Gahmen needs to come clean on those cases classified as "work permit holders not residing in domintories"

jw5 · Dec 3, 2021

from MOH report 2 December 2021:

TWO IMPORTED COVID-19 CASES TESTED PRELIMINARILY POSITIVE FOR OMICRON VARIANT

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected two imported COVID-19 cases who have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant on 2 December. Both cases were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community. There is currently no evidence of any community transmission from these cases.

2. The cases are currently recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Both are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat.

3. Both cases arrived from Johannesburg on board SQ479 on 1 December.

a. Case 271487 is a 44 year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident who arrived in Singapore from Mozambique, transiting through Johannesburg. His pre-departure test in Mozambique on 29 November was negative for COVID-19 infection.

b. Case 271598 is a 41 year-old female Singaporean who arrived in Singapore from South Africa on 1 December. Her pre-departure test in Johannesburg on 29 November was negative for COVID-19 infection.

4. They had undergone a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival in Singapore, and were immediately conveyed to a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) dedicated facility to be isolated while awaiting their test results. Upon confirmation of COVID-19 infection, they were conveyed to NCID.

5. Their PCR test results have revealed the presence of S-gene Target Failure which may be associated with the Omicron variant. The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing to confirm the variant.

Contact tracing is ongoing, close contacts to be tested and quarantined

6. Contact tracing is ongoing. All 19 other passengers who came in on the same flight have tested negative for COVID-19 infection. These individuals were all quarantined under SHN at designated facilities upon arrival and are subjected to a testing regime which includes an on-arrival PCR test and a SHN exit PCR test.

7. Other close contacts of these cases, if any, will be placed on 10-day quarantine at designated facilities and undergo PCR tests at the start and end of their quarantine. All patients suspected or confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant will be conveyed to NCID for isolation and clinical management. Home recovery will not apply.

8. It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

2 DECEMBER 2021

jw5 · Dec 4, 2021

from MOH report 2 December 2021:

Summary of local situation

991 cases remain warded in hospital. 194 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 9 are unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 60 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 56.4%.
Over the last 28 days, of the 55,935 infected individuals, 98.7% had no or mild symptoms, 0.9% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.2% were in the ICU, and 0.2% has died.
As of 1 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 27% has received their booster shots.
Over the past day, 2,056 cases were discharged, of whom 332 are seniors aged 60 years and above. 1,101 new cases of COVID-19 infection were detected, with 1,050 in the community, 41 in the migrant worker dormitories and 10 imported cases. The weekly infection growth rate is 0.70.
As announced earlier this evening, MOH has detected two imported COVID-19 cases who have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant on 2 December. Both are fully vaccinated and experiencing mild symptoms. They were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community. There is currently no evidence of any community transmission from these cases.

Situation at Hospitals

1. As of 2 December 2021, 194 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 9 are unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 60 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 56.4%.

Figure 1: Daily Adult ICU Bed Utilisation

Status of Patients

2. Over the last 28 days, 98.7% of local infected cases were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, 0.9% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1% were unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 0.1% had been critically ill and intubated in the ICU.

Figure 2: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Severity of Condition1

3. Seniors 60 years old and above, especially if unvaccinated, continue to be more adversely affected by COVID-19:

Figure 3: Patients Needing Oxygen Supplementation, ICU Care or Died2, by Age Groups

Vaccination

4. As of 1 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/ received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 27% has received their booster shots.

5. Over the past 7 days, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are at 0.5 and 4.2 per 100,000 population respectively. Over the same period, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who died are 0.1 and 0.5 per 100,000 population respectively. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 2.0 and 37.7 respectively. The number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.3 and 4.8 respectively.

Figure 4: 7-Day Moving Average of Number of Deaths and Active Cases in ICU, per 100,000 Population by Vaccination Status3

Inflow and Outflow of Cases

6. Over the past day, 2,056 cases were discharged, of whom 332 are seniors aged 60 years and above.

7. As of 2 December 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health has detected a total of 1,101 new cases of COVID-19 infection, comprising 1,050 community cases, 41 dormitory resident cases and 10 imported cases. Amongst the community cases today are 155 seniors who are aged 60 years and above. The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before is 0.70.

8. 9 more cases, aged between 56 and 99 years, have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. All of them had various underlying medical conditions.

9. As announced earlier this evening, MOH has detected two imported COVID-19 cases who have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant on 2 December. Both cases were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community. There is currently no evidence of any community transmission from these cases. The cases are currently recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Both are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat.

10. Contact tracing is ongoing. All 19 other passengers who came in on the same flight have tested negative for COVID-19 infection.

Figure 5: Number of Community Cases by Age

Figure 6: Week-on-week Infection Ratio4

11. Please refer to MOH’s daily Situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report) for details.

[1] Includes only new cases reported in the past 28 days. Based on cases’ worst-ever condition; deceased cases previously in ICU are counted under ‘Deceased’ and not under ‘Ever Critically ill and Intubated in ICU’.

[2] May differ from the deaths reported for the day as the latter includes those who have passed on earlier, but whose cause of death was investigated and confirmed only later, e.g. Coroner’s cases.

[3] Non-fully vaccinated comprises persons who are partially vaccinated and completely unvaccinated.

[4] Ratio of community cases in the past week over the week before.

jw5 · Dec 4, 2021

from MOH report 3 December 2021:

Since the emergence of the Omicron variant of concern, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) has announced travel restrictions for affected countries/regions1 and enhanced our testing regime for travellers, including air travellers arriving via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL).

2. Since then, a growing number of countries/regions have reported Omicron cases. Singapore is no exception. We have preliminarily detected two imported COVID-19 cases with the Omicron variant. They are both fully vaccinated, experiencing mild symptoms, and currently recovering at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing to confirm the Omicron variant. All other passengers who came into Singapore on the same flight have tested negative for COVID-19 on arrival and are quarantined under SHN at designated facilities. They will undergo PCR tests at the end of their SHN.

3. We expect to see more Omicron cases being reported globally in the weeks to come. We are coordinating with health authorities globally to study and understand the Omicron variant. While we do so, we will further augment our testing regime for travellers. Should the Omicron variant be more transmissible than Delta and become the globally dominant variant over time, it is a matter of time before it establishes itself in Singapore. But the additional measures will help to buy time to learn more about dealing with Omicron, and to continue with our booster programme to strengthen our collective resilience for better protection against this new variant.

Update on Assessment of Omicron Variant

4. As of 2 December 2021, the Omicron variant has been detected in at least 28 other countries, mainly from persons with recent travel history to southern Africa. There is currently no evidence to suggest that symptoms associated with the Omicron variant are different or more severe than those of other variants, or that current vaccines and therapeutics would be ineffective against Omicron. More data and further studies are needed to verify this.

5. We have also been closely monitoring studies on the sensitivity of Antigen Rapid Tests (ARTs) to the Omicron variant. Preliminary validation by the manufacturers show that ARTs remain effective in detecting COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant, and laboratories are doing further biochemical tests to confirm these results. These initial results lend confidence that ARTs remain effective as a method of detecting COVID-19, including Omicron cases.

Updates to Border Measures

Review of Country/Region Classifications

6. Due to the situation in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and Poland, these countries will be placed in Category III from 6 December 2021, 2359 hours.

Expansion of Travel Restrictions to Additional Affected Countries/Regions

7. To further step up our precautionary stance amidst growing transmissions of Omicron globally, we will extend travel restrictions to more countries which have seen a spike in Omicron cases. From 4 December 2021, 2359 hours, all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter Singapore, or transfer/ transit through Singapore. This restriction will apply to those who have obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore. We will apply these restrictions for four weeks in the first instance, after which we will review and extend them if necessary.

Self-Administered ART for Travellers on Vaccinated Travel Lanes

8. Currently, all VTL travellers entering Singapore by air are to take an On-Arrival PCR test, followed by supervised ART tests on Days 3 and 7. We will augment this testing regime with effect from 6 December 2021, 2359 hours.

9. The enhanced ART protocol draws reference from the prevailing Health Protocol 3 which is in place for all who are identified as close contacts of an infected person. Essentially, besides the Pre-Departure and On-Arrival Tests, all travellers on VTL will be put on a daily testing regime over 7 days using ART. The tests are all self-administered, and travellers will be required to submit the results of their self-administered ART online using a link which will be sent to them via their declared contact details after arrival in Singapore. However, on Days 3 and 7, the tests will have to be done under supervision at a Combined Test Centre (CTC) or Quick Test Centre (QTC).2 Day 3 is the median incubation period, and Day 7 is the day of exit from this testing protocol. During this 7-day period, other than on days when they go out for their supervised tests, these travellers must test negative on their self-administered ART before going out for activities on that day.

10. The above 7-day enhanced ART protocols will also apply to travellers arriving from Malaysia via VTL-Land from 6 December 2021, 2359 hours. The additional measures will further enhance the current testing protocols for VTL-Land, which include a Pre-Departure Test and an On-Arrival ART.

11. The testing regime for all VTL travellers from 6 December 2021, 2359 hours3 is summarised in Table 1 below. This enhanced testing regime will remain in place for four weeks in the first instance, i.e. until 2 January 2022, 2359 hours.

Table 1: Testing regime for VTL travellers (dates illustrative based on arrival on 7 December 2021)

Day	Date	Test
Within 2 days before departure	On or after 5 December 2021	Pre-Departure PCR test or ART
1 (arrival)	7 December 2021	On-Arrival PCR test (for VTL-Air) or ART (for VTL-Land)
2	8 December 2021	Unsupervised self-administered ART*
3	9 December 2021	Supervised self-administered ART at QTC/CTC^
4	10 December 2021	Unsupervised self-administered ART*
5	11 December 2021	Unsupervised self-administered ART*
6	12 December 2021	Unsupervised self-administered ART*
7	13 December 2021	Supervised self-administered ART at QTC/CTC^

*Results to be submitted online.

Regular Review of Border Measures

12. The full set of Safe Travel Lanes for travel to Singapore and prevailing border measures under each lane for different categories will be updated on the SafeTravel website. Not all lanes may utilise the Category I/II/III/IV health measure framework. Travellers are advised to visit the website to check the latest border measures for the associated country or region before entering Singapore, and be prepared to be subjected to the prevailing border measures upon entry into Singapore.

13. All travellers are reminded to accurately declare their travel history. Strict enforcement actions will be taken against false declarations.

Being Prepared to Respond Nimbly to Omicron

14. Our tightened border measures will help to limit importation and onward transmission of Omicron cases as we continue to study the variant’s characteristics. However, given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more cases at our borders and, in time to come, also within our community. We will press on with our booster programme to best prepare our community for any eventuality. We will monitor and evaluate data on the Omicron variant as it emerges and need to remain nimble in our responses. We seek Singaporeans’ understanding and support in the coming weeks as we will need to introduce or change our measures at short notice, in response to the fluid situation.

