Going out on dates in Singapore can already be such a chore. Now, with the mass hysteria arising due to fears of catching the coronavirus, dating is not going to be made any easier especially if your significant other is a huge germaphobe.
Though the situation is serious, there’s a massive misunderstanding with regards to its severity and whether there is an actual necessity to resort to certain extreme measures.
Just to clarify, the status of the virus on the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition(DORSCON) scale is currently at orange, meaning that despite being severe and contagious─it is still being contained, and there is no need to quarantine yourself at home. It would, however, help to avoid certain activities that have a higher risk of landing yourself an infection.
Going to the movies
Despite the ever so intimate ambience, you should avoid the cinemas for now as there could be a third party lurking around crashing your date: the novel coronavirus. Movie theatres tend to have a considerable variation of visitors throughout the day, and you don’t know the profiles of the people who have sat at the seats. If an infected individual visited the location before you, there’s a high chance that surface transmission of the virus will occur if you’re not careful with your hygiene.
To be safe, your movie dates for the next few months or so should be contained in the safety of your own homes. For a head start on what to watch, we’ve prepared a list of six brand new Netflix shows if you’re looking to spice up your life and six romantic Netflix shows to indulge in with your partner.
Make-out sessions
I know this one can be pretty hard to avoid, but the coronavirus is capable of spreading through surfaces onto the hands as well as into your body through your eyes, nose, or mouth. So at this stage—where you don’t know where your partner’s been and have no idea what kind of germs are floating around in the air―it’s best to keep all the steamy kissing related activities on pause while uncertainty is high. Keep to the mellow stuff for now―like interlocking your liberally sanitized hands.
Bowling with Bae
As seemingly harmless as it may seem, while trying to score a turkey, you might land yourself with nCov instead. Since you’re most likely to be using the bowling balls provided at the alley, there is a high likelihood that several people have put their hands all over it before you. This will hence be putting you at a higher risk of surface transmission of the virus. So―unless you’re using gloves or your own bowling balls―bowling should be kept on hold while you’re trying your best to stay clean and safe from the virus.
Rave-outs at your favourite clubs
Though it may have been a Friday night essential for most of your life, you should tone it down a notch while the virus is still dominating the dance floor. There’s bound to be a significant amount of random touching and contact that happens in the club. Plus, the music can be so blaring that you won’t even be able to differentiate between a beat drop and a person’s loud coughing. It would be a good idea to steer clear of this region for a while and stick to in-your-bed rave sessions where you can be sure no strange people are shoving their germs all up in your area.
Picnics on an early weekend morning
Health screenings have been imposed as a precautionary measure to counter the novel coronavirus. However, it is not feasible for most outdoor locations to keep track of who goes in and out of the area. Hence, going for hikes and picnics outdoors is generally more dangerous than being indoors as there is a higher risk of you being near an infected individual due to the lack of monitoring in these locations.
If the nature lover in you can’t seem to part ways with flora and fauna, you can always head down to The Gardens By the Bay exhibits such as Cloud Forest and Flower Dome where health screenings, frequent cleaning, and disinfection are conducted so that you can enjoy the scenery with peace of mind.
Having your Jay-Z and Beyoncé moment at KTV/Karaoke
You may both love to scream your hearts out and express your shared everlasting endearment, but remember that you’re not just spewing out passion, but your saliva too. This applies not only to you but to all karaoke go-ers before you, so you’re putting yourself in a position of potentially having direct transmission of the virus into your mouth if the microphone happens to touch your lips accidentally. If you can’t seem to contain the Madonna in you, home karaoke sessions with your loved ones would probably be the best option. Alternatively, you could ensure that you are issued a microphone guard before your session and avoid contact between the microphone and your mouth as much as possible.
Beach dates by the bay
Since the virus can spread through your eyes, nose, and mouth, swimming should generally be avoided since the germs could be happily floating around the sea without your knowledge and gracefully flow into your body. It is unknown how long the coronavirus can survive in the sea before being eradicated so transmission via water is largely possible. It has also been debunked that gargling saltwater will not offer you any protection so there’s really no use in gargling the salty seawater either. It would, therefore, be of your best interest to avoid submerging yourself in the ocean with your significant other for now.
All in all, greater emphasis should be placed on practising good hygiene habits and consistently ensuring that you sanitize yourself and wash your hands wherever you go. If you’re sick, don’t put yourself and others at risk by going out. Stay at home and be sure to visit the doctor if the symptoms persist.
If you can’t bear to be away from your sick partner, you should be wearing an appropriate mask (N95) to prevent yourself from falling victim to infection. Ultimately, it is of utmost importance that we ensure the health and safety of not only ourselves but also the people around us so we can all get through this challenging time together. I hope you continue to have fun with whoever it is you’re going out on a date with and stay safe and healthy while you’re at it!
Get the latest updates by following us on Twitter @hypeandstuff & Facebook Have an interesting story to share? Email us at [email protected]