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

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Covid-19 vaccination centres in all 24 HDB towns by end-March


SINGAPORE - Each of the 24 towns here will have one community vaccination centre by end-March capable of delivering 2,000 vaccinations a day, as the nation ramps up its Covid-19 vaccination drive.

This will ensure that when more vaccines arrive, they can be quickly distributed to the population, in particular the elderly, explained Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Jan 26) during a visit to the community vaccination centre at Tanjong Pagar Community Club (CC).

The venue, along with Teck Ghee CC in Ang Mo Kio, is part of the first two such facilities that have been set up to cater to residents aged 70 and older, in the first phase of the nationwide vaccination drive.

The facilities differ slightly from existing vaccination centres to better cater to the elderly, with features such as bigger booths to accommodate wheelchairs and chairs with armrests.

"Our aim is that by the end of March, we will have one community vaccination centre in each town... and if we need to scale it up faster because the vaccines come in faster, we will make sure we have the vaccination capacity," said Mr Chan, who is also a Tanjong Pagar GRC MP.

"Our aim is to build the vaccination capacity ahead of the arrival of the vaccines, so that the vaccination capacity will not be the constraint or the bottleneck."

Once the additional vaccines arrive, letters will be sent out so people can book their slots at any of the centres that are open.

Mr Chan, who is also deputy chairman of the People's Association (PA), said the take-up rate for the vaccination has been "quite encouraging" at Tanjong Pagar CC, with some 300 bookings made by elderly residents in the first two days.

He expects more people to step forward for their jabs as they get more information on the vaccination drive and the effects and safety of the vaccines.

"As people become more confident of the process, I think the take-up rate will progressively go up... so we have to keep monitoring this and then make fine adjustments to the capacity at the respective vaccination centres," he said.

Mr Chan said that CCs were chosen as vaccination centres, as they give the elderly a sense of familiarity, with previous initiatives such as the distribution of face masks and TraceTogether tokens also carried out there.

He will be receiving his own vaccination shot on Wednesday morning at Tanjong Pagar CC.

Each community vaccination centre will be able to administer 2,000 vaccinations per day, from 8am to 10pm. But that can be adjusted based on the number of booths set up.

Operations at other vaccination facilities, such as at Changi Airport Terminal 4, showed it takes about five minutes per jab, and planning for the community vaccination centres was done on that basis.

The PA has mobilised over 600 volunteers for the vaccination operations at Tanjong Pagar CC and Teck Ghee CC.

Mr Chan said that the process of rolling out the vaccine is not as straightforward as that when launching initiatives such as the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation packages because of the medical aspect.

"We try to allay the concerns of the seniors whom (volunteers) reach out to first. For the more serious medical-related questions, we will have medical doctors on hand to provide them with the information," he said.

"This is very important because if we can answer the elderly's questions upfront earlier, then it is actually more reassuring for them to make the appointment."

Mr Chan added that they do not want to waste any vaccines, so supply is brought in based on appointments made at a particular venue on a certain day.

Raffles Medical Group lead physician Tan Joo Peng, 38, said the shelf life of the vaccines is five days when kept at two to eight deg C.

The usual side effect they look out for in the first 30 minutes after a person has been jabbed is soreness of their arms. If they develop rashes, headaches or dizziness, then they will be taken to a nursing station to be treated.

Mr Radahakrishnan Menon, who is assistant chairman of Tanjong Pagar CC’s Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee, is one of the volunteers reaching out to elderly residents about the vaccinations. Most are agreeable to it, he said.

However, some are waiting until after Chinese New Year before taking the jab, as they do not want to risk falling sick over the festive period from any side effects.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

COVID-19: Singapore begins vaccination drive for 50,000 taxi, private hire car drivers


SINGAPORE — Singapore began its COVID-19 vaccination exercise for taxi drivers and private hire car (PHC) drivers on Tuesday (23 February).

By the end of this week, over 50,000 taxi and PHC drivers will receive SMSes with a unique link to book their vaccination appointments at any vaccination centre, 20 polyclinics or Public Health Preparedness Centres that are operating as vaccination sites, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a news release.

The scheme is a joint effort by the LTA and Ministry of Health, and is supported by the National Taxi Association and National Private Hire Vehicles Association, as well as taxi and PHC operators.

“I want to strongly encourage our taxi and PHC drivers to take up the vaccination offer. Vaccination is another means to protect themselves, their families and their community," said Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor while visiting a vaccination centre in Jurong West.

"It will give them greater peace of mind as well as give greater assurance to their (passengers).”

She added that some 300 taxi and PHC drivers were set to receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the centre on Tuesday.

One of the recipients was PHC driver Joseph Goh, who told Yahoo News Singapore that his injection was “nothing special”.

“It’s just like a flu jab or whatever jab you had before,” said the 55-year-old, adding that he felt fine after receiving the vaccine.