Annex A

[1] Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Please refer to the Press Release on 26 November 2021.

[2] VTL travellers will be provided with a link via their contact details submitted in the Singapore Arrival Card and electronic Health Declaration Card (SGAC/eHDC) to book their supervised tests on Days 3 and 7. Bookings will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

[3] Travellers who have entered Singapore between 3 December 2021 and 6 December 2021 (inclusive) are not required to undergo the self-administered ARTs on Days 2, 4, 5 and 6 of their arrival, but will continue to be required to take the supervised self-administered ARTs at QTCs or CTCs on Days 3 and 7 of their arrival.

jw5 · Dec 4, 2021

from MOH report 3 December 2021:

Summary of local situation

931 cases remain warded in hospital. 183 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 13 are unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 50 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 57.3%.
Over the last 28 days, of the 54,927 infected individuals, 98.7% had no or mild symptoms, 0.9% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.2% were in the ICU, and 0.2% has died.
As of 2 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 27% has received their booster shots.
Over the past day, 1,393 cases were discharged, of whom 215 are seniors aged 60 years and above. 766 new cases of COVID-19 infection were detected, with 738 in the community, 11 in the migrant worker dormitories and 17 imported cases. The weekly infection growth rate is 0.71.

Situation at Hospitals

1. As of 3 December 2021, 183 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 13 are unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 50 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 57.3%.

Figure 1: Daily Adult ICU Bed Utilisation

Status of Patients

2. Over the last 28 days, 98.7% of local infected cases were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, 0.9% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1% were unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 0.1% had been critically ill and intubated in the ICU.

Figure 2: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Severity of Condition1

3. Seniors 60 years old and above, especially if unvaccinated, continue to be more adversely affected by COVID-19:

Figure 3: Patients Needing Oxygen Supplementation, ICU Care or Died2, by Age Groups

Vaccination

4. As of 2 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/ received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 27% has received their booster shots.

5. Over the past 7 days, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are at 0.5 and 4.1 per 100,000 population respectively. Over the same period, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who died are 0.1 and 0.5 per 100,000 population respectively. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 2.0 and 36.5 respectively. The number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.3 and 5.6 respectively.

Figure 4: 7-Day Moving Average of Number of Deaths and Active Cases in ICU, per 100,000 Population by Vaccination Status3

Inflow and Outflow of Cases

6. Over the past day, 1,393 cases were discharged, of whom 215 are seniors aged 60 years and above.

7. As of 3 December 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health has detected a total of 766 new cases of COVID-19 infection, comprising 738 community cases, 11 dormitory resident cases and 17 imported cases. Amongst the community cases today are 97 seniors who are aged 60 years and above. The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before is 0.71.

8. 9 more cases, aged between 67 and 98 years, have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. All of them had various underlying medical conditions.

Figure 5: Number of Community Cases by Age

Figure 6: Week-on-week Infection Ratio4

9. We are closely monitoring the cluster listed below, which has already been ringfenced through tracing, testing and isolation.

Figure 7: Large Clusters with New Cases

Cluster	New Cases	Total5	Remarks
Jenaris Home @ Pelangi Village	2	128	Transmission amongst staff and residents. Of the 128 cases, 2 are staff and 126 are residents.

10. Please refer to MOH's daily Situation Report (http://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report) for details.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
3 DECEMBER 2021

[1]Includes only new cases reported in the past 28 days. Based on cases' worst-ever condition; deceased cases previously in ICU are counted under 'Deceased' and not under 'Ever Critically ill and Intubated in ICU'.
[2] May differ from the deaths reported for the day as the latter includes those who have passed on earlier, but whose cause of death was investigated and confirmed only later, e.g. Coroner's cases.
[3] Non-fully vaccinated comprises persons who are partially vaccinated and completely unvaccinated.
[4] Ratio of community cases in the past week over the week before.
[5] Includes new cases added today.

jw5 · Dec 5, 2021

from MOH report 3 December 2021:

A video posted by Goh Meng Seng on 27 November 2021 on various online locations on Facebook contained false and egregious claims about the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. In particular, there is currently no basis to conclude that:

(i) The COVID-19 and HIV viruses could combine and become another air-borne virus; and

(ii) Omicron is vaccine-resistant, and vaccines are totally useless against it.

2. The Minister for Health has instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office to issue a Correction Direction to Goh Meng Seng for these falsehoods. Goh is required to publish the correction notices as specified by POFMA Office for each Facebook post containing the falsehoods.

Corrections and clarifications on falsehoods regarding COVID-19 and the Omicron variant in Facebook posts by Goh Meng Seng

3. The Facebook post is misleading and seeks to sow public confusion about the COVID-19 virus as well as mistrust of COVID-19 vaccines in stating that:

i. The COVID-19 and HIV viruses could combine and become another virus which has the characteristics of the HIV and COVID-19 viruses;
ii. The COVID-19 and HIV viruses could combine in a fully vaccinated patient to become an airborne HIV virus which is vaccine resistant;
iii. It has been scientifically established that the Omicron variant is most probably the combination of the HIV and COVID-19 viruses, which combination had happened before 4 June 2021; and
iv. The currently available vaccines are totally useless against the Omicron variant.

4. These claims are false and without any scientific basis. Genetic recombination (that is, the exchange of genetic information) of viruses is known to occur only in genetically related viruses. The HIV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses are not related, and it is implausible in biological terms that these viruses can undergo genetic recombination. To date, there is also no scientific evidence that such a recombination between HIV and SARS-CoV-2 has occurred, contrary to Goh’s assertion.

5. The claim that HIV might become transmissible by droplets in the air is also unfounded. Viruses simply do not change drastically enough to take on vastly different properties. HIV is transmitted via bodily fluids, e.g., blood, semen, or vaginal secretions, and will remain to be so.

6. There is simply no scientific evidence to make the claim that the Omicron variant is a combination of the HIV and COVID-19 viruses.

7. There is no evidence to suggest that the currently available COVID-19 vaccines are totally useless against the Omicron variant.

8. Studies are ongoing, and there is currently insufficient data on how the Omicron variant affects vaccine effectiveness. Most scientists believe that existing vaccines will retain some effectiveness against the Omicron variant, but protection may be less due to the large number of mutations in the Omicron variant.

9. For facts of the case, please refer to the Factually article “Corrections and Clarifications on falsehoods regarding content about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant in a Facebook post by Goh Meng Seng” at https://www.gov.sg/article/factually031221”.

10. The Government takes a serious view of these falsehoods and a police report has been made in relation to the video.

11. We advise members of the public not to speculate and/or spread misinformation which may cause public alarm, and to refer to credible sources of information instead. Please visit www.moh.gov.sg for the latest information on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccinations.

jw5 · Dec 6, 2021

from MOH report 4 December 2021:

Summary of local situation

893 cases remain warded in hospital. 179 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 4 are unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 54 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 54.7%.
Over the last 28 days, of the 52,628 infected individuals, 98.7% had no or mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.2% were in the ICU, and 0.2% has died.
As of 3 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.
Over the past day, 1,521 cases were discharged, of whom 226 are seniors aged 60 years and above. 743 new cases of COVID-19 infection were detected, with 707 in the community, 24 in the migrant worker dormitories and 12 imported cases. The weekly infection growth rate is 0.63.

Situation at Hospitals

1. As of 4 December 2021, 179 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 4 are unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 54 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 54.7%.

Figure 1: Daily Adult ICU Bed Utilisation

Status of Patients

2. Over the last 28 days, 98.7% of local infected cases were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1% were unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 0.1% had been critically ill and intubated in the ICU.

Figure 2: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Severity of Condition1

3. Seniors 60 years old and above, especially if unvaccinated, continue to be more adversely affected by COVID-19:

Figure 3: Patients Needing Oxygen Supplementation, ICU Care or Died2, by Age Groups

Vaccination

4. As of 3 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/ received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.

5. Over the past 7 days, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are at 0.5 and 4.0 per 100,000 population respectively. Over the same period, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who died are 0.1 and 0.5 per 100,000 population respectively. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 2.0 and 35.2 respectively. The number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.3 and 5.4 respectively.

Figure 4: 7-Day Moving Average of Number of Deaths and Active Cases in ICU, per 100,000 Population by Vaccination Status3

Inflow and Outflow of Cases

6. Over the past day, 1,521 cases were discharged, of whom 226 are seniors aged 60 years and above.

7. As of 4 December 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health has detected a total of 743 new cases of COVID-19 infection, comprising 707 community cases, 24 dormitory resident cases and 12 imported cases. Amongst the community cases today are 116 seniors who are aged 60 years and above. The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before is 0.63.

8. 2 more cases, both aged 70 years, have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. They had various underlying medical conditions.

Figure 5: Number of Community Cases by Age

Figure 6: Week-on-week Infection Ratio4

9. We are closely monitoring the cluster listed below, which has already been ringfenced through tracing, testing and isolation.

Figure 7: Large Clusters with New Cases

Cluster	New Cases	Total5	Remarks
THK Home For Disabled @ Sembawang	4	19	Transmission amongst residents. Of the 19 cases, all are residents.

10. Please refer to MOH’s daily Situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report) for details.

[1] Includes only new cases reported in the past 28 days. Based on cases’ worst-ever condition; deceased cases previously in ICU are counted under ‘Deceased’ and not under ‘Ever Critically ill and Intubated in ICU’.

[2] May differ from the deaths reported for the day as the latter includes those who have passed on earlier, but whose cause of death was investigated and confirmed only later, e.g. Coroner’s cases.

[3] Non-fully vaccinated comprises persons who are partially vaccinated and completely unvaccinated.

[4] Ratio of community cases in the past week over the week before.

[5] Includes new cases added today.

jw5 · Dec 6, 2021

from MOH report 5 December 2021:

At the Multi-Ministry Taskforce press conference on 30 November, it was explained that the Omicron variant is an unknown threat. That is why measures were immediately taken to reduce the risk of the variant establishing itself in our community, while the Ministry of Health (MOH) works with its international counterparts to find out more about the variant. Over the past several days, MOH has been reviewing reports from South Africa and other countries that have reported COVID-19 cases with the Omicron variant, and has actively engaged scientific experts in various affected countries to obtain first-hand information. This press release updates our understanding of the Omicron variant, even while many questions remain with no clear answers.

2. Antigen rapid tests (ART). We have been closely monitoring studies on the sensitivity of ARTs to the Omicron variant. The analysis so far has indicated that, in addition to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, ARTs are also effective as a method of detecting COVID-19 infection, including Omicron cases. Testing therefore remains key to our early detection and initial containment of transmission.

