Government has imposed Code Red measures without calling the situation Code Red

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Some reports of adverse events from Pfizer vaccine recorded in Singapore: MOH official


SINGAPORE — Authorities have received some reports of adverse events arising from a number of people who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Singapore, said a top health official on Friday (22 January).

These reports are in the process of being compiled for submission to the COVID-19 vaccination expert panel for review and recommendations, Ministry of Health (MOH) director of medical services Kenneth Mak said during a virtual COVID-19 multi-ministry taskforce press conference.

“As soon as we're able to get those recommendations out and we have organised and categorised these adverse events, we will be then able to publicise and inform you what those adverse events are,” said Associate Professor Mak, who did not provide a figure on the number of such reports.

Prof Mak noted that in countries that have launched vaccination programmes, the majority of adverse events are very mild. These include pain, redness, swelling, and soreness of the muscles after jabs were administered.

“There are some who have reported fatigue, more generalised muscle aches, and fever. Many of these symptoms, in fact, reflect the body's immune system responding to the vaccine dose that has been injected in them, he added.

“And (there) will be some that may have more serious side effects, which include allergic reactions of a variety of different grades of severity.”

In the US, allergic reactions are occurring at a rate of 11.1 per 1 million vaccinations, according to local health officials. By comparison, flu vaccines cause about 1.3 such reactions per million doses administered.

In Singapore, more than 60,000 people have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as of Friday, including those working in healthcare, nursing homes, frontline and essential services, and seniors in nursing homes.

Separately, 39 staff at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) have received their second dose of the vaccine. From next Wednesday, some 5,000 to 10,000 senior residents per precinct in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar will be able to receive the vaccine under a pilot.

Prof Mak also spoke at length about the process for tracking such adverse events.

“This goes through the institutions which perform the vaccinations, as well as other doctors who may see patients who have had the vaccination, and have had any adverse effects,” he said.

These reports are then sent to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), which has a pharmacovigilance programme in place to receive and process them. Such reports are reviewed by expert panels within the HSA to determine the severity of the adverse events.

Reports will also be sent to the MOH, where experts would be consulted to determine whether authorities need to tweak the list of precautions to be taken for the vaccination exercise, said Prof Mak.

He also said that authorities are “very close” to reaching a decision for a second vaccine pending the HSA’s approval, but did not specify which company would be chosen.

Currently, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the HSA for pandemic use here. Two doses are required 21 days apart and it would take up to another two weeks after the second dose for those undergoing vaccination to achieve maximum protection against the virus.

The government has signed advanced purchase agreements with Moderna and Sinovac.

“We anticipate that we would have a decision made soon in our evaluation for one of the vaccines. The other vaccine, I understand, we are still clarifying further details with the company that produces the vaccine,” said Prof Mak.

“We are hopeful that if we are able to get all the information necessary for evaluation, then the HSA can complete its review process and give approval for the other vaccines as well.”

At the press conference, Health Minister and taskforce co-chair Gan Kim Yong said one scheduled Pfizer-BioNTech shipment has been delayed, and that there may be other delays to the shipments of vaccines due to Pfizer’s upgrading of its European manufacturing plant.

“We will continue to monitor our supplies closely to meet our target of vaccinating all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore by the end of this year. But we will need to calibrate our roll out in tandem with our supplies,” he added.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Government to pay for COVID-19 rostered routine testing until September


SINGAPORE — The government on Friday (22 January) said that it will continue to pay for the Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) of workers in various sectors until 30 September.

Currently, workers in sectors that have higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 or with larger negative impact if they were to have a COVID-19 infection in their midst are required to go for RRT fortnightly.

These workers include those living in dormitories, and those working in the construction, marine and process, and aviation and maritime sectors.

The government had earlier announced that it would bear the costs of RRT until 31 March.

“As COVID-19 continues to pose significant public health risks in these sectors, the government will continue to bear the costs for COVID-19 RRT until 30 September 2021 to support their safe operations,” said the Ministry of Health.

“The Government will continue to review its subsidies for COVID-19 RRT to ensure that they support our public health efforts while sharing the costs equitably between taxpayers, employers and individuals,” it added.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Three who had Pfizer jab in Singapore suffered anaphylaxis: MOH


SINGAPORE — A total of 432 adverse events from the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were reported by healthcare professionals in Singapore to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) as of Wednesday (27 January), of which three were cases of anaphylaxis, a rapid onset of severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.

Those cases of severe allergic reactions were quickly resolved by healthcare professionals, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday in a press release.

The three individuals, in their 20s and 30s, had developed multiple symptoms such as rash, breathlessness, lip swelling, throat tightness and giddiness.

All of them had a history of allergies, including allergic rhinitis and food allergy such as to shellfish, but none had a history of anaphylaxis which would have precluded them from receiving the vaccine, added the MOH.

“Anaphylaxis can be controlled when detected and treated in a timely manner. As all vaccinated persons in Singapore are closely monitored, the symptoms in these three individuals were promptly detected and treated. All have recovered from the episode and were discharged from the hospital after a day’s observation or treatment,” said the MOH.

Apart from the three cases of anaphylaxis, most of the reports were for regular symptoms such as injection site pain and swelling, fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, giddiness, nausea, and allergic reactions such as itch, rash, swelling of eyes, and lip.

“These symptoms are reactions generally associated with all vaccinations and they generally resolved on their own within a few days,” added the ministry.

More than 113,000 people in Singapore have received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. This currently brings the incidence rate of anaphylaxis locally to about 2.7 per 100,000 doses administered, said the MOH.

