Other than makers of face masks, hand sanitisers, toilet paper and instant noodles, it is hard to think of anyone who’s not been affected adversely by this global virus scare.

Every day, my inbox is filled with news of events being cancelled or postponed – the biggest one of which was the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which said it had to cancel because it had become “impossible” to stage the event following pullouts from exhibitors and attendees. In Singapore, EmTech Asia has been postponed from this month to June.

I suspect this is only the beginning of things to come as fear spreads and countries start slapping arbitrary restrictions on travel. It’s been a confusing time for everyone. Singapore was the first to put restrictions on travellers from China. Thailand has kept its doors open. This week, Sarawak ruled that arrivals from Singapore will have to be quarantined for 14 days at home. Qatar and Kuwait have issued travel advisories on Singapore.

And spare a thought for those poor cruise passengers onboard MS Westerdam who were turned away from five places – Thailand, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines and Japan – before being allowed to disembark in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. And those passengers onboard the Diamond Princess quarantined in the port of Yokohama.

For the first time in my life, I am wondering if my right to travel will be taken away from me because I live in the hot spot of Singapore, the second most affected place by the coronavirus (to date), and whose government has raised the alert level to Orange.

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