3. Transmissibility. Early clinical observations from South Africa and globally suggest that the variant may have increased transmissibility. It may also be associated with a higher risk of re-infection, compared to the Delta and Beta variants. This means that there is a higher likelihood of individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 to be re-infected with the Omicron variant.

4. Severity. Cases who have been detected around the world have mostly displayed mild symptoms, and no Omicron-related deaths have been reported so far. Common symptoms reported include sore throat, tiredness and cough.

5. In particular, while there were more Omicron-related hospitalisations among young adults and children in South Africa, this could be contributed by two factors. First, high infection rates amongst the population. Second, there have been reports that these are also due to existing patients who were being hospitalised for non-COVID-19 related illnesses being tested positive for the Omicron variant, and the patients mostly experienced mild symptoms.

6. Having said that, it is early days to conclude on the severity of the disease. The outbreak was first detected in a University town with a younger demographic. According to the South African health experts, any hospitalisation stays for this demographic thus far have been short, of about one to two days. In the coming weeks, we will need to obtain more information about infections in older individuals to assess if the variant is more severe than the Delta variant.

7. Vaccinations. There is an emerging view amongst scientists around the world that existing COVID-19 vaccines will still work on the Omicron variant, especially in protecting people against severe illness. However, studies on vaccine effectiveness for infection and severe disease compared to previous variants are ongoing. More information on the variant’s biological behaviour is expected to become available in the coming weeks. In the meantime, there is strong scientific consensus that we should take our vaccinations and boosters to protect ourselves against any existing and future variants of COVID-19.

8. We expect to see more Omicron cases being reported globally in the weeks to come, and we must expect to detect more cases at our borders and, in time to come, also within our community. MOH will continue to coordinate with health authorities globally to study and understand the Omicron variant, so as to develop the best possible response. We seek everyone’s cooperation to exercise social responsibility and adhere to the Safe Management Measures (SMMs). If you are offered a vaccination or booster dose, please also come forward and get vaccinated.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
5 DECEMBER 2021

jw5 · Dec 6, 2021

from MOH report 5 December 2021:

Summary of local situation

· 863 cases remain warded in hospital. 155 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 6 are unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 52 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 51.2%.

· Over the last 28 days, of the 50,617 infected individuals, 98.7% had no or mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.2% were in the ICU, and 0.2% has died.

· As of 4 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.

· Over the past day, 1,518 cases were discharged, of whom 242 are seniors aged 60 years and above. 552 new cases of COVID-19 infection were detected, with 523 in the community, 14 in the migrant worker dormitories and 15 imported cases. The weekly infection growth rate is 0.66.

· The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected one more imported COVID-19 case who has tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The case is fully vaccinated, and has mild symptoms. He had not interacted in the community, and there is currently no evidence of any community transmission from the case.

SITUATION AT HOSPITALS

1. As of 5 December 2021, 155 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 6 are unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 52 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 51.2%.

Figure 1: Daily Adult ICU Bed Utilisation

STATUS OF PATIENTS

2. Over the last 28 days, 98.7% of local infected cases were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1% were unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 0.1% had been critically ill and intubated in the ICU.

Figure 2: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Severity of Condition1

3. Seniors 60 years old and above, especially if unvaccinated, continue to be more adversely affected by COVID-19:

Figure 3: Patients Needing Oxygen Supplementation, ICU Care or Died2, by Age Groups

Vaccination

4. As of 4 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/ received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.

5. Over the past 7 days, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are at 0.6 and 3.9 per 100,000 population respectively. Over the same period, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who died are 0.1 and 0.6 per 100,000 population respectively. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 2.0 and 34.2 respectively. The number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.3 and 6.2 respectively.

Figure 4: 7-Day Moving Average of Number of Deaths and Active Cases in ICU, per 100,000 Population by Vaccination Status3

Inflow and Outflow of Cases

6. Over the past day, 1,518 cases were discharged, of whom 242 are seniors aged 60 years and above.

7. As of 5 December 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health has detected a total of 552 new cases of COVID-19 infection, comprising 523 community cases, 14 dormitory resident cases and 15 imported cases. Amongst the community cases today are 89 seniors who are aged 60 years and above. The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before is 0.66.

8. 13 more cases, aged between 52 and 96 years, have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. All of them had various underlying medical conditions.

Figure 5: Number of Community Cases by Age

Figure 6: Week-on-week Infection Ratio4

9. We are closely monitoring the cluster listed below, which has already been ringfenced through tracing, testing and isolation.

Figure 7: Large Clusters with New Cases

Cluster	New Cases	Total5	Remarks
THK Home For Disabled@ Sembawang	25	44	Transmission amongst staff and residents. Of the 44 cases, 1 is a staff and 43 are residents.

Update on Omicron variant

10. MOH has detected one more imported COVID-19 case who has tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The case is currently recovering in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). He is fully vaccinated, and has mild symptoms of fever and sore throat. He had not interacted in the community, and there is currently no evidence of any community transmission from the case.

11. Case 273611 is a 37 year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident who arrived in Singapore from South Africa on board SQ479 on 1 December, and was on the same flight as Cases 271487 and 2719586. His pre-departure test in Johannesburg on 29 November was negative for COVID-19 infection. Upon arrival in Singapore, he was isolated at a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) dedicated facility, and his polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on 1 and 3 December came back negative. On 4 December, he developed a fever and sore throat and was conveyed to NCID, where he tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing to confirm the variant.

12. All 18 other passengers on the flight have tested negative for COVID-19 infection and are isolated at designated SHN facilities.

13. Please refer to MOH’s daily Situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report) for details.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
5 DECEMBER 2021

[1] Includes only new cases reported in the past 28 days. Based on cases’ worst-ever condition; deceased cases previously in ICU are counted under ‘Deceased’ and not under ‘Ever Critically ill and Intubated in ICU’.
[2] May differ from the deaths reported for the day as the latter includes those who have passed on earlier, but whose cause of death was investigated and confirmed only later, e.g. Coroner’s cases.
[3] Non-fully vaccinated comprises persons who are partially vaccinated and completely unvaccinated.
[4] Ratio of community cases in the past week over the week before.
[5] Includes new cases added today.
[6] MOH announced on 2 December that Cases 271487 and 271958 had tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The confirmatory test results are pending.

jw5 · Dec 6, 2021

from MOH report 6 December 2021:

Updated Guidelines for Volunteer Management During COVID-19 Pandemic

On 20 November 2021, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) announced that we are in a better position to proceed with further easing of our community Safe Management Measures (SMMs), in a careful and calibrated manner, and exit the Stabilisation Phase into a Transition Phase. This will take effect from 22 November 2021 and will remain in effect until otherwise advised1.
This document provides guidance to individuals and organisations on their volunteering activities during the Transition Phase.

Approach for Transition Phase
Volunteers continue to play a key role in the fight against COVID-19. Their activities include promoting social responsibility, supporting essential services and caring for the vulnerable segments.
During the Transition Phase, Volunteer Host Organisations (VHOs)2 can continue to enlist volunteers to support essential aid distribution (i.e. supplies necessary for daily sustenance e.g. cooked food and food rations, and urgent financial aid). With the tightening measures, volunteering associated with non-essential services will be suspended.
For new activities involving essential aid distribution, VHOs should plan the modality to adhere with the prevailing safe management measures and submit to National Council of Social Service (NCSS) the following information of the activities via www.go.gov.sg/distributioncontact at least 3 working days before VHOs commence activities3.

a, Name of VHO
b. Person-in-charge and contact details
c. List of staff and volunteers
d. Number of beneficiaries served
e. Type of essential aid (e.g. cooked meals, personal care products, vouchers)
f. Modality and frequency of essential aid distribution
g. Number of staff/volunteers needed to distribute essential aid
Apart from essential aid distribution, VHOs can also respond to other community needs so long as these activities adhere to safe management measures and guidelines for the specific sector4. Plans on essential aid distribution should also be submitted to NCSS.
VHOs can conduct volunteer activities in groups of five persons with no inter-mingling between groups, and in accordance with safe management measures and sector guidelines. VHOs should also collaborate and coordinate with partners to minimise duplicative efforts, and reduce the movement of staff and volunteers and physical interactions. Avoid general outreach and door-to-door visitation, except for cases in need of urgent aid5.
Volunteers are strongly encouraged to complete the full COVID-19 vaccination regime before volunteering for an activity. Volunteers should adhere to all safe management measures and vaccination requirements as required by the VHO. This is to minimise the risk of transmission between volunteers and vulnerable service users.

Notwithstanding the above, VHOs are strongly encouraged to carry out their volunteering activities remotely or in virtual format wherever possible, e.g. via telephone and video-conference. This is still the best way to keep our volunteers and beneficiaries safe. See Table 1 for a summary of the approach for volunteering activities.

Table 1: Summary of the approach for volunteering activities

Volunteering Activities	Approach
a. Volunteering activities supporting essential aid distribution	Inform NCSS via this link www.go.gov.sg/distributioncontact, and adhere to safe management measures
b. Volunteering activities to support other essential community needs	Conduct volunteer activities, involving groups of up to any five persons, with no inter-mingling across groups, and adhere to safe management measures

Assess risk and apply safe management measures

VHOs must conduct volunteer activity risk assessment to assess the format for the activity and deployment of volunteers (See Annex A for an illustration).
Should face-to-face interactions be necessary for volunteering activities, VHOs must ensure compliance with safe management measures. These measures include:

a. As a default, measures should be put in place to ensure that individuals maintain safe distancing of at least one metre at all times;
b.Where not feasible or practical to apply one metre safe distancing between individuals, this one metre requirement should be enforced between groups, with each group made up of no more than five persons, and with no mixing between groups.
c. Ensure no cross deployment or social mixing among different groups of volunteers and schedule their volunteer activities, if possible, in fixed teams, to minimise interactions between volunteers and staff.
d. Ensure staff and volunteers wear a mask at all times. Staff and volunteers should not participate if unwell.
e. Encourage staff and volunteers to observe good personal hygiene, e.g. wash their hands regularly and refrain from touching their face.
f. Avoid involving children, persons with chronic or underlying conditions, and pregnant women as volunteers. However, these individuals can take on virtual volunteer roles that allow them to operate from home.
g. Limit the number and physical movement of staff and volunteers involved to minimise the risk of transmission. Implement staggered working and break hours and timings of volunteering sessions to reduce possible congregation at common spaces. Keep a register and track movement using a movement log, in order to facilitate contact tracing, if necessary.
h. Reduce frequency and duration of physical interactions with beneficiaries, e.g. consolidate essential aid to be delivered to reduce the number of physical trips and avoid physical interactions by leaving supplies at the door. If there is a need to check on the beneficiaries, volunteers to maintain at least 1m safe distance. For beneficiaries who are seniors, deliver essential aid to their doorstep as far as possible, so that they do not have to venture out to do collection.
i. Where it is not feasible to arrange for delivery, designated collection points can also be set up in the vicinity for beneficiaries to collect the essential aid with the necessary precautionary measures to ensure safe management. Buffet set-ups are strictly prohibited. Volunteers must not congregate and should minimise physical interaction with beneficiaries.
j. Enable contact tracing to be carried out quickly and effectively by using the TraceTogether-only SafeEntry system to log the check-in and check-out of staff and volunteers from premises. Visit https://www.tracetogether.gov.sg for TraceTogether-only SafeEntry, and to refer to the user guidelines and FAQs. Upon registration, an onboarding guide with links to all the key resources, digital posters, step-by-step user guides and demo videos will be provided.
k. Require staff and volunteers to download and activate the TraceTogether app. This will help MOH to more quickly identify potential close contacts of COVID-19 patients and reduce disease transmission. Data recorded by TraceTogether is stored on the user’s phone, and is only uploaded when required by MOH, e.g. when the user is suspected to have COVID-19. More information on TraceTogether can be found at www.tracetogether.gov.sg.