“(Taking the vaccine) is a bit of social responsibility. It actually helps our passengers to have confidence in taking private hire (rides),” said Goh.

Dr Khor told reporters that the vaccination programme for workers in train and bus industries has been “progressing well” since it kicked off in January.

“As of 14 February, more than 14,000 public transport workers have received the first dose of their vaccination and, among them, more than 10,000 have received their second dose of the vaccination,” she added.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore begins islandwide Covid-19 vaccination drive for seniors aged 70 and above


SINGAPORE - Since receiving the smallpox vaccine as a young boy, Mr Tan Hong San, 78, has become a strong believer in the importance of inoculation to prevent disease.

This was what prompted him to have his Covid-19 shot on Monday (Feb 22) at Senja-Cashew Community Club after receiving his letter last week inviting him to sign up.

After receiving the vaccination, his heart rate increased for a bit but went back to normal within a few minutes.

"I feel okay, normal. I wanted to take a vaccine now rather than later. It's our way of overcoming the pandemic," the retiree told the media.

Mr Tan, who has diabetes and high cholesterol, earlier consulted his family physician, who gave him the green light to take the vaccine.

Those with chronic illnesses such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes, and those with medical co-morbidities who are at risk of serious, life-threatening disease and death from Covid-19 are encouraged to take the vaccine.

Mr Tan was one of many seniors who were inoculated on Monday as Singapore began its nationwide vaccination programme for seniors aged 70 and above.

This next phase in the inoculation drive comes after a pilot in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar vaccinated more than 5,000 elderly people in the same age range from Jan 27.

Seniors are at a higher risk of severe disease or complications from Covid-19 infection, and have been prioritised for vaccination.

With three more vaccination centres at community centres and community clubs starting operations by today in Bukit Timah, Marine Parade and Taman Jurong, this brings the total number of vaccination sites in Singapore to 56. They include 14 vaccination centres in the heartland, 20 polyclinics, and 22 Public Health Preparedness Clinics.


By mid-March, 31 vaccination centres will be in operation, with at least one in each town.

In total, there will eventually be around 40 centres, with each planned for an estimated capacity of 2,000 jabs a day.

The 14 vaccination centres are currently open from 9am to 5pm, and will progressively be open from 8am to 10pm.

All seniors will be able to receive their vaccination by mid-March.

By the first week of March , seniors aged 70 and above will receive personalised letters inviting them to sign up for vaccination. Those living near polyclinics or vaccination centres will receive their letters first.

Vaccination for seniors aged 60 to 69 will start from around the end of March, and they will receive their letters from the middle of the month.

The vaccination centre in Senja-Cashew Community Club's sports hall is operated by Thomson Medical, which runs another centre in Bishan Community Club.

Some of the seniors who turned up to receive their shots at Senja-Cashew Community Club on Monday had them deferred until further notice because vaccination was not recommended for them at this time.

People with severely compromised immune systems or a history of anaphylaxis or severe allergic reactions are not advised to take the Covid-19 vaccination. Those who have untreated cancer, or are undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy, should defer vaccination as well.

Some of those whose jabs were deferred at the vaccination centre in Senja-Cashew Community Club had a history of severe drug allergies, said Dr Lin Zhi Yong, the medical officer in charge.


"The vaccine is currently not recommended for those with severe allergic reactions. For these cases, we will defer them from vaccination until further notice from the Ministry of Health," added Dr Lin.

"We will advise these individuals to continue wearing their masks, practise good hand hygiene and encourage those around them to get the vaccination done when their chance comes."

Before the seniors get vaccinated, they have to register and undergo screening, where healthcare workers at the registration counter will ask them about their medical history and questions such as whether they are on blood-thinning medication or if they have food or drug allergies.


"If some of them are unsure about their medical history, we can check the National Electronic Health Record. Some of the residents will bring their own medical records, like their latest blood test reports and medication lists," Dr Lin added.

As at last Thursday, more than 5,000 seniors from Tanjong Pagar and Ang Mo Kio have received their first dose of the vaccine.

Those who had the jab at Senja-Cashew Community Club said they felt good afterwards, and had no adverse reactions. Some of them learnt about the vaccination drive from their children and from the news.

Madam Ng Sam Mui, 74, who took the vaccine with her husband, Mr Tan Kew Sing, 78, said: "I feel safe now after getting the vaccine. There is nothing to be scared about. It's just an injection."


After his jab, cleaner Cheng Choon Kiang, 78, said: "I don't feel anything at all, normal. No pain, nothing. I don't feel feverish. It would be even better once I take the second jab for full protection."

The coffee-shop cleaner added that he plans to encourage his neighbours and co-workers to take the vaccine.

"I meet a lot of people in the coffee shop. I will tell them to come for the jab. I'll show them my jab also," he said, animatedly.