The ministry also noted that incidence rates reported abroad are around one to two per 100,000 doses administered, after they have administered millions of vaccine doses. In the US, allergic reactions are occurring at a rate of 11.1 per 1 million vaccinations, according to local health officials. By comparison, flu vaccines cause about 1.3 such reactions per million doses administered.

“Variations in the incidence rate are to be expected initially as the numbers vaccinated in Singapore to-date are relatively small,” it added.

The MOH and the HSA said it will continue to work with the expert committee on COVID-19 vaccination to closely monitor the safety of the vaccine and ensure the vaccines used in Singapore are safe for population groups here, as the vaccination programme is being rolled out.

Director of Medical Services at MOH Kenneth Mak noted that anaphylaxis is a known but rare side effect of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

As with all vaccines, there will always be a small proportion of susceptible persons who experience severe allergic reactions upon vaccination, he added.

“We have put in place precautionary measures such as pre-vaccination screening and post- vaccination observation, to ensure that our vaccination programme can be carried out safely,” said Associate Professor Mak.

“Healthcare professionals in Singapore generally have a high rate of reporting of adverse events, which reflects their vigilance and promptness to report any adverse events. We will continue to work with them and our partners to ensure that vaccinations are performed safely,” he added.

He stressed that vaccination remains safe for those who are eligible, and encouraged all Singaporeans and long-term residents to be vaccinated when their turn comes.

Vaccine injury financial assistance to be introduced
The MOH said it will introduce a vaccine injury financial assistance programme for COVID-19 vaccination (VIFAP) to provide financial assistance for affected individuals, in the rare event of serious side effects that are assessed to be related to COVID-19 vaccines administered in Singapore.

While the ministry “expect few to need this”, the programme will give a greater peace of mind for those taking the vaccination, it added.

The VIFAP will provide the following tiers of financial support:

1. A one-time pay-out of up to $10,000 will be provided to an eligible individual who is hospitalised requiring care in the high dependency or intensive care unit but subsequently recovers from medically significant serious side effects
2. A one-time pay-out of $225,000 will be provided to an individual who dies or suffers permanent severe disability as a result of COVID-19 vaccination

Any individual who experiences serious side effects after the COVID-19 vaccination can also continue to concurrently receive support through applicable healthcare schemes, such as MediShield Life and subsidies at our public healthcare institutions.

To qualify for the VIFAP, individuals must be a Singaporean, a permanent resident or a long-term pass holder who has received the COVID-19 vaccination in Singapore.

They must also have experienced a serious side effect that is potentially life-threatening or fatal, and has required inpatient hospitalisation or has caused persistent incapacity or disability.

The serious side effects must be assessed by a doctor to be linked to the individual’s COVID-19 vaccination.

“As the severity of serious side effects can be broad, and assessment by the treating doctors may vary, the MOH has appointed an independent clinical panel comprising experts in relevant fields such as neurology, immunology and infectious diseases, to assess and adjudicate VIFAP applications,” added the MOH.

The ministry stressed the importance of vaccination and called it a “collective protection” which will become more effective as more people are vaccinated as well as a key enabler allowing Singapore to return to normalcy.

However, it noted that even as the population is progressively vaccinated, vaccination is not a silver bullet.

“We must continue to adhere to the safe management measures to help us mitigate the spread and keep community transmission low,” said the MOH.

Over 50 individuals in Singapore have received their second dose of the vaccine and completed the full vaccination regimen.

The ministry said these numbers are expected to rise substantially in the coming weeks as authorities continue to ramp up vaccination operations safely.

Updates on vaccination for elderly
The first day of COVID-19 vaccination for seniors aged 70 years old and above took place with two pilots at Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar on Wednesday, with more than 250 seniors vaccinated, the MOH said.

The sign-ups for COVID-19 vaccination by seniors have been encouraging, and the ministry said it expects more seniors to do so in the coming days as letters are progressively being sent to invite them to book an appointment for their vaccination.

As of Wednesday, letters to more than 10,000 seniors in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar have been sent, and more than one-third of them have booked their appointments within two days of receiving the letter.

More of the letters will be progressively sent out to seniors across Singapore starting from mid-February.

Besides the vaccination centres, the polyclinics and selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) will also serve as vaccination sites.

Currently, seniors can be vaccinated at nine polyclinics and 21 PHPCs. Come 1 February, all 20 polyclinics across Singapore will also begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations.

To reach out to seniors with mobility issues and hence may find it challenging to visit a vaccination site in-person, mobile vaccination teams will be set up to deliver the vaccines to these individuals, said the MOH.

 

[sweetiepie]

from todayonline.com:

TraceTogether data use by police ‘restricted to very serious offences’, says Shanmugam

SINGAPORE — Data from the TraceTogether mobile application or tokens would be used by the police in “very serious offences”, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in Parliament on Tuesday (Jan 5).

And so far, TraceTogether data has been used by the police once, in a murder investigation, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is also Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative.

The clarifications from the two Cabinet ministers came after Mr Desmond Tan, Minister of State for Home Affairs, answered a parliamentary question on the issue on Monday, saying that the police are empowered to access TraceTogether data under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

Mr Tan’s remarks have since raised concerns among the public, with many pointing out that when the TraceTogether system was introduced, Dr Balakrishnan had said that the data would be used only for contact tracing.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Dr Balakrishnan said that he had not thought about the CPC when he made that earlier assurance, adding that he has had sleepless nights after finding out about the CPC’s application to TraceTogether data a few weeks ago.

“Frankly, and I think members know me well, and I am always very frank... Frankly, I had not thought of the CPC when I spoke earlier,” he admitted.

