Managing a health-related crisis: SARS in Singapore [Summary]

Abstract

The early phase of the SARS outbreak in Singapore and the manner in which it was managed by tourism administrators and businesses are an area for continued analysis, alongside the handling of subsequent stages and the regional and global repercussions of the virus within a tourism context. SARS is a form of atypical pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, also the origin of the common cold, and was first discovered in the southern Chinese province of Guandong in late 2002. Much is still unknown about the contagious virus, which has a mortality rate of 14-15 per cent, and early uncertainty about how it spreads fueled public anxiety. While revealing the worldwide challenges for tourism posed by infectious disease, this account has disclosed some of the distinctive qualities of Singapore which should perhaps be stressed. The geography, politics, society and economics of the republic create a unique policy-making framework which affords some advantages in dealing with certain features of an epidemic and its aftermath. The small size of the island and limited number of entry and exit points make it easier to oversee cross-border travel, while the political regime, dominated by a single party, is renowned for the extent of its regulatory practices and intervention in most areas of life. Officials can also draw on financial reserves and modem technology which are not always so readily accessible. The government is thus able to move firmly and without delay, taking decisions which law-abiding Singaporeans accept as being in their best interests. Not all authorities command such a level of popular acquiescence and are able or willing to exercise the same controls. "This article summary is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license (CC BY).