Ensure safety and well-being of volunteers
VHOs must continue to ensure the safety and well-being of their volunteers. The volunteers should be informed about the risks, and the measures taken by the VHO to protect them. This can include a briefing on the volunteer activity and precautionary measures, and shall be conducted remotely online, where possible. VHOs are to provide a contact number for volunteers to call in case of emergency or if they feel distressed. VHOs shall also actively seek feedback from volunteers and help to address their concerns, if any.
Even with safe management measures and gradual resumption of activities, there is a risk that COVID-19 transmission may happen. VHOs must be prepared to help volunteers who have contracted COVID-19 in the line of duty. This can include helping them to apply for relief under The Courage Fund6, and to extend support for their families during this period of time. VHOs should also provide emotional support to any volunteer who needs it, and can tap on the National Care hotline.
VHOs should also find ways to show their appreciation for their volunteers’ efforts, which can include sharing positive stories through the SG Cares App, providing words of encouragement, and tokens of appreciation.

Sustain engagement of supporters and volunteers
VHOs are strongly encouraged to continue to communicate and engage their supporters and volunteers during this period even if they are not deployed. This will allow VHOs to activate volunteer resources quickly when the situation improves. Activities by VHOs can include doing the following remotely:
a. Keep supporters informed of the current happenings and initiatives
b. Share stories to motivate volunteers to step up;
c. Encourage creative and safe ways to volunteer, both remotely and on-site;
d. Build online communities and social networks; and
e. Leverage online volunteer opportunities portals, communication tools and learning resources (See Annex B for a list of resources).
These measures will be revised in tandem with future adjustments in MOH’s guidelines. Depending on the risk assessment and our safe management practices, MCCY will issue further advisories to guide VHOs on the management and deployment of volunteers. We need to remain cautious and stay safe as long as the risk of COVID-19 transmission remains.

Working Together to Emerge Stronger
The community and volunteers shape a caring and united Singapore. With everyone playing their part and supporting each other, we can overcome this pandemic and emerge stronger.

For Enquires
For clarifications or enquires, VHOs can write in to [email protected].

1 Refer to https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/resuming-our-transition-towards-covid-resilience
2 VHOs refer to organisations that involve volunteers in their activities such as Social Service Agencies (SSAs), ground up groups, religious organisations and other community groups.
3 Refer to MSF Advisory on Essential Aid Distribution Amid COVID-19 (22 November 2021)
4 For sector specific guidelines, refer to http://covid.gobusiness.gov.sg/safemanagement/sector/
5 Should there be a need to conduct home visits, limit visits to not more than five persons at any one time, with a cap of five distinct visitors per household per day in accordance with MOH’s guidelines on household visits from 22 November 2021. During the home visits, maintain at least 1m distance from the beneficiary and limit each visit to ≤1 hour. Staff/volunteers should don surgical mask and practise hand hygiene before/ after each home visit. During the home visit, residents and family members should also wear a mask as far as possible.
6 The Courage Fund provides a relief of $3,000 to community volunteers (non-healthcare workers who stepped up to contribute to the overall effort to fight COVID-19 and are not financially compensated for their efforts) who have contracted COVID-19 while providing services.

jw5 · Dec 7, 2021

from MOH report 6 December 2021:

Summary of local situation

• 850 cases remain warded in hospital. 142 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 6 are unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 47 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 48.0%.

• Over the last 28 days, of the 48,805 infected individuals, 98.7% had no or mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.2% were in the ICU, and 0.2% has died.

• As of 5 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.

• Over the past day, 1,198 cases were discharged, of whom 182 are seniors aged 60 years and above. 662 new cases of COVID-19 infection were detected, with 638 in the community, 13 in the migrant worker dormitories and 11 imported cases. The weekly infection growth rate is 0.64.

• The Ministry of Health (MOH) had on 2 December announced that we have detected two imported COVID-19 cases who had tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole genome sequencing for the cases, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant. Both are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat. They were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community.

SITUATION AT HOSPITALS

1. As of 6 December 2021, 142 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 6 are unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 47 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 48.0%.
Figure 1: Daily Adult ICU Bed Utilisation

Status of Patients
2. Over the last 28 days, 98.7% of local infected cases were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1% were unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 0.1% had been critically ill and intubated in the ICU.
Figure 2: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Severity of Condition[1]

3. Seniors 60 years old and above, especially if unvaccinated, continue to be more adversely affected by COVID-19:
Figure 3: Patients Needing Oxygen Supplementation, ICU Care or Died[2], by Age Groups

Vaccination
4. As of 5 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/ received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population. As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.

5. Over the past 7 days, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are at 0.5 and 3.8 per 100,000 population respectively. Over the same period, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who died are 0.04 and 0.6 per 100,000 population respectively. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 1.9 and 32.9 respectively. The number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.2 and 6.3 respectively.
Figure 4: 7-Day Moving Average of Number of Deaths and Active Cases in ICU, per 100,000 Population by Vaccination Status [3]

Inflow and Outflow of Cases
6. Over the past day, 1,198 cases were discharged, of whom 182 are seniors aged 60 years and above.

7. As of 6 December 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health has detected a total of 662 new cases of COVID-19 infection, comprising 638 community cases, 13 dormitory resident cases and 11 imported cases. Amongst the community cases today are 106 seniors who are aged 60 years and above. The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before is 0.64.

8. 4 more cases, aged between 81 and 97 years, have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. All of them had various underlying medical conditions.

9. MOH had on 2 December announced that we have detected two imported COVID-19 cases, Cases 271487 and 271598, who had tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole genome sequencing for the cases, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant. Both are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat. They were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community.
Figure 5: Number of Community Cases by Age

Figure 6: Week-on-week Infection Ratio[4]

10. We are closely monitoring the cluster listed below, which has already been ringfenced through tracing, testing and isolation.
Figure 7: Large Clusters with New Cases

Cluster	New Cases	Total[5]	Remarks
THK Home For Disabled@ Sembawang	4	48	Transmission amongst staff and residents. Of the 48 cases, 2 are staff and 46 are residents.

11. Please refer to MOH’s daily Situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report) for details.

Updating of COVID-19 statistics on MOH website
12. As the current wave of Delta infections subsides, MOH will stop issuing daily press releases on infection statistics from 7 December 2021, but we will continue to update the same infection statistics on the MOH website on a daily basis.

13. The public can access information on the local COVID-19 situation, including hospital capacity, status of COVID-19 patients, vaccination progress and number of COVID-19 cases, on the MOH website at https://www.moh.gov.sg/.

14. One of the statistics being monitored is the week-on-week infection growth ratio. During the present wave of infection, we wanted to ensure that the ratio was below 1 before we eased any restrictions. As the present wave subsides and infection numbers start to stabilise, we can expect the ratio to trend towards 1.

15. We will continue to monitor this indicator to get a sense of how quickly the virus is spreading in the community. For example if the ratio were to rise rapidly beyond 1 on a sustained basis, then it would mean an acceleration in the spread of infection, and potentially the start of a new wave of transmission.

16. MOH will continue to update the public on significant developments, including information on the Omicron variant, through regular media statements.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
6 DECEMBER 2021

[1] Includes only new cases reported in the past 28 days. Based on cases’ worst-ever condition; deceased cases previously in ICU are counted under ‘Deceased’ and not under ‘Ever Critically ill and Intubated in ICU’.
[2] May differ from the deaths reported for the day as the latter includes those who have passed on earlier, but whose cause of death was investigated and confirmed only later, e.g. Coroner’s cases.
[3] Non-fully vaccinated comprises persons who are partially vaccinated and completely unvaccinated.
[4] Ratio of community cases in the past week over the week before.
[5] Includes new cases added today.

jw5 · Dec 10, 2021

from MOH report 9 December 2021:

TWO NEW CASES TESTED PRELIMINARILY POSITIVE FOR OMICRON VARIANT

1. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected two more COVID-19 cases who have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant, of whom one is a local case (airport frontline worker) and the other is imported. Both cases are fully vaccinated and have received their booster shots. One is asymptomatic while the other has mild symptoms. Both cases are recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). MOH is conducting aggressive contact tracing to ringfence the cases.

Case 276363

2. Case 276363 is a 24 year-old female Singaporean who works as a passenger service staff at Changi Airport Terminals 1 and 3, and had also worked at the transit holding area, where she may have interacted with transit passengers from Omicron-affected countries. She did not work at Terminal 4, where the three earlier cases of Omicron infections[1] (Cases 271487, 271598, and 273611) had been to.

3. She was tested for COVID-19 on 8 December as part of weekly Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) for border frontline workers, and her polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result revealed the presence of S-gene Target Failure, which may be associated with the Omicron variant. She was asymptomatic when detected through RRT, and may have been in the early stages of infection. Upon being notified of her positive test result, she self-isolated at home until conveyance to NCID. The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing to confirm the variant.

Case 276223

4. Case 276223 is a 46 year-old female Singapore Permanent Resident who returned to Singapore via a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) from Germany on board SQ325 on 6 December. Her pre-departure test in France on 4 December was negative for COVID-19 infection. Upon arrival in Singapore, her PCR test on 6 December came back negative. On 7 December, she developed a runny nose and sought medical treatment on 8 December. She was tested positive for COVID-19 infection on the same day, and confirmed to have S-gene Target Failure on 9 December.

