Most of us might think that contracting a mysterious and highly virus contagious virus overseas would be a very scary ordeal.
We would be in a different environment and experience a different healthcare system. But this wasn’t the case for Mr Hugh Mason thanks to Singapore’s healthcare.
Well, and the fact that he’s been living here for a while.
Man Glad That He Had Covid-19 In S’pore Than the UK As S’pore Uses Resources ‘Very Wisely’
It all began when 53-year-old Mr Hugh Mason realised that he had lost his sense of smell.
“My wife was peeling an orange and I thought, that’s weird, I can’t smell it,” the 53-year-old told The Straits Times.
You know that something’s wrong when you can’t smell an orange.
Mr Mason is no stranger to Singapore. He is an adjunct associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Engineering.
He had read online that COVID-19 could be associated with a loss of smell in some cases.
Thus, he promptly went to see a doctor to be tested for the COVID-19 on Thursday. Quick thinking on his part.
He then returned home to do the socially responsible thing, which is to self-isolate while he waited for the results. The next day, he was asked to go back to the hospital for further tests.
The tests then came back positive and he was assigned a ward for COVID-19 at Singapore General Hospital on Friday.
On 10 March, he fell ill with a cold but it was only on 22 March that he developed a fever.
His 50-year-old wife also tested positive for the virus on Saturday and is being treated at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.
They have a 13-year-old son who is self-isolating at home with their helper.
“He’s fine, he’ll probably be playing video games at home all day now that there’s no one to stop him,” said Mr Mason.
Doesn’t Know Where He Caught The Virus But Grateful For SG Healthcare
The scary thing is that he doesn’t know where he was infected with the virus.
“The last time I was out of the country was Jan 21. That’s a long time ago, so I don’t think I brought it back from the United Kingdom with me,” said Mr Mason.
He is a UK citizen, who has been a permanent resident here since 2013.
He says that although he has to self-isolate for a while, there are many things to be grateful for.
He compares UK and Singapore saying that in the UK, there is a scarcity of medical resources.
He says he is extremely lucky to be here.
He said: “There’s enormous politicisation (of this healthcare crisis) in the UK. I realise there is scarcity (of medical resources) because of appallingly bad management, there’s scarcity and fear, and it brings out the worst in people.”
“(In Singapore) we still have scarce resources, but they’re being used very, very wisely. That means help is available for people who need it when they need it. I feel extremely lucky to be here.”
He also expresses gratitude that his family is being taken care of by the healthcare system in Singapore.
He added: “It’s been a very reflective time for me, being alone. I feel incredibly grateful… I realise that my family and other families here are being looked after by this system and it’s taking care of our lives.”
He said: “There is some uncertainty, but I know I couldn’t be in a better place.”
Update: As of now, Mr Mason’s sense of smell is still missing but his condition has improved. Thus far, he only has a mild cough.
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We wish him and his wife a speedy recovery. In the meantime, stay safe everyone.
And we hope he can finally smell the orange that his wife peels.