With rising numbers of un-linked cases of COVID 19 infection in Singapore, it is difficult to contain the disease without effective social distancing and isolation of the population.

The Government has implemented safe distancing regulations by:

Making it an offence for people to intentionally sit, or stand in a queue, less than 1 meter away from another person, and
Limiting gatherings outside of work and school to 10 persons or fewer, among others. 
These strategies are implemented in public spaces because non-transient social contact in close proximity is an impediment to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. 

Given this context, the continuance of reservist training poses great risk to our healthcare system and economy. 

During In-Camp Training (ICT), NSMen live together for extended periods of time. They shower in common shower facilities. They go for missions together. Over the years training together, many NSMen have witnessed that it is not uncommon for a virus to quickly spread among soldiers within the same platoon or company.

In each battalion, NSMen come from a great variety of occupations, and all NSMen go home to their families and jobs at the end of their ICT. Although we must acknowledge that military defence is critical for Singapore, the scenario of a wider COVID-19 spread across Singapore, with NSMen as vectors of the infection, is one that must seriously be considered. 

In this light, 2 countries have suspended their military training for reservist soldiers during the COVID-19 pandemic:

1. Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-cancels-all-exercises-for-reservists-amid-coronavirus-fears/

2. US Marines Reserves (https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/03/17/marine-reserves-cancel-drills-until-further-notice-during-coronavirus-pandemic/

Education Minister Mr. Ong Ye Kung has pointed out one key reason why enrichment classes outside of schools must be stopped:

"If there is a confirmed case in the school, immediate contact tracing is possible and the spread can be contained by putting the class in quarantine. 

However, if there is a confirmed case in a tuition centre, many students from different schools may be at risk of infection."

If you replace the bolded words as follows, Mr. Ong’s logic applies also to reservist training.

"If there is a confirmed case in a single workplace, immediate contact tracing is possible and the spread can be contained by putting the immediate contacts of the infected person(s) in quarantine. 

However, if there is a confirmed case in an Operationally Ready NS Battalion, many workers from different workplaces may be at risk of infection."

TLDR:

1. Postponing reservist training can potentially prevent a catastrophic infection cluster that overwhelm our healthcare system. ICT is inherently more risky than other social / economic activities due to prolonged social interactions. 

2. With more manpower released from Reserve Training, the private sector and Government can better deal with manpower crunch within the economy. 

 

Let's sign this petition to limit the risk of exposing NSMen across all economic sectors to COVID-19, and help Singapore to fight this invisible enemy.