After finding out about the CPC’s application to TraceTogether data, he had contemplated persuading Parliament to change the law, but he decided that they should maintain the status quo, after consulting colleagues inside and outside Parliament.

“I have come to the conclusion that right now, we are doing well. We are able to keep Singapore safe. We are able to keep and deal with the current crisis. And so long as this Government is able to maintain our reputation for openness, transparency, reliability, I think we are still on the right track,” he said.

He noted, too, that the application of the CPC is not unique to TraceTogether data.“Other forms of sensitive data, for example, phone or banking records — which may be protected by specific privacy laws — are also nevertheless subjected to the same provision of the CPC.”

In the case of TraceTogether, the police can only obtain the data by requiring a person involved in or assisting in criminal investigation to produce either his mobile smartphone or his TraceTogether token.

His clarification drew a question from Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, who asked under what circumstances the police would tap TraceTogether data.

To this, Mr Shanmugam said that the police’s approach has been and will be that such data usage is “pretty much restricted to very serious offences”.

“While that requirement is not in the legislation, it will be carefully considered within the police, and discretion will be exercised in seeking this information,” he added.

Dr Balakrishnan said he believes that Singaporeans can understand why the CPC confers broad powers to the police as there may be serious crimes, such as murder and terrorism, where the use of data in police investigations may be necessary in the public's interest.

"The police must be given the tools to bring criminals to justice and protect the safety and security of all Singaporeans, especially in very serious cases where lives are at stake,” he added.

“It is not reasonable for us to say that certain classes of data should be out of reach of the police. But this power on the part of the police to access the data must be exercised judiciously and with utmost restraint.”

Dr Balakrishnan also said that once the Covid-19 pandemic is over and when TraceTogether is no longer needed, the Government will "most happily and cheerfully" stand down the programme.

Mr Shanmugam said that as the CPC gives power to the police, the police have a duty to exercise the power, citing the example of a murder case.

“Let's say there is a murder… and information is available on a TraceTogether token. If the police chose not to seek that information, you can imagine how the victims' family and indeed the rest of Singapore might react to that situation.”

When asked for more information about the murder case cited by Dr Balakrishnan, how many cases the police have used TraceTogether data for investigations and the procedures for the use of such data, a Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman referred TODAY to Dr Balakrishnan's remarks in Parliament on Tuesday and did not give more details.

In response to TODAY’s queries, Mr Rakesh Kirpalani from law firm Drew & Napier, said that although the police have “wide powers” under the CPC to procure various types of data, the data requested must “always be relevant to a criminal investigation or proceeding”.

Mr Rakesh, who is director of dispute resolution and information technology at the law firm, said that in the context of TraceTogether data, the police will have to be clear why the proximity data collected by the app or token is relevant to a criminal investigation.

The police will also have to be specific and precise about the exact TraceTogether data that they seek.

On whether the TraceTogether token or app stores more data than other devices used by most Singaporeans, Mr Rakesh said that users give away “far more intrusive data voluntarily on their devices every day when they use social media or public IT infrastructure”.

KNN excuse my uncle for asking
请问which criminal will bring the token along to commit crime KNN

 

[jw5]

KNN excuse my uncle for asking
请问which criminal will bring the token along to commit crime KNN

KNN stupid criminal will bring the token, smooth criminal will not KNN

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

COVID-19: Bill tabled to define use of contact tracing data in police investigations


SINGAPORE — Singapore has moved to urgently amend its COVID-19 legislation to ensure that data obtained from its contact tracing systems can be used only for contact tracing or the investigation of serious criminal offences.

The COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment) Bill was tabled Parliament on Monday (1 February) by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, on behalf of Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam. The systems are TraceTogether (TT) programme, which collects proximity data via the TT app and TT token, the Safe Entry national check-in system, and BluePass, a contract tracing system which can interoperate with TT.

The Bill was tabled under a Certificate of Urgency signed by President Halimah Yacob, which will allow for all three readings of it to take place in one sitting. It will be debated in Parliament on Tuesday.

In a separate media release, the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office said the amendments will give legal force to the statements made in Parliament by Dr Balakrishnan and Shanmugam on 5 January that the use to TT data in criminal investigations would be “restricted to serious offences”.

These seven categories of serious offences are:

• Unlawful use or possession of corrosive and explosive substances, firearms or dangerous weapons.
• An offence relating to the committing, aiding, conspiring, abetting or financing of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism (Suppression of Bombings) Act, Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act, and Terrorism (Suppression of Misuse of Radioactive Material) Act.
• An offence relating to causing or concealment of death, or maliciously or wilfully causing grievous bodily harm (where the victim’s injury is of a life-threatening nature).
• A drug offence that is punishable with death.
• An offence relating to escape from custody where there is reasonable belief that the subject will cause imminent harm to others.
• Kidnapping, abduction or hostage-taking.
• Any form of serious sexual assault such as rape or sexual assault by penetration.

The legislation also guarantees that the government will cease the use of the TT and SE systems once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. At that point, public agencies will have to stop collecting personal contact tracing data and deleted all such collected data “as soon as practicable”.

Also specified in the Bill is that it applies only to data that identifies an individual. It does not prohibit de-identified, aggregated or anonymised data recorded in the digital contact tracing systems, such as the total number of entries in to a shopping mall, from being used in epidemiological research or to monitor the effectiveness of safe management measures, said the release.

The amendments will also see those convicted of unauthorised use or disclosure of personal contact tracing data facing fines of up to $20,000, jail terms of up to two years, or both.