As at last Thursday, about 250,000 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Of those, more than 110,000 have also received their second dose.

Correction note: In an earlier version of this article, Dr Lin Zhi Yong was quoted as saying the vaccine is currently not recommended for those on blood-thinning medication that causes their platelet level to be too low. The Health Ministry has since clarified that the vaccine is safe for administration for those on blood-thinning medication.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Singapore's first Chinese COVID-19 vaccines arrive ahead of approval


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore received its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinovac Biotech on Tuesday, its health ministry said, although the shot is still awaiting approval for use in the city-state.

Sinovac has started submitting initial data but the Health Sciences Authority is currently awaiting all the necessary information to carry out a thorough assessment, the ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Singapore is the only wealthy country considering the use of Sinovac's vaccine, which has been found to have an efficacy rate ranging from about 50% to 90% in studies.

The city-state have been rolling out its COVID-19 vaccination programme over the last two months. It has approved shots from Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna.

The government has previously declined to give specific details on the deals struck with vaccine makers.

As an island nation heavily dependent on travel and trade, the Singapore government is keen to boost its economy with the help of the vaccine. Singapore is aiming to vaccinate its entire population of nearly six million people by the end of 2021.

Singapore has been reporting very few new local coronavirus cases over the last few months.

Since the start of the outbreak, it has recorded a total of nearly 60,000 infections, most of which occurred in crowded foreign worker dormitories. Only 29 people have died from the disease in Singapore, according to its health ministry.

China, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand are among the countries that have approved the Sinovac vaccine.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

S'pore cannot be bought, bullied or intimidated into approving any Covid-19 vaccine, says Vivian


SINGAPORE - Singapore will make decisions regarding the approval of vaccines on the basis of science and healthcare needs, and will not be pressured when it comes to decisions on such matters, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Monday (March 1).

"We cannot be bought, we cannot be bullied, we cannot be intimidated into either approving or disapproving any vaccine," said Dr Balakrishnan, who was speaking during the debate on the Foreign Ministry's budget.

"There will be pressure on us, there will be push and pulls, but we must conduct this just like another example of foreign policy, in a principled manner," he said in response to Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), who had noted that the distribution patterns of Covid-19 vaccines around the world reflected a certain power play along traditional alliances.


Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore will be an important reference customer when it comes to vaccines, precisely because the world knows that the country bases its decisions on science and healthcare needs, as opposed to other factors.

Ms Lim had also asked if countries joining the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) facility face any restrictions on reaching bilateral arrangements for Covid-19 vaccine purchases, and whether such bilateral arrangements will pose an obstacle to the success of the Covax programme, which aims to procure, equitably allocate and deliver two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this year.

Dr Balakrishnan explained that under Covax's global risk-sharing mechanism, countries with more resources, including Singapore, would make advance market commitments for the vaccines.


This would incentivise multiple pharmaceutical companies to develop vaccines in a timely manner, despite the significant business risk. "If there wasn't such a facility to pool risk and therefore incentivise this simultaneous rapid development of vaccines, we wouldn't be in this happy situation," he explained, referring to how promising vaccine candidates that Singapore and other countries had made advance purchase agreements for have now been approved by health authorities and are being used in various countries.

While putting money into the collective pot entitles Singapore to its fair share of Covid-19 vaccines on the basis of full market price, a "significant amount" will be committed to help support the less well-off countries, Dr Balakrishnan explained.

This ensures that there will be some vaccines available to countries around the world, especially for essential workers, preventing a situation where only countries who can afford vaccines have access to them.

He also clarified that Singapore's US$5 million (S$6.7 million) contribution to the Advance Market Commitment under the Covax facility, which ensures access to vaccines for developing countries, is not specifically earmarked for Asean.

Singapore has a separate Asean Covid-19 Response Fund, which it has also committed funds to, and which will be used based on needs within the Asean family, he added. It was announced in November that Singapore will contribute US$100,000 to the fund, which helps member states procure the medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the pandemic.

Over and above the contribution to the fund, Singapore has also separately been giving test kits, personal protective equipment, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines for the detection of Covid-19, among other things, to governments and non-governmental organisations throughout the region.

"We have not beat our drums about it, but that good work has been done and it has been appreciated by our neighbours," said Dr Balakrishnan.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination drive boosts hopes for some normalcy


SINGAPORE - Hopes that life can return to some sort of normalcy is growing stronger by the week, as more Covid-19 vaccination centres spring up across Singapore.

It has been about two months since Singapore rolled out its vaccination programme.

Professor Benjamin Seet, deputy group chief executive for education and research at the National Healthcare Group, said: "The more people who have been vaccinated, the more who will be protected against symptomatic Covid-19 disease."

The vaccine protects people from becoming moderately to severely ill with the disease.

But Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, may still find its way into a vaccinated person.