5. Contact tracing for both cases is ongoing. All close contacts of the cases will be placed on 10-day quarantine at designated facilities and undergo PCR tests at the start and end of their quarantine. All airport staff are already PCR-tested every seven days. As an additional precautionary measure, they will also be required to conduct daily antigen rapid tests for the next seven days.

6. Given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more Omicron cases at our borders and also within our community. It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to come forward to receive your vaccination or booster dose when offered.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
9 DECEMBER 2021

[1] The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole genome sequencing for Cases 271487 and 271598, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant. The confirmatory test result for Case 273611 is pending.

jw5 · Dec 11, 2021

from MOH report 10 December 2021:

EXTENSION OF PRIMARY SERIES VACCINATION TO CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 11 YEARS AND BOOSTER VACCINATION TO ALL INDIVIDUALS AGED 18 TO 29 YEARS

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce has accepted the recommendation by the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) to use the paediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years. Vaccination for this group will commence before the end of this year, and once we receive deliveries of the vaccine doses.

1 From 14 December 2021, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will also extend the vaccination booster programme to individuals aged 18 to 29 years.

HSA Approval of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty Vaccine for Children Aged 5 to 11 Years

2 On 10 December 2021, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) approved the use of the paediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years. This will be the first COVID-19 vaccine HSA has granted approval for use in Singapore for this age group.

3 The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) has also recommended its use for this age group. The EC19V has assessed that the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine outweigh the risks when used in a paediatric dosage for children aged 5 to 11 years, especially given ongoing community transmission and the emergence of the Omicron variant. The EC19V recommends that children with moderate to severe chronic medical conditions should be prioritised for access to the vaccine.

4 The recommended dosage of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years is one third of that used in persons aged 12 and above, i.e. two paediatric doses (10 micrograms each) that is spaced at least 21 days apart.

5 MOH has signed a new supply agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech for the COVID-19 vaccine and we expect the shipment to arrive before the end of December. MOH will work with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to roll out vaccinations for this school-going age group. We plan to start vaccinations before the end of this year. Further details will be announced by MOE and ECDA shortly.

Extending Booster Vaccination to Individuals Aged 18 to 29

6 While the primary series vaccinations provide excellent protection against severe disease, there is evidence of waning protection against infection over time, albeit at a slower pace in younger persons. Hence, the EC19V has assessed that booster vaccination is beneficial for protection against COVID-19 for persons aged 18 to 29 years. From 14 December 2021, we will extend the vaccination booster programme to individuals aged 18 to 29 years. All eligible persons will be able to receive their booster doses of the mRNA vaccine five months after completing their primary vaccination series.

7 Eligible individuals will be invited to make an appointment for their booster dose. An SMS with a personalised booking link will be sent to their registered mobile number to book an appointment on www.vaccine.gov.sg. They may receive their booster dose at any Vaccination Centre or participating Public Health Preparedness Clinic.

Collective Effort Towards COVID-19 Resiliency

8 To date, 96% of eligible population and 87% of total population have completed their full regimen or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. 30% of total population have received their booster shots.

9 While this is encouraging, we need more people to be vaccinated and boosted, especially given the emergence of the Omicron variant, which is likely to established itself all over the world in the coming couple of months. Vaccinations and boosters are the best protection against an unknown and highly transmissible COVID-19 variant.

10 MOH therefore encourages everyone who is eligible for boosters to take them as soon as possible, and not to wait. The two mRNA vaccines can be used interchangeably as boosters. For those who are eligible to take boosters but have not received their SMS invitations, they are also invited to walk in to any Moderna Vaccination Centre to receive their booster vaccination without a need to book an appointment.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
10 DECEMBER 2021

jw5 · Dec 11, 2021

from MOH report 10 December 2021:

EXPERT COMMITTEE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION RECOMMENDS USING THE PAEDIATRIC DOSE PFIZER-BIONTECH/COMIRNATY VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 – 11 YEARS AND EXTENDING BOOSTER VACCINATION TO PERSONS AGED UNDER 30 YEARS

The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) notes HSA's approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty paediatric dose vaccine for use in children aged 5-11 years. The EC19V has reviewed the clinical data submitted to HSA and studied the information available globally pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines for use in children and recommends that we proceed to vaccinate 5–11 year-old children in Singapore using the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty paediatric dose vaccine when this becomes available. The vaccine should be made available under the National Vaccination Programme.

Vaccination Shown to Protect Children from Infection and Severe Disease

2. It is important to reduce the risk of infection and severe disease in children through vaccination. The incidence of COVID-19 in children has been increasing in tandem with the incidence of community cases. Although children have a low risk of severe disease, some of those infected with COVID-19 have developed life-threatening disease and severe late complications, such as MIS-C (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children), and required treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). Children also spend a significant amount of time in communal settings e.g. schools/preschools, where despite our best efforts, transmission can spread quickly among children as they interact. This in turn also puts family members at risk, especially elderly household members.

3. The results of the Phase 3 clinical trial of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty paediatric dose vaccine (at 10 micrograms, one-third the adult dosage) in children aged 5-11 years, submitted recently to US authorities and HSA, has shown around a 90% reduction in the risk of symptomatic infection. As cases of COVID-19 infection in the clinical trial occurred from July to August 2021, when the Delta variant was already predominant in the US, these results reflect the vaccine’s efficacy against the Delta variant.

4. Common side effects in children who received the vaccine were generally mild to moderate, and children in this age group had fewer systemic side effects compared to persons 16-25 years of age. While there were no cases of anaphylaxis seen in the study, the risk of anaphylaxis or allergy can be expected to be comparable to that observed in adolescents and young adults. While we cannot dismiss the rare risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis, similar to what has been reported in adolescents and young adults, no cases of myocarditis/pericarditis were observed in the trial among the children aged 5-11 years.

5. The EC19V thus assesses that the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine outweigh the risks when used in a paediatric dosage (10 micrograms) for children aged 5-11 years, especially in the current situation of ongoing community and global transmission. Vaccinating this age group of children will further reduce the risk of transmission in school settings and reduce disruptions to education as well as co-curricular activities.

Two Paediatric Doses Recommended for Children Aged 5 – 11 Years

6. The recommended dosage for children aged 5-11 years is two paediatric doses (10 micrograms each) of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine, timed at least 21 days apart. This dosage is one third of that used in persons aged 12 years and above.

7. Children with moderate to severe chronic medical conditions should be prioritised for access to the vaccine, as they are at higher risk of developing severe disease. These include persons with chronic conditions described in the MOH advisory on vulnerable persons, such as, but not limited to, compromise of the immune system and chronic diseases of the heart, lung, kidney and nervous system.

Extension of Booster Vaccination to All Persons Aged 18 Years and Older

8. While the primary series vaccinations provide excellent protection against severe disease, we have evidence that there is waning protection against infection over time. Previously, the Committee had recommended booster vaccination for all persons aged 30 years and above, and certain higher-risk groups aged 18-29 years. Findings from local and international data show that waning protection is also observed in younger persons albeit at a slower pace.

9. In addition, based on emerging international data regarding the Omicron variant, existing vaccines will still confer protection against the Omicron variant, even though effectiveness will be reduced compared to that against the wildtype SARS-CoV-2. Boosters will strengthen the protection against COVID-19 and is expected to reduce the risk of infection and severe illnesses caused by the Omicron variant. Indeed, preliminary results from studies show that a booster vaccination improves the efficacy of neutralising antibodies against the Omicron variant of concern1.

10. Hence the EC19V assesses that booster vaccination is beneficial for protection against COVID-19 even in persons aged 18-29 years. The EC19V recommends that all persons aged 18 years and above, and who are fully vaccinated with their primary series vaccination, receive a booster dose of the mRNA vaccines offered under the National Vaccination Programme (50 micrograms for the Moderna vaccine and 30 micrograms for the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine).

11. These booster vaccination doses should be taken at about five months after the completion of their primary series. Priority should be given to individuals in this age group who are at higher risk for severe disease, such as those with medical conditions, or are pregnant, as well as those at higher risk of acquiring infection, including persons travelling to other countries.

Conclusion

12. Extension of vaccination to include children aged 5-11 years and more persons receiving their booster vaccination, would enable our society to attain greater protection against COVID-19 infection. While vaccination does not completely eliminate all risks of infection, it reduces the likelihood of infection; and even if infection were still to occur, it reduces the likelihood of severe disease. We therefore recommend all children aged 5-11 years to be vaccinated when the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine is offered to them, especially children with underlying chronic medical conditions who are at greater risk of suffering from severe COVID-19. Fully vaccinated persons aged 18 years and above are also recommended to receive a dose of one of the mRNA vaccines offered under the National Vaccination Programme for their booster vaccination.

EXPERT COMMITTEE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION
10 DECEMBER 2021

1 Pfizer-BioNTech reported that based on their preliminary laboratory data, a booster dose of the vaccine provides similar levels of neutralising antibodies effectiveness against Omicron as was observed after two doses against the non-VOC SARS-CoV-2 and other earlier-prevailing variants

jw5 · Dec 11, 2021

from MOH report 10 December 2021:

THREE MORE CASES TESTED PRELIMINARILY POSITIVE FOR OMICRON VARIANT

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected three more COVID-19 cases who have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant, of whom one is a local case (airport frontline worker) and the other two are imported. All three cases are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, and recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). MOH is ringfencing the cases through contact tracing.
Case 276839

2. Case 276839 is a 38 year-old male who works as a passenger service staff at the departure gates at Changi Airport Terminal 3. He did not interact with the three earlier cases of Omicron infections[1] (Cases 271487, 271598, and 273611). There are no known linkages with the earlier reported case (Case 276363) who is also a Changi Airport passenger service staff.

3. He was tested for COVID-19 on 9 December as part of weekly Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) for border frontline workers, and his polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result came back preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. He was asymptomatic and upon being notified of his positive test result, he had self-isolated at home.

Case 276794
4. Case 276794 is a 30 year-old female who returned to Singapore via a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) from the United Kingdom (UK) on 8 December. Her pre-departure test in the UK on 7 December was negative for COVID-19 infection. Her on-arrival PCR test on 9 December was positive for COVID-19 infection, and she was suspected of being infected by the Omicron variant (due to detection of the S-gene Target Failure) on 10 December. Prior to her conveyance to NCID, she had self-isolated at her own residence.

Case 276796
5. Case 276796 is a 26 year-old male who travelled to Singapore via VTL from the UK on 8 December. He had not interacted with Case 276794 during the flight. His pre-departure test in the UK on 6 December was negative for COVID-19 infection. His on-arrival PCR test on 9 December was positive for COVID-19 infection and was suspected to have been infected by the Omicron variant on 10 December. Prior to his conveyance to NCID, he had self-isolated at a self-sourced accommodation.