Strong support required
In order for contact tracing to be carried out effectively in Singapore, strong support for and active usage of the TT app and token is needed, said the release.

“The Government is introducing this Bill under extraordinary circumstances. The legislation is intended to remove any doubt about what personal contact tracing data can be used for,” it added.

To date, more than 80 per cent of the country’s resident population have either downloaded the TT app or collected the TT token. Together with other digital contact tracing tools, TT has helped reduce the average time needed for contact tracing from four days to 1.5 days.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Vivian Balakrishnan takes 'full responsibility' over TraceTogether saga

SINGAPORE — The Singapore government has acknowledged its error in failing to state that TraceTogether (TT) is not exempt from the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

“I take full responsibility for this mistake. And I deeply regret the consternation and anxiety caused,” said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, in Parliament on Tuesday (2 February).

“Perhaps I was so enamoured by what I thought was the ingenuity and brilliance of (the TT system) that I got blindsided.”

He spoke at the start of the second reading of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Amendment Bill, which aims to – among other things – enshrine in law that personal contact tracing data obtained from the TT, SafeEntry (SE) and BluePass (BP) systems can be used only in the investigation of serious offences.

The revelation during a parliamentary session in January that TT data fell under the CPC, which means it is accessible to the police, caused much public debate. Dr Balakrishnan and Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam later stated that police use of TT data would be limited to probes into seven categories of serious offences.

The current Bill, which was submitted under a Certificate of Urgency, looks to give “legal force” to both ministers’ statements. It also ensures that the various contact tracing systems will be stood down once the pandemic is over and that all data obtained which is still being stored will be permanently deleted at that point.

Tough choice
Dr Balakrishnan cited Nanyang Technological University’s Professor Ang Peng Hwa, who noted the ethical dilemma of having to choose between protecting public health by preserving TT data and protecting public safety.

Using the example of a kidnapped child, Dr Balakrishnan said it would be “unconscionable” to prevent the police from having access to TT data that could potentially save the victim. Maintaining such a “purist ideological stance” would be untenable, he said.

Dr Balakrishnan added that the urgent introduction of the Bill is aimed at removing any doubt among Singaporeans and to assure them that their data will be safeguarded and used only for appropriate purposes.

“The virus is still a clear and present threat; it will remain so for some time to come. We cannot afford to be distracted from our fight against COVID-19,” he said.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

More than 155,000 in Singapore have received first COVID-19 vaccine dose: MOH


SINGAPORE — As of Sunday (31 January), more than 155,000 individuals have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary in Parliament on Monday.

Dr Janil told the House that MOH plans to set up around 40 vaccination centres, with each centre planned for an estimated capacity of about 2,000 vaccinations per day on average.

“The vaccination centres will be located in high population catchment areas and/or along public transport routes for greater accessibility,” said the SMS, adding that polyclinics and selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) will also serve as vaccination sites.

Vaccinations are currently being performed at nine polyclinics and around 20 PHPCs. From Monday, all 20 polyclinics across Singapore will also begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations.

With the elderly in Singapore currently prioritised for vaccination, MOH, the Health Sciences Authority and the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination, have been monitoring international reports on vaccine- related adverse events and deaths in elderly recipients.

“The Norwegian health authorities and the World Health Organisation’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety have found no evidence that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine contributes to an increased risk of death in the elderly,” said Dr Janil.

Four cases of anaphylaxis
The SMS was responding to multiple questions filed by Members of Parliament on the country’s vaccine rollout and possible adverse reactions.

Dr Janil told the House that there have been four reported cases of anaphylaxis, or the rapid onset of severe allergic reactions. The individuals, in their 20s and 30s, developed multiple symptoms such as rash, breathlessness, lip swelling, throat tightness and giddiness.

Three of the individuals had a history of allergies, including allergic rhinitis and food allergies, but none had a history of anaphylaxis which would have precluded them from receiving the vaccine.

The SMS added that the symptoms in these four individuals were promptly detected and treated. All have recovered from the episode.

One was under observation for a few hours while the others were discharged from hospital after a day’s observation or treatment. None needed ICU support.

Dr Janil explained that the incidence rate of anaphylaxis locally is about 2.6 per 100,000 doses administered. The incidence rates reported abroad are around one to two per 100,000 doses administered, after they have administered millions of vaccine doses, he added.

“Variations in the incidence rate are to be expected initially when the numbers vaccinated in Singapore to-date are relatively small,” he said, stressing that the benefits of getting vaccinated to protect oneself from the effects of severe COVID-19 disease and its complications, far outweigh the risk of any potential adverse events known to be associated with vaccination.

“I would point out that almost all adverse events documented from vaccinations tend to have an onset very close to the administration of the vaccination and that's hence why we're monitoring them for 30 minutes and perhaps, we're monitoring them for longer than necessary at 30 minutes,” said Dr Janil, in response to a suggestion by Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Sembawang GRC MP, on introducing surveys for those vaccinated to fill up on possible side effects.

Singapore’s vaccine supply
Dr Janil reiterated that Singapore has signed advance purchase agreements with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Sinovac, and is in discussions with “a few other” pharmaceutical companies. He declined to reveal more on the specific quantity of the vaccines ordered or the delivery schedules due to commercial sensitivities and confidentiality undertakings.

“While there will be some delays to the shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines due to the upgrading of Pfizer’s manufacturing plant, we will continue to monitor our supplies closely to meet our target of vaccinating all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore by the end of 2021,” said Dr Janil.

He added that wastage rates of the vaccines are “low and well-managed” but did not share specific numbers.