This will not make the person noticeably ill, but it is not clear if the virus can spread to others.

To fully protect the population, herd immunity is needed, experts said.

This threshold is currently not known for Covid-19, but there are some estimates which show that at least 70 per cent or more of the population needs to be vaccinated before herd immunity is reached, said Prof Seet.

Professor Mike Toole, an epidemiologist at Burnet Institute, a medical research institute in Melbourne, noted that as Singapore is not yet close to any level of herd immunity, the main impact of the current rate of vaccination would be a decrease in severe cases and hospitalisations.

The vaccine roll-out in Singapore is expected to pick up speed.

Seniors aged 70 and above, and more than 50,000 active taxi and private-hire car drivers, have recently been offered the chance to get their first dose of the vaccine.

Those aged 60 and above are expected to be vaccinated from the end of this month. The forecast is for 1.25 million to be vaccinated by the end of next month.

Prof Toole said: "If 1.25 million people are vaccinated in Singapore by April, that will be a 22 per cent coverage, which is not enough for herd immunity as that is expected to be 70 to 75 per cent.

"Keep in mind that migrant workers in Singapore already have herd immunity because more than 70 per cent were infected."

Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination programme is under way at 14 centres, including one in Raffles City Convention Centre, one in Changi Airport Terminal 4, one at an unused school in Hong Kah and 11 at community clubs.

Vaccination is also taking place at 20 polyclinics and 22 Public Health Preparedness Clinics.

By the middle of this month, more than 30 vaccination centres will be in operation, and by the end of next month, 40 centres will be up, with each planned for an estimated capacity of 2,000 jabs a day.

A global snapshot More than 236 million doses have been administered across 103 countries, including 72.8 million in the United States, according to data collected by Bloomberg as at yesterday.

Last week, African countries Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire became the first two countries outside of India to receive Covid-19 vaccines through the Covax programme, which aims to enable global equitable access to the vaccine.


Globally, the latest vaccination rate is 6.67 million doses per day, on average, according to Bloomberg data.

At this rate, it will take an estimated 4.6 years to cover 75 per cent of the world's population with a two-dose vaccine, according to yesterday's projection.

Nevertheless, some good news has surfaced.

Israel, which has been the quickest in the world to vaccinate its people, appears to have benefited.

To date, it has administered the most Covid-19 vaccine doses per capita in the world.

Slightly more than half of its 9.3 million population have received one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab since vaccinations started on Dec 20.

Early reports show that the number of cases has fallen significantly among those who were vaccinated. The vaccine has helped to reduce infections by around 85 per cent, said Prof Toole.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that as more people are vaccinated around the world, a better understanding will emerge of whether the present vaccines are able to prevent or at least significantly minimise the risk of infections and transmissions, on top of preventing severe disease.

More vaccines, but more variants too Singapore has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, and taken delivery of the CoronaVac vaccine by China's Sinovac, though it has yet to approve Sinovac's.

Prof Teo noted that public data on the effectiveness of the Sinovac vaccine is actually higher than the target efficacy of at least 50 per cent required by the World Health Organisation and a number of regulators, including the European Medicines Agency.

But the effectiveness of Sinovac varies according to the clinical trials in different countries, and ranges from 50.4 per cent to 91.3 per cent. "So there is a need for a proper assessment of the clinical trial data," Prof Teo said.


This is what the Health Sciences Authority will be reviewing, before it decides on whether to approve for use.

At present, all the data suggests that the vaccine's effectiveness meets the minimum requirement for population roll-out, Prof Teo noted.

To put this in perspective, the influenza vaccine, which has been used globally across many countries, has an effective rate of between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, depending on the season and specific population segment, he said.

But even as vaccinations continue, new variants of Sars-CoV-2 are circulating around the globe; some more transmissible than others. RNA viruses like Sars-CoV-2 mutate over time, so newer variants can surface and cause trouble.

Prof Seet said: "At this point, Singapore's vaccine portfolio remains effective against the prevailing variants, but there is a need to continue to monitor efficacy of the vaccines against new variants that have yet to emerge."

Easing of restrictions
There are no clear answers on whether restrictions can be eased because of two unknowns.

First, we do not know how well the vaccines will prevent asymptomatic infection, said Prof Toole.

Second, "we don't know how long the vaccines will induce immunity. So far, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines induce immunity for at least four months", he added.

This means that resuming travel to pre-Covid levels, for example, is not yet on the horizon.


More business or leisure travel will resume with minimal quarantine requirements for entry or re-entry, only when Singapore and other countries have successfully vaccinated a large segment of the population, said Prof Teo.

This is also dependent on whether governments are able to establish a platform to mutually access, recognise and accredit Covid-19 vaccination records.

Singapore's Ministry of Health has said it is actively engaging its international counterparts, and monitoring global developments on the development and recognition of vaccination certificates.

