it contradicts the narrative, it will be attacked by the Establishment and by its supporters. We must thus demonstrate there is a groundswell of sentiment against medical tyranny of all forms, and encourage them to act.
- The party supports the government's policies. In which case, we must treat it no differently from the government.
Regardless of the reasons, I will remember the silence.
We who walk away will remember.
We cannot count on the opposition to save us. We cannot rely on the media to speak for us. We cannot pray that the government will take mercy on us.
We must take our lives into our own hands, and live by the choices we make.
Do not go where you, your friends and family are not wanted.
Do not give money to those who do not want you there.
Do not collaborate with those who oppress you.
Do not comply with coercion.
Do not break the law.
Do look after each other.
Do become a light for others.
Do continue to speak up against segregation.
Do stand your ground even if the world is against you.
Do live in faith, stay the course, and perservere until the end.
There will come a day when this medical tyranny will end. There will come a day when the truth will be finally revealed to the world. There will come a day when we can once again call ourselves one united people, where people will no longer be discriminated against for making a free choice.
With every person who walks away, that day draws nearer.
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