Dr Janil also addressed the issue of Singaporeans wanting to get vaccinated early as they wish to travel overseas for personal reasons.

“At this point, when vaccine supplies are limited, we need to prioritise our healthcare and frontline workers, and seniors, for vaccination. We are therefore unable to provide vaccines at this time to these Singaporeans and seek their understanding,” said Dr Janil.

But authorities may consider opening up a waitlist for those who urgently need to travel overseas – be it for health, studies, or for compassionate grounds – and wish to go for early vaccination, he added.

“It is something to be considered. We will be opening up the registration process, and we will be looking for an indication of interest from members of the public who are eligible in this phase, as well as in the future,” said Dr Janil.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore will have capacity to get population vaccinated against Covid-19 by Q3 2021, but may take longer to do so


SINGAPORE - Singapore will have the capacity and capability to get its population vaccinated by the third quarter of this year, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary.

However, it might take up to the end of the year to do so, depending on a combination of factors.

These factors include vaccine supply, as well as the willingness of Singaporeans and long-term residents to get vaccinated, Dr Janil said.

"Our ability to deliver on this is present, and will be present," he said.

"But we hope that the communications, outreach and engagement necessary in order to make this happen is something that members of this House will assist with."

He was responding to Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), who had asked for clarification on when the nationwide Covid-19 vaccine roll-out will be completed.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in December that the country will have enough vaccines for everyone in Singapore by the third quarter of this year, if all goes according to plan.

Dr Janil replied that although this still holds true, there may be members of the public who require further explanation on why getting vaccinated is the right thing to do, or require further medical screening.

"This process will take some time," he said.

Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) asked how the European Union's decision to tighten exports of vaccines manufactured in the region would affect Singapore's vaccination roll-out.

He also asked if Singapore will, at some point, consider producing vaccines here to avoid these issues.

Dr Janil said there are no plans to change Singapore's vaccine roll-out targets, adding that the specifics of its arrangements are confidential.

On Singapore's plans for vaccine production, he said: "It's indeed something that I'm sure will be explored but ultimately, it comes down to the licensure of the specific vaccine that's demonstrated to be safe and effective for our population."

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Covid-19 vaccines can't currently be given to S'poreans who wish to travel overseas, due to limited supplies: Janil


SINGAPORE - Covid-19 vaccinations cannot currently be given to Singaporeans who wish to travel overseas for personal reasons, due to limited supplies and the need to prioritise their use, Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said in Parliament on Monday (Feb 1).

In response to questions from 12 MPs, Dr Janil said: "We completely understand the anxiety of some Singaporeans who wish to travel overseas for personal reasons or would like to get vaccinated early."

As vaccine supplies are currently limited, healthcare and front-line workers, as well as seniors, have to be prioritised, he said.

"We are therefore unable to provide vaccines at this time to these Singaporeans outside of these groups and seek their understanding."

He added: "When there is greater certainty in our vaccine supply, we will consider allowing these individuals to receive early vaccination. We will announce further details at that time."

More details on the vaccination roll-out to the rest of the population will also be announced at a later date.

Dr Janil said that "good progress" has been made in Singapore's vaccination programme, with more than 155,000 people receiving their first dose of the vaccine as at Jan 31.

The healthcare and front-line workers prioritised include swabbers hired by the Health Promotion Board, and staff working at government quarantine facilities, community care and stay-home notice facilities, he said.

Given limited supplies, healthcare workers and Covid-19 front-line personnel, whose work requires them to be in constant contact with people who may be infected, have been prioritised, he said.

Essential workers, such as those in security services and aviation, and maritime workers have also been vaccinated.

Dr Janil asked for Singaporeans' support and patience, as vaccinations for the whole population are rolled out in tandem with the shipments of vaccines.

Advanced purchase agreements with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Sinovac have been signed, and discussions are ongoing with a few other pharmaceutical companies, he noted.

But the specific quantity of the vaccines ordered or the delivery schedules cannot be disclosed because of commercial sensitivities and confidentiality undertakings in such agreements, he said.

There would be delays to shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine because of an upgrading of Pfizer's manufacturing plant, he said.

But supplies will continue to be monitored closely to meet Singapore's target of vaccinating all Singaporeans and long-term residents by the end of this year.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo news:

350 asked to have TraceTogether data deleted over past month: Vivian Balakrishnan


SINGAPORE — Over the past month, 350 people have written in to the authorities to request that their TraceTogether (TT) data be deleted.

However, over 390,000 people have come on board the system during the same period, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, in Parliament on Tuesday (2 February).

“Every one of that 350 who has requested us to delete (their data) is a source of regret for me. Because at least 350 have, for a variety of reasons, decided to forgo the protection that TraceTogether offers them and their loved ones,” he said.

Dr Balakrishnan was replying to queries from fellow Members of Parliament during the second reading of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Amendment Bill.

The Bill, which was later passed on the same day, seeks to – among other things – defines that the authorities can only access data from the TT, SafeEntry and BluePass systems only for the purpose of contact tracing or the investigation of serious criminal offences.

It comes following the public outcry over the revelation during a Parliament session in January that TT data can be used under the Criminal Procedure Code to give police access to such information. The consternation also arose as Dr Balakrishnan assured during a Multi-Ministry Taskforce press conference in June last year that TT data would only be used for contact tracing.

Emphasising that the TT take-up rate in January was a sign that the public still has faith in the system, Dr Balakrishnan said, “I don't want to belabour this but my simple conclusion or inference is that Singaporeans know that I misspoke, but they also trust that the TraceTogether system is safe.”