It will be crucial for any two countries to mutually recognise that travellers have been vaccinated by an accredited provider using an approved vaccine, said Prof Teo.

"I expect this will first start off with a series of bilateral agreements between pairs of countries or jurisdictions, very much like a travel bubble agreement, but one that is based on vaccination status and records," he added.

"However, there will still be the challenge of addressing the inequity faced by people who are not vaccinated, either because of medical reasons or out of personal choice, who may now be penalised and barred from a range of activities (including travel) because of their vaccination status."


Prof Toole noted that to travel safely, there needs to be a high vaccine coverage in Singapore as well as the countries of destination, though the latter may take a longer time.

"What I predict is that Singapore, Australia and New Zealand will create travel bubbles to countries that have zero community transmission and/or high vaccination rates," he said.

This could start with small Pacific countries, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mauritius and maybe Thailand.

The bubbles could then be gradually expanded, Prof Toole said.

More than a year after the first case was reported, Covid-19 has spread to more than 200 countries. There are around 113 million cases worldwide and 2.5 million people have died of the disease.

Singapore has recorded nearly 60,000 Covid-19 infections and 29 deaths.

In Parliament late last week, Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said Singapore is not expected to move out of phase three of its reopening any time soon.


Singapore entered phase three of its reopening on Dec 28, but subsequently tightened some measures after an increase in the number of unlinked and community cases.

Dr Janil reiterated that phase three is a "new normal", which will last until there is evidence on vaccine effectiveness in preventing future outbreaks, a substantial proportion of the population is vaccinated, and the rest of the world also has the virus under control.

Experts stressed that as vaccination continues here and around the world, more answers are still needed.

Prof Teo said a considerable shift in outbreak control policies, including border control measures and community restrictions, will happen when the science clearly indicates that vaccination prevents or reduces the risk of infection and transmission.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Frontline Singapore bank staff to get COVID-19 vaccines


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Staff at Singapore's banks engaged in key operations are being offered COVID-19 vaccinations, making it one of the first global centres to inoculate its financial services industry.

"Workers performing critical operations in systemically important financial institutions in Singapore have been invited to indicate their interest to be vaccinated," the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) told Reuters on Wednesday.

Local banks DBS Group Holdings, OCBC and UOB, regional lender Maybank and global banks HSBC, Citigroup and Standard Chartered are part of the vaccination drive, bank representatives and the central bank said.

The move follows the vaccination of most frontline workers in Singapore's healthcare and aviation sectors.

Singapore's central bank said its move was in line with the recommendations of an expert panel appointed by the Ministry of Health last year.

Bank workers being offered the vaccines include those involved in operations that enable the delivery of essential financial services and support, such as cash withdrawals and deposits, treasury management and payments, the MAS said.

"The vaccination programme will be rolled out to these essential workers in the financial sector in phases," it said.

It was not immediately clear when the vaccination drive for financial workers would begin.

The city-state of 5.7 million people has largely brought the virus under control with strict rules, mask wearing and contact tracing. Life has returned to near normal but with limitations on gatherings.

Last month, Singapore's health ministry reported "good progress" in its COVID-19 vaccination programme, which kicked off on Dec. 30.

"Our employees performing essential roles in critical operations have been invited to indicate their interest to be vaccinated under this programme," said Patrick Chew, head of operational risk management at OCBC Bank.

Around 73% of healthcare workers working in the public and private sector have been vaccinated with at least the first dose of vaccine and about 72% of frontline and essential workers in the aviation and maritime sectors have also been vaccinated, the health minister said in February.

Vaccines in Singapore are voluntary and free.

Some banks are giving their employees a day off and arranging virtual webinars with infectious disease experts to promote the benefits of the vaccines.

Olfert de Wit, chief operating officer at HSBC Singapore, said the bank had been invited by the government to nominate "employees who perform roles that are critical to the continued functioning of Singapore's financial sector".

Singapore aims to make vaccinations available to its entire population by the end of 2021.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

VacciNationSG campaign launched to raise awareness of Covid-19 vaccine, combat misinformation


SINGAPORE - Singapore has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the national vaccination programme, as part of its push to get residents inoculated against Covid-19.

The VacciNationSG campaign will also address misconceptions and debunk misinformation, said Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran on Tuesday (March 2).

"The first line of defence in our fight against misinformation is a well-informed citizenry who receive accurate communications, from reliable sources, in a timely manner," Mr Iswaran noted during the debate on his ministry's budget.


Several MPs, including Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir) and Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang), had observed that the Government's communications strategy has had to change in tandem with evolving needs.

"There is a need to ensure that all Singaporeans receive timely and accurate information that is relatable and capable of being understood by everyone with diverse needs," Mr Sitoh noted.

