Beyond Our Control

It is without a doubt that this year will be a difficult time for all of us. COVID-19 has taken the wind out of the sails of many economies around the world. We are facing an economic downturn, to a scale unseen of in our relatively short history as a country.

Forgive me if I come across as not very thorough, as I am more comfortable behind the wheel, evaluating cars.

Indeed, it is a dark time for Singapore. Our efficient and fast-paced economy grinding to a near-standstill by something we cannot see, is certainly unthinkable for many. The last time we did experience such a situation was during SARS back in 2003.

All of us within the automotive industry are affected in one way or another. Car dealerships must remain closed, since we are trying to reduce the chances of this bug from spreading even further. Sales have ground to a halt (although dealerships are working on alternatives to keep sales trickling in), revenue is not flowing and budgets for most things, including marketing have been drastically cut. However, workshops at dealerships, and third party automotive ones will remain open, since they are an essential service; so that you can keep your car in good working condition.

For those of you who are in this very industry, my thoughts are with you. And this includes fellow media counterparts, who do the same as I, in providing the news and reviews of the latest cars to reach our shores.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has reacted logically, in stages to curb its spread, while attempting to keep the economy running, and at the same time providing us with some semblance of normalcy in our day-to-day lives. I will agree with some of you even, that yes… it is not perfect. But we must acknowledge that we are having it way better than some countries out there, where their medical emergency services have been brought to their knees; while others are plainly focusing on playing the blame game, while their very own people suffer.

It can get worse from here, so we all have to do our part in curbing this dreaded disease. Globally, the count of those infected is in the tune of 1.27 million cases, and the numbers will undoubtedly climb.

Kudos to a good job done so far. But we cannot let our efforts rest.

The “Circuit Breaker” enforced as of today, an almost red shade of DORSCON Orange if you may, is the latest step-up in curbing the spread of the CoronaVirus. Schools are closed, and so are non-essential workplaces. Simply-put, we cannot, and should not mingle.

With this situation, businesses are adapting, including our parent, Carousell, to ensure that there are still ways to do what we do best.

This situation may be beyond our control… But there are things that we can do, to keep our spirits up.

What happens to the world at large may be beyond our control. But we can control what we have, within our homes.

If you have children who are schooling, spend time looking at their work and how they go about doing things, this is a good time to help them grow, by teaching them to fill in the gaps.

Take necessary steps to stay clean. Pack your car with hand sanitisers, wipes and even face masks. They can come in handy when you are headed out to get supplies.

Take the time to build or rebuild relationships. Learn something new. Resources like Youtube, and even Facebook are excellent channels for learning.

Some personalities, like chefs, and even local comedian Selena Tan, of Dim Sum Dolly fame are known to share their recipes and techniques. While others like our very own talented Jazz musician, Jeremy Monteiro have hosted watch parties on his Facebook feed, together with his musician friends to keep us entertained.

Media portals are available to keep you informed of developments, and at the same time to entertain you. As for us, like our fellow automotive channels, we will still be here to bring you what is new within the automotive industry

Stay clean, and try to be patient in these trying times.

And before I end...

1. When shopping for supplies at the supermarket or grocery store, take only what you need.

2. Return to the shelves, items you do not need, instead of leaving them elsewhere. Perishables will not last out in the open. Food resources are precious.

3. Refrain from swapping out individual pre-packed items like eggs and fruit (it should never be done at all in the first place). In-fact, do call out those whom you come across doing that. We cannot afford any chance of this or any other disease to spread

4. Return your shopping trolleys and baskets.

5. Learn to be more patient with others, they too have their own anxieties and are trying to cope, just like you.

6. Bring your own containers if you are buying takeout from hawkers, they may have a shortage of containers. But remind them to wash their hands after handling your container.

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