Not setting a precedent
Responding to concerns raised by several Members of Parliament as to whether the Bill would set a precedent for how the government makes use of data from digital solutions in the future, Dr Balakrishnan assured the House that this would not be the case.

“Our decision today to only include serious offences, to tightly scope the use of personal contact tracing data, is a a result of a delicate balance between the right to public health, the right to public security and respecting the sensitivity of personal data...This Bill is about ensuring maximum support from the public in our fight against COVID-19. I want to stress this Bill is not a precedent,” he said.

Noting that issues such as privacy and data governance are broad and complex, Dr Balakrishnan said they would need careful contemplation, consultation and open debate to be addressed.

“This should not be settled on a Certificate of Emergency in one day. There will be proper occasions in the future to do this,” he added.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Seniors across Singapore to start getting vaccinated against Covid-19 from Feb 22: PM Lee


SINGAPORE - Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination programme will enter its next phase on Feb 22, when seniors across the island start getting their jabs, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday (Feb 12).

This comes after a month-long pilot, where those aged 70 and above in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar - towns with a higher proportion of elderly residents - began receiving their vaccinations from Jan 27.

The multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 will give more details and announce the schedule of these vaccinations, said Mr Lee, who reiterated Singapore's goal to get the country vaccinated by the third quarter or latest by the end of the year - provided no issues crop up.

Mr Lee was speaking to reporters at Changi General Hospital after visiting essential workers on the first day of the Chinese New Year.

Singapore has placed orders for the vaccines from multiple suppliers to ensure there is enough for everyone here, although there may be some disruptions and delays, noted Mr Lee, who said close to 250,000 people have been vaccinated to date.

"I am reasonably confident that we will get the vaccines that we need this year," he said.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said last month that Singapore was expecting shipment delays of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines due to upgrades in Pfizer's manufacturing plant.

Singapore has also authorised the Moderna vaccine, and expects the first shipment to arrive next month , if there are no disruptions to the shipment schedule.

"We have hedged our bets and we have ordered, and pre-ordered vaccines from multiple suppliers. I hope that not all of them will get disrupted," said Mr Lee.

Mr Lee pointed out that depending on the disruptions to the supply of vaccines and whether they arrive late, Singapore's vaccination programme might have to be stretched out a bit.

The country will have to keep up its safe management measures longer and more strictly, he added.

But even if Singapore manages to vaccinate most of its residents, Mr Lee cautioned this does not mean that life can go back to how it was pre-pandemic as it does not mean everyone will be safe.

"Some will not be vaccinated - they will remain vulnerable. Our borders will not be able to be completely closed, people will have to travel from time to time. Cases will come in and we will have to deal with them. We will have to move to living with Covid-19 in some form for quite some time," he said.

He added that countries in the region will also not be able to vaccinate their large populations by the end of this year, so there remains a need for vigilance.

Underscoring his faith that Singapore can keep up the good work in adjusting to restricted activities and containing Covid-19, Mr Lee acknowledged that there are things many people miss while they adhere to safety management measures.

He singled out the ability to have human contact and interaction, which he said are things human beings, as social creatures, need and depend on.

“We are social creatures – and you want to see people, you want to have friends to chat, and not have to be always on guard; Did I sanitise my hand?; Can I sit a bit closer? – it goes against all your normal instincts to hug and be close to somebody,” he said.

"That is one significant psychological cost which we bear. And the other one is sometimes, you just want to let your hair down, have a fling and party - that is why you have a rave and beach party - I think it will be some time before we have raves and beach parties, even with vaccines and vaccinations," he added.

This extends to leisure travel as well, and Mr Lee noted that countries are still very wary about restarting travel, especially as there are new variants of Covid-19 emerging, which are more infectious and possibly even more dangerous.

He said: "Countries are very wary about restarting travel and until a substantial proportion of the population are vaccinated, and there is some system for countries to know and verify who has been vaccinated and is safe to travel.

"I do not think you can expect to go back to the days when you just buy a ticket and go up to Bangkok or Hong Kong for a weekend, for some time to come," he said.

"That would be several years - even IATA has said four to five years, until 2024 or thereabouts," he added.

He was referring to projections by the International Air Transport Association on how long it would take for global air travel to return to pre-Covid-19 levels.

 

[jw5]

From 1 February 2021, you can collect your TraceTogether Tokens at any Community Centre/Club. Please check TokenGoWhere (token.gowhere.gov.sg) for the most updated collection details.

 

[jw5]

What are the data safeguards in place? Will someone be able to access my data if I misplace my Token?


TraceTogether is designed for contact tracing. It is privacy-preserving by design. Both the App and Token do not capture GPS / geolocation data, and the data is stored in an encrypted format that makes it incomprehensible to unauthorised users. In addition, the Token does not have Internet or cellular connectivity. This means that no one can access your data remotely.

All public sector data protection rules will apply to TraceTogether data, including abiding by the recommendations of the Public Sector Data Security Review Committee. Under the Public Sector (Governance) Act, public officers who recklessly or knowingly disclose such data without authorisation or misuse the data may be liable to a penalty of $5,000 or imprisonment up to 2 years, or both.

 

[jw5]

If it is not mandatory to bring my TraceTogether Token out, will I be charged/fined if I forget to bring it out?

No. However, we strongly encourage you to bring the TraceTogether Token with you wherever you go, to protect you and the people around you.

 

[jw5]

Can I use the TraceTogether Token for SafeEntry (SE) check-in?