He asked how the Government considers factors such as age groups and literacy levels when tapping digital means of communication, and stressed that all communication channels - digital or otherwise - should remain two-way in order to garner ground feedback.


Responding, Mr Iswaran said the Government's "foremost communications challenge" in tackling the virus has been to ensure Singaporeans of all stripes can access trustworthy information.

By leveraging both traditional and digital platforms - including Telegram, Instagram and TikTok - it was able to broaden and deepen the reach of official communications, he said.

The Gov.sg portal is now available on 10 platforms, with its WhatsApp channel growing from 7,000 subscribers in January last year to 1.2 million subscribers today.

At the same time, the People's Association and Silver Generation Office carried out face-to-face outreach programmes for those who were not on social media.


"This was to ensure that all segments of our population were informed of key developments of the pandemic, why certain measures were necessary and how they could play their part to protect the health and safety of all Singaporeans," Mr Iswaran said.

He added that polls conducted by government feedback unit Reach indicated that more than eight in 10 people felt the Government provided enough information on Covid-19.


Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Sim Ann also addressed the topic of communications in her speech on inclusive digital transformation.

Last year, Reach opened up new channels such as online dialogues to garner feedback from Singaporeans and connected with more than 59,000 people despite the pandemic, she said.

Content is being pushed out in the four official languages where possible, with key government messages in dialect woven into some television programmes.

Over the past year, her ministry also rolled out two new translation initiatives - one for public officers to generate machine translations in Tamil, and the other for volunteers to find the most suitable translations for various terms.

"The Government is committed to translating more government digital services where necessary, so that those who are more comfortable with the mother tongues can access government digital services with greater ease," she said.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

S'pore cannot be bought, bullied or intimidated into approving any Covid-19 vaccine, says Vivian

Can be influenced and persuaded?

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore will review Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine carefully before possible roll-out: Gan Kim Yong


SINGAPORE - A coronavirus vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech will have to go through regulatory scrutiny and authorisation by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) before it can be rolled out to the public, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said.

This update follows the release of data on a Brazilian trial on Tuesday, which showed that the Sinovac vaccine was just 50.4 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic infections. This barely meets the threshold for regulatory approval and is well below the rate announced last week.

The Sinovac vaccine has yet to be approved, Mr Gan told reporters on Wednesday, after receiving his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only authorised one in Singapore.


"We will go through the data carefully when it comes, rather than depending on reported numbers. It's better to rely on official data that we receive from Sinovac itself," he said.

The HSA will assess the data when it is in, and the nation's Covid-19 expert committee will also evaluate if it is suitable for vaccination in Singapore, Mr Gan explained.

"We will share more details when it's available," he added.


Another vaccine candidate, developed by United States firm Moderna, has also submitted its data and is currently being reviewed by the HSA, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who also took his first shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Wednesday.

"If and when the Moderna vaccine is authorised for use, then we will also use it for the vaccination programme," said Mr Wong, who co-chairs Singapore's Covid-19 multi-ministry task force with Mr Gan.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are mRNA vaccines and have similar efficacy rates of around 95 per cent. mRNA is a genetic material that cells read to make proteins.


"I would think between the two, it's quite straightforward. Either one will do," Mr Wong said.

The Sinovac vaccine is an inactivated vaccine, a platform that has been used in many other shots, such as the polio vaccine.

"But we still need to look at the data, we still need to see if it's more efficacious - for example for specific sub-segments, we don't know yet," Mr Wong added, stressing that a detailed and comprehensive review will need to be done.


He urged the public to come forward to get vaccinated, instead of waiting for a specific brand of vaccine to be authorised, something which may or may not materialise.

"So rather than hold out and wait, I think what we have today is an authorised vaccine that is safe and effective, and when the time comes, just come forward and get yourself vaccinated," Mr Wong advised.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination drive brought forward for seniors, extended to teachers, postmen and migrant workers


SINGAPORE - The nation's Covid-19 vaccination drive has been brought forward for all seniors, and will also be extended to more high-risk groups and essential workers, including teachers, postmen and migrant workers.

This is possible because more supplies of the vaccine have arrived, said the Health Ministry on Monday (March 8).

As at Sunday, more than 596,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered

In total, about 379,000 individuals in Singapore have received at least the first dose; of whom more than 217,000 have received their second dose, the MOH said.

The ministry had earlier announced that seniors aged 60 to 69 would get their first dose around the end of March.

However, it said on Monday that all seniors in this age group will now get their invitation letters within the next few days.

Each letter will have a weblink which can be used to register for vaccination, after which an SMS with a unique booking link will be sent to the senior's mobile phone for them to book a vaccination appointment.

Seniors can also book their appointments for vaccination at any community centre or community club.

So far, over 55,000 seniors aged 70 and up have received their first dose of the vaccine, while another 96,000 seniors have made appointments to receive their first dose in the next few weeks.

