Fill Me In

The COVID pandemic seems to have taken over a significant portion of our lives, and as we trudge through this season of uncertainty, we may have forgotten that in our not-so-distant past, there was an outbreak — considered the OG in pandemics in Singapore’s history — that shook the nation in a similar fashion.

One Reddit user found a poignant link to the past in an old book. Possibly a bookmark of sorts, the card revealed an acrostic poem that referenced Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) — the viral infectious diseases that took over Singapore in March 2003.

SARS 2.0?

For those who lived through it, the outbreak isn’t easily forgotten. With 238 cases and 33 deaths from outbreak, similarities abound when compared with COVID-19. The former was caused by the SARS coronavirus, which is believed to have mutated from a virus found in small mammals, and can spread through close contact with an infected person via droplet transmission when coughing or sneezing. Sounds eerily familiar, doesn’t it?

A heartwarming tribute

But the poem, titled “A Tribute to All SARS Warriors”, revealed a more heartwarming similarity. Through the bravery of the frontliners who tirelessly help to keep “the SARS away”, we are reminded of the spirit of nation today that supports these warriors and patients in their fight against COVID, the same way we have done in the past.

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