You can use the TraceTogether Token to check in to SE at premises equipped with QR code scanners. You may also check directly with individual premises if they are able to scan Tokens for SE check-in.
For premises without QR code scanners, you can continue to check-in either by scanning the SE QR code using your phone, or by presenting your NRIC.

 

[jw5]

Who can use the TraceTogether App? Which mobile phones are supported?

The TraceTogether App is designed for use by people in Singapore. To register, you need:

• A valid NRIC, FIN, or a valid document of your current stay in Singapore — to facilitate contact tracing,
• A mobile number, and
• A compatible mobile phone with a camera

These mobile phones are unable to run TraceTogether:

• Phones that do not have access to the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery
• Non-camera phones
• Phones with Android version 5.0 or below
• Phones with iOS version 9 or below
• Phones running on Blackberry OS or Symbian OS
• Phones with a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system installed by employers that prevents downloads from the App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery

We’re working on a way to support these users, and we’ll update the public when it’s ready.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo news:

Seniors 70 and above to get COVID vaccination letters by early March


SINGAPORE — All seniors aged 70 years and above can expect to receive personalised letters inviting them to sign up for COVID-19 vaccination over the next three weeks, by the first week of March, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (19 February).

The vaccination for seniors will begin islandwide in Singapore from next Monday. The ministry said it will start by inviting seniors living near polyclinics or vaccination centres, so that they can be conveniently vaccinated at a vaccination site near their home.

By mid-March when a vaccination centre is opened in each town, all seniors will be able to receive their vaccination, the MOH added.

"Thereafter we will move to vaccinate the seniors aged 60 to 69 years. They will receive their invitation letters around the middle of March, and the vaccination will commence from around end-March onwards," the ministry said.

As the letters will be mailed based on official residential addresses, seniors are encouraged to update their residential address using the change of address e-service via the relevant government websites, so that letters will be delivered to their place of residence.

The MOH also said that since the pilot for vaccinations for seniors aged 70 years and above commenced on 27 January for seniors residing in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar, over 5,000 seniors from both towns have received their vaccinations as of Thursday.

"These seniors are scheduled to receive their second dose from 17 February onwards, and in two weeks, they will be adequately protected against COVID-19," it added.

As of Thursday, about 250,000 individuals have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Amongst them, more than 110,000 have also received their second dose of the vaccine, and completed the full vaccination regimen.


"(If) all goes well in March, then we should be able to get the first dose of vaccines out to another 1 million people on top of the 250,000, who have already received their vaccinations, which I think is good progress," said Education Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the COVID-19 taskforce, during his visit to the vaccination centre at Jalan Besar Community Club on Friday.

What to do when you receive your invitation letter?
Seniors can register online for their vaccination at vaccine.gov.sg upon receiving their letters.

Once registered, they will receive an SMS with a unique link for them to book their vaccination appointments. Seniors will be able to schedule their vaccinations at any of the vaccination centres, 20 polyclinics, or 22 public health preparedness clinics (PHPCs) operating as vaccination sites.

Those who require assistance booking their vaccination appointments can bring their invitation letter to any community centre or club from Friday, where staff members will be available to assist them.

Community volunteers from People’s Association and Silver Generation Ambassadors will be conducting house visits and tapping on grassroots events to help seniors with their appointment booking and answer their queries.

To reach out to seniors who may find it challenging to visit a vaccination site in person due to mobility issues, authorities will work with the relevant agencies to deploy mobile vaccination teams to carry out vaccinations for these individuals.

More vaccination centres to open
There are 11 vaccination centres currently in operation:

1. Fullerton Health Vaccination Centre @ Raffles City Convention
2. Tanjong Pagar Community Club
3. Jalan Besar Community Centre
4. Bishan Community Centre
5. Raffles Medical Vaccination Centre – Airport
6. Woodlands Galaxy Community Club
7. Teck Ghee Community Centre
8. Senja-Cashew Community Centre
9. Canberra Community Centre
10. Serangoon Community Centre
11. Former Hong Kah Secondary School

Three more vaccination centres located at community centres or clubs will commence operations by next Monday, at Bukit Timah, Marine Parade and Taman Jurong, bringing the total to 14.

Thirty-one vaccination centres will be in operation by the middle of March, with at least one vaccination centre in each town.

Authorities expect to eventually set up around 40 vaccination centres, with each vaccination centre planned for an estimated capacity of 2,000 vaccinations per day.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

S'pore residents aged 60-69 to get Covid-19 vaccine from March, rest of population from April

SINGAPORE - Covid-19 vaccinations for people aged 60 to 69 will start around the end of March, with the rest of the population to follow suit in April, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Friday (Feb 19).

If all goes well and there are no disruptions to the supply, one million more people would have received shots by April.

Some 250,000 Singapore residents have been vaccinated to date, with around 110,000 having received their second dose, Mr Gan added.

The aim is to get another one million people to take their first dose of the vaccine by early April, added Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the task force tackling the pandemic with Mr Gan.

"If all goes according to plan, then we can progressively roll out to the other age groups beyond March," said Mr Wong. "We will continue to monitor the supply of vaccine, because that's the critical issue that will enable us to get vaccines out... We will try our best to ensure that we can get these vaccines to Singapore."

The ministers were speaking to reporters at a vaccination centre at Jalan Besar Community Club. The centre began operations on Thursday (Feb 18), and is open daily from 8.30am to 10pm.

The Health Ministry said that Covid-19 vaccination for seniors aged 70 years and above will start on Monday (Feb 22), following a pilot for those living in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar.

More than 5,000 seniors from both towns have received their vaccinations.

Over the next three weeks, others in that age group can expect to receive letters inviting them to sign up for vaccination.

