'Exiting Circuit Breaker: Phase 2'

Today marks the start of Singapore's 'Exiting Circuit Breaker: Phase 2'. We've zoomed off to the park with the dog. With face masks, obviously. But there's joy in being able to roam freely in the parks again. We're well aware that Phase 2 has happened early, and it has to be done to restart the economy and save jobs. We're not in the clear. COVID-19 is still out there, virulent and lurking. We resume some level of normalcy in daily living, but we can't be lax about personal hygiene at all. 

And the moment we step into an airplane, we're a bit screwed. So leisure travel plans for us are a big no-no till mid 2021, or till a vaccine is found. I a bit kiasi. To be honest, for me, there isn't essential travel to be done at this time. The entire idea of a flight, being in a shared breathing space with hundreds of humans. Eiooowwwww. There're very few pull factors that will make me entertain the idea of getting onto a plane, possibly falling ill overseas, or landing in a new city to a quarantine or coming home to serve a Stay-Home-Notice, and get swabbed about a dozen times. 

I'm not discounting the plausible scenarios of another lockdown or we go back to 'Circuit Breaker: Phase 1' if our numbers of infection surge. Right now, I proceed with our daily activities with cautious optimism. I stick to meeting the same friends as I would have met before we went into lockdown, and limit the occurrences. We pretty much hang out in the same few venues, and prefer to stay outdoors. I'm well aware that we're taking a chance against exposure and viral payloads. Also, I'm annoyed that all signs point to a General Election in July, and we all have to trudge out to vote. We have to do this now huh. I'm guessing that my GRC is a walkover. 

The man and I would love to return to the gyms but we don't know how safe that would be. There're stipulated government guidelines, but we don't know what precautionary measures our gyms will actually implement. My pilates and gyrotonic studios would be fine since I do one-on-one classes and the instructors are strict about hygiene, and the number of clients they see. It's Virgin Active that's going to have a huge problem. It's not just manpower and logistics of cleaning and such. It's the entire overhaul of their classes. For such a huge gym to have only five people in each group class... HA HA HA. Well. They might as well stay closed. People are going to be rather annoyed. I was thinking of ceasing the membership when my contract ends in August, but now, even with a courtesy freeze of membership till we hit Phase 3, my contract might be extended to November, and that kinda sucks if I can't go to classes because I don't want to, or I can't get a slot.  

What I really missed during lockdown 'Circuit Breaker'- heading out to the parks and beaches with the dog, and strolling about freely. I welcome the re-opening of the dog's daycare center and the dog runs in the parks. Those activities are crucial to the dog's mental health. And mine too. For now, I'm happy with seeing those stupid cordons and barriers gone from parks and benches, and such. Even the dog understands that the barriers are placed there to prevent us from going in. She keeps to the side and doesn't attempt to run to the center of the fields. Unless I brazenly step in, especially if she needs to run a few rounds to get poop out. Seeing these warning signs, stickers and plastic tape makes me angry. I'm as irritated with them as I am with people who don't know or couldn't be bothered with the concept of 'social distancing' and personal space.