6. The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing for all three cases to confirm the variant and contact tracing is ongoing. All close contacts of the cases will be placed on 10-day quarantine at designated facilities and undergo PCR tests at the start and end of their quarantine. All frontline airport workers are currently undergoing weekly routine testing. Since 2 December, those working in higher risk settings had been placed on weekly PCR testing. All airport workers on routine testing will now be required to do daily antigen rapid tests for the next seven days.

7. Given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more Omicron cases at our borders and also within our community. It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to come forward to receive your vaccination or booster dose when offered.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
10 DECEMBER 2021

[1] The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole genome sequencing for Cases 271487 and 271598, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant. The confirmatory test result for Case 273611 is pending.

jw5 · Dec 14, 2021

from MOH report 14 December 2021:

PREPARING FOR THE OMICRON VARIANT

With the recent emergence of the Omicron variant globally, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) had introduced travel restrictions for affected countries/regions and subsequently enhanced our testing regime for travellers, including those arriving via the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs). These efforts have helped stem the flow of Omicron into Singapore, with 16 cases reported to date locally, and will buy us valuable time to better understand the variant and develop our responses.

2. As more Omicron cases are reported globally, it is a matter of time before the Omicron variant surfaces within our community. With preliminary data suggesting that it is at least as transmissible as the Delta variant and may carry a higher risk of re-infection, there is a need for us to put in place additional measures to make sure we are prepared to deal with a spread of the Omicron variant in our community.

3. To this end, we will have to press on more urgently with our booster vaccination programme to enhance protection against infection and severe disease, as preliminary data overseas shows that vaccinated individuals who had received a booster had significant protection against infection by the Omicron variant, and even if they were still infected, significant protection against developing severe disease which required hospital treatment. We will also extend Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) to more settings to better protect the vulnerable and at-risk groups in our population, while allowing specific concessions for fully vaccinated individuals to return safely to the workplace. In anticipation of a potential surge in local Omicron cases, we are also putting in place contingency plans to ramp up our ICU, hospital, and COVID-19 Treatment Facility (CTF) capacities. In addition, we will continue to promote regular testing at the workplace and in the community, to better facilitate early detection and rapid tracing and containment around Omicron cases.

Update on Detected Omicron Cases and Assessment of Omicron Variant

4. As of 14 December 2021, we have detected eight new confirmed Omicron cases, and six previously reported preliminary Omicron cases have also been confirmed by genomic sequencing[1]. This brings the total number of Omicron cases detected in Singapore to 16, with 14 imported cases and two local cases who were airport passenger service staff. All are fully vaccinated, with no or mild symptoms. 13 cases are recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), and three cases have been discharged. Thus far, all cases have had minimal interactions in the community prior to being isolated, and we have not detected linked cases in the community. Active contact tracing is being conducted to ringfence close contacts of these cases and reduce onward transmission once infection with the Omicron variant is suspected, through the detection of S-gene target failure in their test results. This includes quarantine at designated facilities. The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) subsequently confirms infection with the Omicron variant through genomic sequencing of the test samples.

5. The Omicron variant has now been detected in over 60 countries, mainly in Africa and Europe. Current observations from affected countries/regions suggest that the Omicron variant is at least as transmissible as currently circulating variants. Global observations continue to suggest that most infections with the Omicron variant are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, although it is still unclear whether the Omicron variant causes overall less severe disease than other strains. In addition, preliminary real-world studies suggest some degree of immune evasion that could result in an increased risk of breakthrough infections amongst the recovered and vaccinated. Hence, boosters are required to increase one’s immunity and mitigate any effects of immune evasion. We will continue to monitor closely and evaluate the situation as more data emerges.

Maximising Protection through Vaccination and Boosters

6. Vaccinations and boosters are the best protection against an unknown and likely highly transmissible COVID-19 variant like the Omicron variant. To support these efforts and encourage more people to get vaccinated and boosted, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on 11 December 2021 that it will begin vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 years before the end of this year, using the paediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. We will also extend the booster programme to individuals aged 18 to 29 years, from 14 December 2021. All eligible persons will be able to receive their booster dose of the mRNA vaccine five months after completing their primary series vaccination regime.

7. Local and international data indicate that there is a lower risk of serious allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis from booster vaccination doses of mRNA vaccines. In view of this, we will streamline the process for administering booster vaccination doses of mRNA vaccines, by reducing the post-vaccination observation time from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.

Updates to Community Safe Management Measures
Reduction of Exemption Period for Recovered Persons to Enter Settings Where Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures Are Implemented

8. From 1 January 2022, all recovered persons from COVID-19 who are not fully vaccinated will only be given a 180-day exemption after infection[2] to enter settings where vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) are implemented. This is reduced from the current exemption period of 270 days, and calculated starting from the day of the first positive SAR-CoV-2 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, obtained in Singapore. The adjustment is made due to concerns over the transmissibility and heightened reinfection risk of the Omicron variant, and quicker waning of protection acquired through past infections. These recovered persons who are not fully vaccinated should seek to complete their primary series vaccination regime promptly.

9. Non-fully vaccinated individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 infection prior to 1 January 2022 will also have their exemption period reduced from 270 days to 180 days. However, for individuals who will already exceed the 180-day period as at 1 January 2022, they will be granted an additional one month grace period till 31 January 2022 to complete their primary series vaccination regime, so as to continue being able to enter VDS settings. As recovered individuals need only one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or two doses of Sinovac[3] under the National Vaccination Programme to complete their primary series vaccination regime, they should do so latest by 17 January 2022, to allow an interval of 14 days from the completion of the regimen to be considered fully vaccinated. During the grace period from the date when they have exceeded the 180-day period, these individuals can produce their discharge memo for entry into VDS settings.

Enhancements to Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS)

10. We had earlier announced that from 1 December 2021, we will expand VDS to more settings and activities, including in all Libraries under the National Library Board (NLB), and selected activities in community clubs/centres under People’s Association (PA). In addition, the concession for unvaccinated individuals to perform a pre-event test (PET) in lieu of being fully vaccinated would be removed with effect on 1 January 2022. We will expand these VDS settings further.

11. First, from 1 February 2022, we will expand VDS to cover all indoor sports facilities, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), and leisure guests in hotels, hostels and serviced apartments. However, students in IHLs who are completing their full-time NITEC/Higher NITEC, Diploma or Degree programmes will be exempted from the VDS measures requirement when entering their respective educational institutions. More details will be released by the relevant agencies.

12. Second, from 1 February 2022, all events, irrespective of event size, must implement VDS in order to proceed. Currently, only events with over 50 attendees are required to implement VDS. However, even smaller-sized events can spark transmission that can then spread to wider groups of people, especially in view of the Omicron variant. That said, to minimise disruption to events which are already planned for, we will remove the existing concession only in end January 2022. Please see Annex A for the applicable settings.

13. There are presently no plans to introduce VDS measures for children aged 12 years and below, as the focus now is to ensure our children are well protected by vaccination.

14. We had earlier announced on 8 November 2021 the roll-out of “VDS+Test” pilots in sports settings, selected mass sporting events, as well as selected MICE events,where we allowed some further easing of SMMs for fully vaccinated individuals with a valid negative Antigen Rapid Test (ART) result on-site prior to the activity. These pilots have been successful thus far, given strong compliance and enforcement on the ground, and we will continue to expand these pilots where feasible.

Workplace Requirements

15. With the implementation of the Workforce Vaccination Measures[4] starting from 1 January 2022, we are in a better position to ease the current default work from home (WFH) posture, and will allow 50% of those who can WFH to return to the office.

16. Currently, participants in work-related events are capped at 50 persons. We will raise this cap only for events where all participants remain masked and seated, at a safe distance from each other. All participants must also meet the VDS requirements. Social gatherings at the workplace will continue to be disallowed. More details will be provided separately.

Preparatory Steps to Augment Healthcare Capacity and Revise Healthcare Protocols
Plans to Ramp Up Healthcare Capacity

17. Given the likely higher transmissibility of the Omicron variant, a surge in local Omicron cases could risk straining our healthcare system once again. Hence, we are putting in place contingency plans to ramp up capacity in our public hospitals and ICU if necessary. To help manage the load in the public hospitals, we are also prepared to increase capacity in our CTFs, so as to facilitate direct admission or transfer of more stable COVID-19 patients from public hospitals to CTFs for continued monitoring if necessary. To complement these efforts, we are concurrently stepping up efforts to augment the manpower required in our hospitals and CTFs.

Supporting Persons with Mild COVID-19 in the Community
18. Majority of our COVID-19 cases have mild symptoms and can safely recover at home. This has been demonstrated for the Delta variant, and likely continues to be so for Omicron. To further right-site care arrangements for these individuals who do not require acute care in hospitals, MOH will work with our Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) to better support these individuals in their recovery and help them return to their normal lives as soon as possible. This would entail expanding the current Protocol 2[5] in January 2022 to cover mildly symptomatic and suitably fit COVID-19 patients who can recover well at home. More details will be released at a later date.

Promoting Regular Testing and Surveillance
Extending Subsidies for Mandated Rostered Routine Testing (RRT)
19. Testing remains key to our early detection and rapid tracing and containment of transmission, especially in light of the Omicron variant. We have thus far mandated an ART-based RRT regime for work settings at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure and spread[6]. With the emergence of the Omicron variant, our airport and other border frontline workers who are at heightened risk of exposure to the variant had recently reverted to a weekly PCR RRT as a precautionary measure. During this period as we step up our efforts to quickly detect and ringfence Omicron cases, all sectors will remain on their existing mandatory RRT regime, until more information is available on the Omicron variant.

20. The Government is currently subsidising companies on mandatory RRT until 31 December 2021. As we step up our efforts to detect and contain potential transmission of Omicron, we will provide continued support to employers by extending the subsidies for sectors on mandatory RRT until 31 March 2022. Beyond that, employers and businesses should be prepared to factor in testing costs as part of their normal business operations.

Expanding our Network of Quick Test Centres
21. On top of mandating regular testing at high-risk work settings, we also encourage everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, to exercise social responsibility and self-test regularly with ART kits, especially if you are participating in higher risk activities or attending large-scale events. Regular testing should become a way of life as we adapt to the evolving COVID-19 situation. This will be supported by a comprehensive network of testing infrastructure that is easily accessible islandwide.

22. In line with this, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has set up or partnered private providers to set up close to 60 Quick Test Centres (QTCs) where members of the public can make an appointment to conduct a self-administered ART under supervision by trained personnel. Each test is priced at $15, and can be used to fulfil workplace requirements under the RRT regime, for pre-event or pre-activity tests, or simply for anyone who wishes to get tested before attending a large-scale event.

