Yes, yes, PM Goh Chok Tong's letter to the Singapore people was right on the money. ( Interested parties can search for The Straits Times website and read the entire message there. ) But this comes a little late, as I'm sure many of us have been aware of the irresponsible behaviour of our fellow citizens for at least a few weeks now. Heck, I even wrote in to The Forum Page about it, but they rejected it for publishing. ( I posted it on my blog, so you can scroll through my entries dated a couple of weeks ago, titled "Singaporeans' Sense of Responsibility". )

In summary, some SARS cases defied a doctor's orders to stay put at a neighbourhood clinic, and walked off to eat at a crowded food centre instead. Another spent about a week clinic-hopping before finally ending up at Changi General and susequently shipped off to Tan Tock Seng. And let's not overlook this wonderful chap with his big photo in the paper today, who just returned from Guangzhou with a fever and cough, was immediately transferred to TTSH straight from the airport, but refused blood tests and x-rays there, then walked out of the hospital and took a taxi home. He hasn't been diagnosed with SARS, but is definitely highly suspect, and has been served home quarantine orders. These are just a few of the many others who breach containment measures and take matter into their own hands. Parliament is drafting new policies that will enable offenders to be charged without having to appear in court. In my humble opinion, I think caning and putting these idiots' pictures in the papers should be included. I mean, they're endangering other people with their callous actions. A fine is just a slap on the wrist!

Almost got a heart attack this morning when my mum woke me up with, "Jen, time to get up! Alex Chao died!" Dr. Alex Chao, for the benefit of the uninformed, was a cardiovascular surgeon at the Singapore General Hospital, and also the son of the very illustrious Prof. Chao Tzee Cheng, a world-renowned forensic pathologist who was involved in the high-profile Flor Contemplacion case ( you can search the web for more details ). I was extremely shocked by the news, of course, and the gist of the report in the Straits Times suggests the cause of death is as yet unknown -- not SARS, as the rumour goes. Yet another saddening event, as I met the younger Dr. Chao at TTSH when I did my first surgical rotation in my 3rd year of med school, and he was very accomodating towards us. His dad, however, was greatly loved by all who knew him -- jovial, perhaps the most humble person on earth, and very fatherly and kind. It is a tragic day for our medical community. I'll keep you updated on further developments.