Is the launch of more Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) a turning point for travel and an end to restrictive quarantines? CNA’s Lin Suling speaks to sociologist at the Singapore University of Social Sciences Omer Ali Saifudeen, Expedia Asia-Pacific Head of Communications Lavinia Rajaram and business journalist Raini Hamdi to find out how safe VTLs are amid smaller planes and crowded airports, how long more before travel reverts to pre-COVID levels and what’s behind hesitant public attitudes towards travel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heart of the Matter

Travel hesitancy – is planning an overseas holiday just too stressful?

In the eye of a storm, Singapore hospitals are fighting off a fresh wave of infections, after being on the frontlines of COVID-19 for 20 months. How have hospitals reorganised themselves to deal with this surge? Can doctors, nurses and other staff go on leave? Have more community facilities, additional beds and the shift towards home recovery helped in easing the load? Lin Suling speaks to Associate Professor Melvin Chua Peng Wei, Deputy Chairman, Division of Medicine and Inpatient Care, Sengkang General Hospital and Dr Stephanie Sutjipto, Senior Resident at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Singapore hospitals are dealing with an unprecedented COVID-19 surge

The vast majority of Singapore residents are vaccinated and worldwide, nearly 6 billion shots have been given. Yet, barely nine months later, the first call for booster shots has gone out. But what does the data say? Why are there mixed scientific views? Will this confusion create even more uncertainty and affect eventual uptake? Lin Suling gets Dr Leong Hoe Nam, infectious disease specialist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital and Dr Hsu Li Yang of NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health to break it down. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19 booster shots and the challenge of vaccine science moving at breakneck speed

Singapore is one of the world's most vaccinated countries but the unvaccinated remain at risk with every infection surge. Is it time to stop persuading people and consider mandates especially for those without legitimate medical reasons? Could a sharper differentiation of measures for the unvaccinated nudge more to get the shot? And what are the drawbacks of making COVID-19 vaccination compulsory? Lin Suling gets answers from David Lye, Director of the Infectious Disease Research and Training Office at NCID, and Ashley St John, Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School’s Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19 vaccinations: Should they be made mandatory?

With one of the world’s highest vaccination rates and the ability to quickly test for COVID-19 infections, some questions were raised this week when the Singapore Government said it would not rule out a circuit breaker as it navigates a path towards opening up further. Is it possible to have a clean, clear exit strategy from the pandemic? And how close is Singapore to being able to live normally with an endemic COVID-19? CNA's Lin Suling speaks to Associate Professor Lim Poh Lian, member of the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination, and Professor Ooi Eng Eong of the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the challenges Singapore faces in shifting to living with an endemic COVID-19?

Penalised for breaking COVID-19 rules and refusing to wear a mask, Benjamin Glynn and Paramjeet Kaur claimed rules are not for "living people" with "sovereign rights". Where did such ideas come from? Are they a nuisance fringe group with little traction, or could there be a more serious undercurrent gathering steam slowly? Tan Ern Ser, Associate Professor of Sociology at NUS and Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at SMU unpack this phenomenon with CNA's Lin Suling. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside the alternate universe of sovereign citizens: What's really going on in their minds?

Malaysian politics has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. With prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob now at the helm, ready to appoint a Cabinet, CNA’s Lin Suling asks ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Dr Francis Hutchinson and Singapore Institute of International Affairs’ Dr Oh Ei Sun: Will the new government survive a confidence vote? Will UMNO seize this chance to redeem itself? What are the implications when the monarchy, which was never meant to be a backstop against politics crises, steps in? And are these dynamics simply part of Malaysia’s journey towards becoming a “normal” democracy? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s great game of coalition party politics and jostling for power amid a pandemic

Millions have downloaded and streamed movies, plays and sitcoms to survive the pandemic. But what is like on the other side of the screen? Has COVID-19 compromised what the big screen can bring across and shaken up the movie industry? Lin Suling speaks to veteran filmmaker Juan Foo and Kew Lin, a full-time independent filmmaker on the challenges of production, the rise of streaming and how far passion can go in making movies in Singapore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of Singapore film – but first, can it survive COVID-19?

One has been a competitive swimmer since 11 while the other switched out her nurse's uniform to train for hours on the water. Swimmer Quah Ting Wen and rower Joan Poh talk to Lin Suling about taking part in the unprecedented Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the extraordinary pressures of competing for international sporting glory, dealing with criticism and why despite it all, they will always choose the tougher life of an elite athlete. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olympians Quah Ting Wen and Joan Poh open up on the pressures of elite sports

Since the death at River Valley High School, mental health has become a key issue in Singapore. Education Minister Chan Chun Sing outlined efforts to enhance mental health literacy and recruit more school counsellors. Do the suggested solutions go far enough? Or are they simply a band-aid, when deeper systemic and mindset shifts are needed? Lin Suling speaks to Minister of State for Education Sun Xueling, Principal Counsellor at Care Corner Bettina Yeap, and Adrian Tan, parent of four. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools and stress: A tangled web involving parents, academic pressure and so much more

Eateries are on their knees with the latest round of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) restrictions. What has it been like to be in the eye of the storm for more than a year? Have billions of dollars in relief made a difference? What are diners looking for in the post-pandemic dining experience? And are eateries ready to implement potential rules allowing only the vaccinated to dine in? Lin Suling talks to Anthony Yeo, chef-owner of Summer Hill restaurant and Jesher Loi, Ya Kun’s Director of Branding and Market Development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have COVID-19 restrictions killed the passions of F&B owners and chefs?

Eateries are on their knees with the latest round of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) restrictions. What has it been like to be in the eye of the storm for more than a year? Have billions of dollars in relief made a difference? What are diners looking for in the post-pandemic dining experience? And are eateries ready to implement potential rules allowing only the vaccinated to dine in? Lin Suling talks to Anthony Yeoh, chef-owner of Summer Hill restaurant and Jesher Loi, Ya Kun’s Director of Branding and Market Development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do these curbs suggest Singapore is further away from a new normal? What will it take to get there? Why not differentiate between those vaccinated and those who are not? And does living normally with COVID-19 hinge on getting seniors vaccinated? Lin Suling speaks to Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant at the Division of Infectious Disease, National University Hospital, and Jeremy Lim, Associate Professor at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore planned to live with COVID-19. So how are we back in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)?

For new parents, particularly breastfeeding mums, the days and nights can become one incoherent blur. Why does postnatal depression happen? Might it start later and even affect dads? Lin Suling explores the big challenges that lurk beneath parenthood with new mother Elizabeth Quek and Associate Professor Helen Chen, Head and Senior Consultant of the Department of Psychological Medicine at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Battling baby blues: When do parents need professional help?

You know the headlines. Now take a deeper dive into the Heart of the Matter with CNA each week as we talk to newsmakers, experts and contributors to CNA’s Commentary section, who give us their take on the some of the most talked about news developments every Friday.

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Heart of the Matter

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