23. To augment our efforts in providing more accessible QTCs, we have partnered general practitioners (GPs), mall operators, and hotel groups to set up private QTCs (p-QTCs) in selected sites located conveniently across the island. With the strong support of our partners[7], we expect to have at least 60 additional p-QTCs set up within the next few weeks. We will continue to work closely with the industry to grow the network of p-QTCs and would like to encourage interested eligible providers to come onboard this effort. This will go a long way in fostering a culture of testing, which is important for early detection of cases and for keeping our communities safe.

Strengthening our Collective Resilience against Omicron Variant
24. This set of measures serves as important safeguards to prepare ourselves for a potential surge of local Omicron cases, as we continue to evaluate the situation and ringfence around detected cases to slow, if not eliminate, any potential spread in the community during this period. We seek everyone’s continued effort and cooperation to exercise social responsibility and comply with all the measures that have been put in place. Test yourself regularly and follow the health protocols. Take up vaccination or boosters straightaway when these are offered to you, as they will likely protect you from severe disease. Only by doing so can we strengthen our collective resilience against the evolving COVID-19 situation.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
14 DECEMBER 2021

[1] These are Cases 273611, 276363, 276223, 276794, 276796 and 276839. Separately, two other cases, 271487 and 271598 were previously reported as confirmed cases on 6 December 2021.
[2] This exemption does not apply to entry into VDS+Test events or activities i.e. individuals will still have to do ART prior to these events.
[3] For non-fully vaccinated recovered persons, it is recommended that you receive one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (two doses if Sinovac under the National Vaccination Programme or Sinopharm under Special Access Route) at least 3 months after the date of diagnosis of COVID-19 infection.
[4] Please refer to MOM’s Press Release on 23 October 2021: https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/pre...lementation-of-workforce-vaccination-measures
[5] Protocol 2 refers to the management protocol for those who are well and test positive for COVID-19. Today, asymptomatic patients who test positive are to self-isolate at home for the next 72 hours. After 72 hours, they can re-test using an ART kit. If tested negative, they may exit isolation and resume normal activities. If they become unwell at any time, they should see a doctor.
[6] Those currently on ART-based RRT includes: COVID-19 frontline workers, staff interacting with vulnerable population (e.g. healthcare/eldercare workers, children aged below 12 years old), those living in migrant worker dormitories, Construction, Marine and Process workers, staff in dine-in F&B establishments, personal care services, gyms and fitness studios, retail mall and supermarket staff, last-mile delivery workers (including parcel and food delivery personnel), public and private transport workers, and workers in essential services. Note: since 2 Dec 2021, border frontline workers have reverted to a weekly PCR RRT regime.
[7] These include mall operators such as CapitaLand, Frasers Property Retail, hotels under the Far East Hospitality Group, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Accor Hotels, as well as Resorts World Sentosa.

jw5 · Dec 14, 2021

from MOH report 14 December 2021:

OPENING REMARKS BY DR JANIL PUTHUCHEARY, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT MULTI-MINISTRY TASKFORCE PRESS CONFERENCE ON 14 DECEMBER 2021

The National Vaccination Programme has shown encouraging results. As of 11 December 2021, 87% of our total population are fully vaccinated, and vaccination coverage ranges from 91% to 97% for eligible age groups.

2. Over the weekend, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) approved the use of the paediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years. The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) has also recommended its use for this age group.

Why children and teens should get vaccinated

3. The process of deriving those recommendations included consultations and engagement with healthcare workers and clinical care providers looking after children. For example, with the College of Paediatrics and Child Health under the Academy of Medicine, General Practitioners (GPs), community paediatricians, the teams at the National University Hospital and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital looking after these issues, and they support this move.

4. The main reason why they agree with the assessment of EC19V and HSA is the analysis that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks of getting COVID-19. There is a very small risk of a serious event happening with the vaccination.

5. We have seen this happening, even here in Singapore, and certainly from the data that we are studying around the world. Vaccination is safer than getting a COVID-19 infection.

6. COVID-19 tends to be milder in children compared with adults, and severe disease is uncommon. But there is still a risk of children developing severe disease, with some cases requiring hospitalisation, oxygen supplementation or ICU admission.

7. We are seeing about one or two cases of Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) cases every week since mid-October 2021, and some of these children have required ICU care.

8. Getting our children aged 5 years and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccination will help protect our children from getting COVID-19 infection, and keep them from getting seriously sick even if they do get COVID-19, so reducing the risk of severe complications such as MIS-C.

9. The study in the US of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine was in children between the ages of 5 and 11 years, and this study demonstrated a vaccine efficacy against symptomatic infection of about 90.7%.

10. Our children, as you know, will spend a lot of their time in places like schools or preschools, and here, transmission could spread quickly, not just of COVID-19 but any disease, as the children interact. This then puts the family members of such children at risk, whether they are siblings who are younger and so not yet eligible for vaccination, or those who are older, such as the grandparents, for whom even if they are vaccinated, the risks are higher.

11. So by reducing transmission in this age group, 5 to 11 years, we protect them from the risk of severe complications from COVID-19, but we also protect the rest of their family. Putting all these in place through vaccination for this age group, will reduce the risk of transmission in children of school-going age, and it means that there is less likely to be a disruption to their education, and their opportunity and ability to carry out co-curricular activities, which is what we want for them.

Benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweighs the known and potential risks

12. The dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years is 10 micrograms, it is one-third the dose for individuals that are older.

13. For COVID-19 vaccination, children may also experience some side effects like muscle pain, redness, swelling, tiredness, headache, fever and chills. These are all signs that the body is reacting to the vaccine, and as a result, building up protection and immunity. These side effects will go away in a few days. Many people have no side effects and severe reactions such as allergies are quite rare.

14. The trials of the vaccine in the US compared the side effects between children 5 to 11 years with young persons aged 16 to 25 years and found that the younger children aged 5 to 11 had fewer systemic side effects.

15. We have been giving vaccines locally here across our population in large numbers . In our population, the older population, we also continue to observe that the risk of side effects like anaphylaxis is low, and is comparable to many other medications and vaccines.

16. There were no cases of anaphylaxis seen in the US vaccine trial.

17. There were also no cases of myocarditis and pericarditis in the trial aged 5 to 11 years for the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine in the US.

18. By now, millions of children around the world have been vaccinated using the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine. Up to 5.5 million children in the US in this age group have received the first dose and 2.6 million have completed the two doses as of 12 December, with no safety concerns.

Closing

19. So it is important that we offer protection to our school children before school activities resume full swing. Vaccination for this group will commence before the end of this year, once we receive deliveries of the vaccine doses.

20. To help us strengthen COVID resilience for Singapore, we need to have our children between the ages of 5 and 11 years get their vaccination as soon as it is rolled out.

21. We know that parents are concerned. They want the best thing for their children, they want to be able to protect their children, and create opportunities for their children. This is what we want as well. Our assessment is the best way to do that is to vaccinate our children against COVID-19.

jw5 · Dec 16, 2021

from MOH report 14 December 2021:

OPENING REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR HEALTH MR ONG YE KUNG AT COVID-19 MULTI- MINISTRY TASKFORCE PRESS CONFERENCE ON 14 DECEMBER 2021

1. We are in a good position now. Together, we have ridden through a significant Delta transmission wave, which peaked at over 3,000 cases a day. But if you look at the situation we are in now today:

Daily cases are three digits, and often below 500;
Total number of COVID-19 patients in our system is now under 4,000.
At its peak, it was over 26,000. That was in end October;
ICU beds – at its peak, 160 or more. Now, just slightly above 30; and
Hospital beds/COVID-19 Treatment Facilities (CTFs) beds, all occupancies are at a healthy level.

2. In other words, the bicycle we are riding is now on a gentle slope, the brakes lightly applied, and our ride is comfortable.

3. Our healthcare workers are also getting respite because of this. They are able to take turns to go on leave. Foreign healthcare workers are able to use Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) to reunite with their families. These are all very important.

Impending Omicron Wave

4. But this peaceful state may not last long, for there is a potentially big Omicron wave coming our way, and we need to get prepared.

5. The question is what kind of transmission wave is Omicron? Data from overseas suggests that it will be more transmissible than Delta, so we may be looking at a large wave. But there are also indications that Omicron infections may be milder.

6. Some will ask: why not just shut our borders and prevent Omicron from coming?

7. There are two important considerations, having accumulated experience over almost two years. First, we have to ask, do we still believe in living with COVID-19? We cannot say for Delta variant, let’s live with COVID, but for Omicron variant, let’s have a zero-COVID policy. It is not coherent; it does not work that way. Especially given that we have come this far, we have ridden through a big Delta wave together, we have built up our defences, and we have gotten life somewhat back to normal. I do not think we would want to give all that up and go back to where we were last year, before Omicron.

8. Second consideration is that it is actually not realistic to stop Omicron from coming into our small city state. We can, and we have, temporarily suspended short- term travel to affected countries in South Africa, and this is to buy us time so that we can understand the variant better. But Omicron, as of now, has spread to more than 60 countries, including those in Europe, the United States and some of our regional neighbours. Soon, it will be all around us. Like Delta, it is not possible to keep Omicron out even if we shut all our borders.

9. So we have learn to live with Omicron, as we have with Delta. To do so, we will need to understand the variant, adjust our policies, because this variant will be different, with slightly different characteristics.

10. There is a chance that it causes milder infections. South Africa and European countries are reporting fewer incidences of hospitalisation, and those hospitalised tend not to require oxygen supplementation and they stay shorter durations – typically one to three days. But I must caveat that it is early days, and so far, Omicron infections tend to be amongst younger patients. We need at least a couple more weeks for the transmission to play out, and for us to better understand the severity of the variant. With each week, the picture becomes clearer.

11. However, even if Omicron infections are indeed milder, it can still cause us big problems. For example, if the risk of hospitalisation requiring oxygen supplementation or ICUs is, let us say half that of Delta, but the Omicron variant, let us say, can spread to twice as many people, the two factors cancel each other out. Which means our healthcare system will face the same pressure as when we had the Delta wave. If Omicron spreads faster to unvaccinated seniors, the problem is actually bigger.

12. To reduce the number of people who fall very sick, we still need to fall back on vaccinations and boosters. That remains our primary response to deal with the Omicron variant. Today, we will present the following thrusts of this whole action plan:

First, step up vaccination and boosting;
Second, adjust our healthcare protocols;
Third, further strengthen healthcare capacity;
Fourth, prepare therapeutics to treat potentially severe cases; and
Finally, adjust our Safe Management Measures.