The MOH also said that the vaccine programme will continue to be extended to other higher-risk groups, as well as essential front-line workers of critical importance to Singapore, including those who could pose risks to vulnerable populations and the community at large if they are infected.

Essential personnel in critical functions
So far, the Government has been offering vaccinations to personnel who provide essential services, including security agencies; those in the utilities industry such as water, energy and telecommunications service providers; and workers who ensure the supply of essential food and household items.

As more vaccine stocks arrive, however, this will be extended to essential personnel involved in other critical functions, such as postmen and delivery staff as well as news reporters and bank operation staff engaged in critical banking and financial systems operations.

Essential workers with higher risk of exposure and onward transmission
Vaccination had also earlier been offered to groups who are at higher risk of exposure, such as active taxi and private-hire car drivers who might have ferried infected passengers.

Going forward, vaccination will be extended to those who have multiple touch points with many members of the community.

These include those who work in hawker centres and markets, such as stallholders and stall assistants, as well as those who serve in the food delivery industry.

Singapore will also begin vaccinating educators and staff who come into prolonged contact with children and young people, starting with those working in pre-schools, national schools, the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnics.

This will be progressively extended to those working in other education institutions, said the MOH.

“As the current vaccines are not yet certified for those below the age of 16, the vaccination for educators and adult staff will help to protect them and their students, and ensure that our schools and education institutions remain safe places for learning,” it said.

Eligible individuals will be informed of the vaccination schedule by the relevant government agencies and will receive a personalised SMS from the MOH notifying them to book their vaccination appointments at vaccine.gov.sg.

Covid-19 vaccination will be available at all vaccination centres and polyclinics, and selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs).

Migrant workers in dormitories
The MOH noted that migrant worker dormitories are another potential source of large Covid-19 clusters, which could then transmit the virus to the local community.

“Vaccination of migrant workers living in dormitories is thus part of our national Covid-19 vaccination strategy to protect all Singaporeans and long-term residents,” the ministry said.

Vaccination for these workers will start with 10,000 workers who have never been infected by Covid-19 and are living in the five largest dormitories.

This round of vaccination will be carried out within these dormitories.

Vaccination will then be progressively made available to other migrant workers.

Workers who have completed vaccination can have a lower frequency of testing, with testing occurring every 28 days instead of the current 14-day cycle, said the MOH.

Goods delivery workers
The MOH said that in order to minimise transmission risks from workers who engage in the supply of essential goods to Singapore, vaccination will be offered later this month to selected cargo drivers and accompanying personnel who enter Singapore from Malaysia on a regular basis.

“Vaccination will provide an additional layer of protection against Covid-19, ensuring that these personnel can continue to deliver essential goods to Singapore safely,” said the MOH.

Those who are eligible for vaccination will be notified via a personalised SMS from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and will be contacted subsequently for an appointment to undergo vaccination at designated sites in Singapore.

The MOH clarified that those who are not vaccinated may continue to enter Singapore, subject to the prevailing infection control measures such as on-arrival testing and corresponding safe management measures.

Emphasising that provisions have been made to vaccinate everyone in Singapore, the MOH said it will continue to systematically extend the vaccination to other segments from April.

“While Covid-19 vaccination is voluntary, we strongly encourage Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible to come forward for vaccination when their turn comes. That is the only way we as a society can keep each other safe from the disease,” said the ministry.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

S'pore to offer Covid-19 vaccination to cargo drivers ferrying essential goods from Malaysia

SINGAPORE - Some cargo vehicle drivers who regularly come into Singapore from Malaysia will be offered Covid-19 vaccination by the Republic from later this month.

This will be done in order to minimise the risk of transmission from workers who transport essential goods to Singapore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday (March 8).

"Vaccination will provide an additional layer of protection against Covid-19, ensuring that these personnel can continue to deliver essential goods to Singapore safely," it added.

The MOH said that those who are not vaccinated may continue to enter, subject to the prevailing infection control measures such as on-arrival testing and corresponding safe management measures.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in response to queries that it will select eligible cargo drivers and accompanying personnel based on their frequency of travel between Singapore and Malaysia.

Those selected will be notified via a personalised SMS.

They will be given details of the vaccination locations upon scheduling their vaccination appointments.

"The vaccination sites will be located near the land checkpoints for easy access," added the MTI.

It had announced in late January that a compulsory Covid-19 antigen rapid test would be progressively rolled out for cargo drivers entering Singapore at land checkpoints. It said then that drivers arriving at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints would be randomly tested initially, before testing is expanded to cover all cargo drivers and accompanying personnel.

The new requirement was in line with Singapore's strengthened border controls, which require all travellers to take Covid-19 tests upon arrival to manage the growing risk of imported cases.

Mr Novan Hing, president of the Johor Trucking Association, which represents lorry operators within the state of Johor, told The Straits Times on Monday that he was pleasantly surprised by the move to offer drivers from Malaysia the Covid-19 vaccine.