Mr Gan noted that Singapore currently has 11 vaccination centres in operation, with three more slated to open next week. More than 30 centres will be up and running by the middle of March, with the full complement of around 40 centres to be in full swing by end April.

He said: "We will watch the progress and if need be, we will open up additional vaccination centres to cater to the needs of the population."

Asked about the recent incident of a 72-year-old who suffered a cardiac arrest after getting his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Mr Gan reiterated Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s initial assessment - that there is no evidence the vaccine had led to the episode. The man was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit.

"I want to assure Singaporeans that we do take these very seriously," he stressed. "Whether they are related to vaccinations or not, we want to know if there are any such incidents so that we can investigate in-depth and better understand the situation."

Mr Gan also said that the Government will continue to refine its processes to ensure that vaccination will remain safe.

Before getting vaccinated, people will have to answer questions such as whether they have medical conditions that have compromised their immune systems, or if they have had severe allergies.

Volunteers like 70-year-old Agnes Teo have been going from door to door to explain vaccinations to seniors and help arrange their vaccination appointments.

"I explain vaccinations to them and let them know things like whether or not they should wear long sleeves," said Ms Teo, who speaks English, Mandarin, Malay and a few Chinese dialects.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

11 Covid-19 vaccination centres now open; about 40 centres to be ready by end-April

SINGAPORE - A total of 11 vaccination centres are now up and running, and more will progressively be opened so that Covid-19 jabs can be administered at about 40 centres by the end of April, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced on Friday (Feb 19).

As part of the effort to expand the number of vaccination centres, 17 healthcare providers, including Raffles Medical, Parkway Shenton and Thomson Medical, have been appointed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to set up and run 36 vaccination centres and 10 mobile vaccination teams, The Straits Times has learnt.

Singapore plans to start mass vaccinations for the elderly from next Monday, following the pilot scheme for seniors in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar.


According to documents seen by The Straits Times, the tender, which is worth $38 million, was jointly awarded to the 17 providers on Feb 11. It stated that the vaccination centres should each be able to cater to at least 2,000 people a day.

The centres and the mobile teams will be set up progressively and the number required is subject to change.

Other providers that have been awarded the tender to run vaccination centres include Sata CommHealth, Fullerton Healthcare Group, and Healthway Medical Group. A total of 21 vendors had placed bids for the tender.


Sites for vaccination centres could include vacant schools, community clubs and sports halls. The centres will operate for up to 12 months, and should operate from 8am to 10pm daily, including weekends and public holidays.

The mobile vaccination teams will comprise a medical doctor, four nurses and three administration staff, and will operate from 8am to 6pm daily.

Vaccination centres that opened recently include Jalan Besar Community Centre (CC), Bishan CC, Canberra CC and Senja-Cashew CC.

Three more are due to start running in Bukit Timah, Marine Parade and Taman Jurong by next Monday, MOH said on Friday. ST understands that they will be run by Raffles Medical and Parkway Shenton. There will be 31 vaccination centres running by mid-March, MOH added.


The shots can also be administered at all 20 polyclinics as well as some general practitioners’ clinics.

Mr Yong Yih Ming, general manager at Raffles Medical Group, said it will be running the vaccination centre at Marine Parade CC that will be fully operational next week. This centre is part of the recent tender for 36 centres. The group is still awaiting further details from the authorities on the opening of other upcoming vaccination centres, he said.

Two other centres run by Parkway Shenton, under an earlier tender, start operating on Monday, said Mr Ang Chee Wee, the group’s chief operations officer. ST understands that they are located in Bukit Timah and Taman Jurong.

Mr Sugumaran Subramanyam, head of operations and corporate affairs at Sata CommHealth, said it will be operating two mobile vaccination teams as part of the tender awarded on Feb 11.


Its mobile teams are already operational and have been deployed since Monday, with 400 people vaccinated over the past four days.

The number of people vaccinated by the two mobile teams is expected to eventually rise to 300 a day, he told ST.

MOH had said in its tender that the appointed vendors will form part of its panel of Covid-19 vaccination resources, and that other vendors or in-house resources may be sought to administer vaccines where appropriate.

Singapore has so far approved the use of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Both vaccines have been shown to be about 95 per cent effective against the coronavirus that is causing the pandemic.


The two Pfizer-BioNTech injections should be given three weeks apart, while the second Moderna injection is given 28 days after the first. Experts have said that a few days of delay will not reduce the efficacy of the vaccines.

So far, about 250,000 people have received at least one jab, while more than 110,000 - including President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - have received both doses.

Mr Gan also said in a written parliamentary response on Tuesday that around 73 per cent of healthcare workers in Singapore's public and private sectors, including primary care, acute hospitals and those in long-term care settings, have received at least the first dose of the vaccine. About 72 per cent of Covid-19 front-line workers and essential workers in the aviation and maritime sectors have also been vaccinated.


Mr Gan was responding to questions from Sembawang GRC MP Lim Wee Kiak, Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan and Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa.

Mr Gan added that the progress of Singapore's vaccination exercise is currently constrained by the availability of vaccine supplies.

"If vaccine supplies arrive on schedule, we will have enough vaccines for all Singaporeans and long-term residents by the third quarter of this year and will be able to complete the vaccination programme by the end of this year," he said, adding that the progress can be accelerated if Singapore can secure more supplies earlier.

"However, we expect global supply chains are likely to be disrupted from time to time for various reasons," he added, citing how disruptions at the manufacturer's production facility has led to shipment delays. "We continue to monitor closely the situation for any potential vaccine supply disruptions globally."