13. Minister Gan has already mentioned the key changes. I will elaborate on the first two, Director of Medical Services (DMS) Associate Professor Kenneth Mak and SMS Janil will talk about the next two and also share further information on vaccination for children, and Minister Lawrence Wong will talk about Safe Management Measures.

Vaccination and Boosters

14. First, on vaccination and boosters.

15. A recent study in the United Kingdom revealed some important insights. For two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, vaccine effectiveness against Omicron infection dropped from about 90 percent one month after the second dose, to about 50 percent after three months and then 35 percent four months and beyond.

16. This erosion of protection is quite fast. But then, two weeks after a booster, vaccine effectiveness against Omicron infection shot back up to 75 percent, which is encouraging. This means boosters work.

17. This is protection against symptomatic infection. If we look at protection against severe illnesses, the protection level is likely to be much higher. Also encouraging.

18. That is why vaccination will continue to be central to our response. We must continue to get the unvaccinated vaccinated. There are about 160,000 of them in Singapore today, with 40,000 who are seniors aged 60 and above. They are all at very high risk of falling very sick, needing ICU care or die, if they are infected with COVID- 19.

19. We will also need to administer as many boosters as possible to those who are due to take them, to get them well-protected against Omicron early.

20. As I mentioned at an earlier media conference, due to the emergence of COVID-19 variants, we need to treat COVID-19 primary vaccination as a three-dose regime. And our policies need to be geared towards that.

21. We will therefore have to set a validity period for full vaccination status. This means that after two doses of mRNA vaccines and three doses of Sinovac/ Sinopharm vaccines, our full vaccination status will last a limited period. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is consulting the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) to determine what this duration should be.

22. This is a clear signal that we all need to take our boosters. Because with waning protection, full vaccination status cannot last perpetually. Take our boosters, and our full vaccination status will be extended and we will be able to access various amenities under our Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) framework.

23. We expect to announce the new policy at the end of this year or early next year. But please be assured: We will design the policy such that if you have not been given a chance to get your booster, your full vaccination status will not lapse. Similarly, if you belong to a group not eligible for boosters, such as those aged below 18 years, your full vaccination status will also not lapse.

24. Encouraging vaccination and boosters is also the context within which we announced two recent moves – vaccinating children aged five to 11 years old, and extending boosters to young people aged 18 to 29 years.

25. These are significant moves. It means in December 2021 and January 2022, we will administer about 2.1 million doses of vaccines to individuals – about 700,000 more if we had not expanded the programme. If we follow through, at the end of January 2022, about 54% of our total population will be covered by boosters.

26. The two mRNA vaccines can be used interchangeably as boosters. For the month of December, we have more Moderna supplies. So if you are eligible to receive your booster shot and if you choose to take a Moderna booster, you can just walk into a Moderna vaccination centre for your jab. There is no need to pre-book a slot.

27. We are also making a few operational adjustments, for example the exemption of VDS for recovered patients will be adjusted downwards from 270 days to 180 days. This is to take into account the faster waning of their immunity due to the Omicron variant.

28. We are also reducing the monitoring time after receiving boosters from 30 minutes to 15 minutes, because our data shows very low incidence rate of significant acute adverse reactions after taking boosters. This will expand our booster delivering capacity. We are also planning to set up more vaccination centres, to support children vaccination and also boostering during this period.

Health Protocols

29. Next, let me talk about health protocols. We have made significant changes to our health protocols as we rode through the Delta transmission wave.

30. And the primary consideration is this. Because with the great majority of us fully vaccinated, most infected individuals experience mild or no symptoms. Hence, it is no longer necessary or practical to put everyone in hospitals. Right siting COVID-19 patients is important, so that acute healthcare resources are available to those who truly need them.

31. That is why we implemented the Home Recovery Programme (HRP). We want to thank everyone for your patience and understanding as we set up the programme, and for making the HRP a success.

32. I want to especially thank our General Practitioners (GPs) for playing a very big and vital role in this regard. They administered Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for their patients and they are also the ones to trigger the onboarding process for patients to be part of the HRP.

33. Many GPs have been family physicians for their patients for many years. Hence, they have expressed a strong interest to continue to care for their COVID-19 patients, instead of having them onboarded into a national HRP. MOH supports this, because maintaining that long term doctor-patient relationship is actually the essence of primary care.

34. We are therefore thinking through how to have our GPs play an even bigger role, especially if we ever have a big Omicron wave. One key idea that we are working on is this: in our simplified healthcare Protocol 1-2-3, most of you should be familiar with, we provided the option under Protocol 2 for those who feel they are well, and yet tested positive with an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kit, to just rest at home and come out when they are tested ART negative.

35. If Omicron is indeed milder, but transmits faster, we need to push the idea of right siting even further. Today, GPs only prescribe a PCR test to someone who feels unwell. If tested positive, the patient will most likely be put under HRP for 10 days.

36. We can further empower our GPs, so that they can judge the disposition and risk profile of the patient, and order either a PCR or an ART test. For very mild or asymptomatic cases, the GP may want to just order an ART test, and if positive, the patient may be asked to go on few days of MC, rest at home, and come out when tested ART negative.

37. In other words, Protocol 1-2-3 will remain, but the GP can now trigger not just Protocol 1, but also Protocol 2, with an MC. And GPs can even follow up to care for their patients. So even within the more formal HRP system, there is scope for the GPs to be providing follow-up care, instead of centralised coordinated care administered by MOH. This is an idea and proposal that we will be engaging the GPs on in the coming days.

38. I will now pass the floor to SMS Dr Janil to further explain children vaccination.

jw5 · Dec 16, 2021

from MOH report 15 December 2021:

THREE MORE CASES TESTED PRELIMINARILY POSITIVE FOR OMICRON VARIANT

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected three more COVID-19 cases who have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant, of whom one is a local case, one is imported and the other is a close contact of the imported case. All three cases are fully vaccinated and have mild or no symptoms, and are recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). MOH is ringfencing the cases through contact tracing.

Cases 278256 and 279395

2. Case 278256 is a 36 year-old male who travelled to Singapore via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) from the US. His pre-departure test in the US on 6 December was negative for COVID-19 infection, as was his on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on 8 December. However he tested positive for COVID-19 infection for his supervised antigen rapid test (ART) on 10 December, and his PCR test result also came back positive on 11 December.

3. Case 279395, a 34 year-old female, is the spouse of Case 278256, and had no recent travel history. She was placed on quarantine on 14 December as she had been identified as a close contact of Case 278256, and tested positive for COVID-19 infection on the same day. Prior to that, she was working from home.

4. Between 8 December and 9 December 2021, they had dined at the following restaurants:

• 8 December: Mizuki at Ngee Ann City;
• 8 December: Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant at Sheraton Towers Singapore;
• 8 December: Merci Marcel at Palais Renaissance; and
• 9 December: Signs A Taste Of Vietnam Pho at Orchard Gateway.

5. All customer-facing restaurant staff, as well as patrons with SafeEntry check-in/out timings that coincided with the time that the cases were at the restaurants, will be issued Health Risk Warnings (HRW) by MOH. A one-time targeted PCR testing operation will also be conducted for these individuals, whom MOH will contact.

6. All visitors to the affected premises are advised to monitor their health closely, and minimise social interactions as far as possible, for 14 days from their date of visit or interaction. They are encouraged to see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.

Case 279330

7. Case 279330 is a 54 year-old male who works as a loading cabin assistant at Changi Airport Terminal 3, and had no contact with flight passengers. He was tested for COVID-19 on 14 December as part of rostered routine testing, and his PCR test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection. He had been placed on a daily antigen rapid testing regime since 10 December, and his test results up to 13 December were all negative.

8. The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing for all three cases to confirm the variant and contact tracing is ongoing. All close contacts of the cases will be placed on 10-day quarantine at designated facilities and undergo PCR tests at the start and end of their quarantine.

9. To date, there are 16 confirmed Omicron cases detected in Singapore, with 14 imported cases and two local cases who are airport passenger service staff. Given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more Omicron cases at our borders and also within our community. It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to come forward to receive your vaccination or booster dose when offered.

jw5 · Dec 17, 2021

from MOH report 16 December 2021:

ONE MORE CASE TESTED PRELIMINARILY POSITIVE FOR OMICRON VARIANT

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected one more local COVID-19 case who has tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The case is fully vaccinated and has mild symptoms, and is recovering in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. MOH is ringfencing the case through contact tracing.

2. Case 276615 is a 42 year-old male who works as a loading assistant at Changi Airport Terminal 3, and had no contact with flight passengers. He developed a fever on 8 December and sought medical treatment at a General Practitioner (GP) clinic where he was tested for COVID-19. His test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection the next day, and he was placed on the Home Recovery Programme. As he was subsequently identified as a close contact of Case 279330, his sample was tested for the Omicron variant on 16 December and his test result came back preliminarily positive. The National Public Health Laboratory is conducting whole genome sequencing to confirm the variant and contact tracing is ongoing.

3. All close contacts of suspect Omicron cases will be placed on 10-day quarantine at designated facilities and undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests at the start and end of their quarantine. Individuals who are identified to have visited places the cases had been at, and who could potentially have interacted with them, will be issued a 7-day Health Risk Warning (HRW) by MOH.

4. To date, there are 24 confirmed Omicron cases detected in Singapore, with 21 imported cases and three local cases. Given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more Omicron cases at our borders and also within our community. It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to come forward to receive your vaccination or booster dose when offered.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
16 DECEMBER 2021

jw5 · Dec 20, 2021

From ICA website:

1) Departure Advisories and Requirements

Travel advisories - Singapore residents who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated are advised to defer all travel except in exceptional circumstances. For fully vaccinated residents, travel to high-risk countries/regions including Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe is discouraged. All departing travellers should review the latest Ministry of Health travel advisory and specific destination advisories from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Requirements for departing from Singapore – Travellers do not need specific approval to leave Singapore. However, all travellers including Vaccinated Travel Lane (Air/Land) users should check with the authorities of the destination country/region on the requirements imposed on travellers departing from Singapore, including whether a pre-departure test and digital health and vaccine certificates are required. Travellers may also utilise Reciprocal Green Lane outbound arrangements to travel to Mainland China and Brunei.
Requirements for returning to Singapore - Travellers who intend to return to Singapore should note that the prevailing entry requirements will apply for their return to Singapore. For more details on entry requirements and SafeTravel Lanes available, refer to the “Travelling to Singapore” page. Travellers who are required to obtain entry approval before returning to Singapore (e.g. long term pass holders, work pass holders, student pass holders) are advised to secure an entry date before leaving Singapore, if they require certainty of a return date.

Gahmen needs to come clean on those cases classified as "work permit holders not residing in domintories"

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