He said: "It will be a good effort to reduce the risk of infection and spread of Covid-19. We should welcome it. We believe there will be more drivers who are accepting of the vaccine than those who are sceptical."

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Most Singapore seniors are done with Covid-19 vaccination process in an hour or less

Patients in observation phase after receiving their Covid-19 jabs at Bishan Community Club, on March 4, 2021.


SINGAPORE - Waiting times for getting the Covid-19 vaccine at community clubs (CCs) appear to be acceptable to people, with most able to get in and out in an hour or less.

About 20 people interviewed at Bishan, Serangoon, Teck Ghee and Woodlands Galaxy CCs last week said a significant amount of time was spent on their medical history.

Madam Geraldine Koh, 83, and her husband Eric Wee, 82, who were at Bishan Community Club to get their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, said: "The staff double-checked our medical histories with us before giving us the jab. I think it is good they checked a few times as the elderly can be forgetful sometimes."


The entire process took less than an hour, she said.

While some readers had told The Straits Times about having to wait in line, there were no queues at the CCs on the two mornings that The Straits Times visited last week.

Ms Chan Wei Ling, chief executive of Thomson Medical, which runs the vaccination centre at Bishan CC, said that if there was a hold-up, it was usually caused by people arriving outside of their appointment times.


She urged people to consider booking slots in the afternoon and evening, when the centre is less crowded.

She said: "The sooner more people get vaccinated, the higher the chances of things going back to normal for Singapore."

Singapore rolled out its national Covid-19 vaccination programme on Dec 30.

There are now 15 vaccination centres administering the vaccine. Another 16 centres will be opened progressively over the next few weeks.

There were also no lines at Serangoon CC last Thursday morning, with the observation area filled to about half-capacity. This is where people are monitored after their vaccinations.

Housewife Teresa Ho, 41, was at the CC to accompany her mother who was getting the vaccine. She said staff took her mother's medical history at each step of the process.

Ms Ho said the constant repetition could help jog elderly people's memory on details they might have left out before.

More than 350,000 Singapore residents have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

More than 40,000 seniors aged 70 and above have received their first doses. The Ministry of Health will be inviting seniors aged 60 and above to get their shots from the end of this month.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

MOH tweaks processes to cut waiting times for Covid-19 jabs


SINGAPORE - Processes are being streamlined to reduce waiting times and people are encouraged to book afternoon slots for Covid-19 jabs, as Singapore looks to dose 1.25 million people by the end of April.

More people tend to get vaccinated on weekday mornings and at polyclinics, the Health Ministry told The Straits Times.

“Those who want shorter waiting times should book appointments in the afternoons and at any of the 14 vaccination centres here,” a spokesman said.

Some readers had told ST that they had to wait for two hours or more to get their jabs, and that some had been repeatedly asked the same questions by healthcare workers.

MOH said on Sunday (March 7) that in the past, those getting their Covid-19 shots would have to verify their personal information and medical history four times to ensure they were eligible and that the vaccine was given to the right individual.

This has now been cut to just twice – once at registration and again before getting vaccinated.

MOH stressed, though, that the safety of those receiving the vaccination remains the top priority.

People are also encouraged to come at their scheduled appointment time, the spokesman said.

For vaccination centres like Changi Airport Terminal 4, MOH works with agencies to coordinate the arrival time of different groups.

Measures including a sticker system have also been put in place to regulate the flow of individuals throughout the vaccination process there, making for a smoother experience.

The ministry said that the maximum queue time before registration at Changi Airport Terminal 4 is about 30 minutes during peak periods.

At other centres, people can expect to wait for an hour or less, it said.

Medical student Crystal Lee said her vaccination experience at Toa Payoh Polyclinic had been "fast and efficient".

The 25-year-old got her first shot on the afternoon of Feb 19, having booked a slot beforehand.

Ms Lee said she had to wait only around 15 minutes to get the jab. "There were about five people ahead of me but the wait wasn't too bad," she said.

Meanwhile, an 82-year-old retiree who only wanted to be known as Mr Koh said he encountered a queue of about 35 people when he arrived at 8.25am for his 8.30am appointment at Outram Polyclinic.

Despite this, he said the process was "very orderly".

Speaking in Mandarin, he said: "It was well organised, every step was very clear." Bottled water was also provided for free during his half-hour wait to see a nurse.

However, he said he was later advised to not get vaccinated due to a pre-existing medical condition.

Mr Koh said he did not recall being asked to declare this while registering online, although he was unsure whether this was due to a technical fault or his own error, as he was not familiar with the online booking system.

"It can be a bit difficult for seniors to use the computer system. They should make it a little more straightforward," he said.

Adding that the polyclinic staff were polite and professional while explaining the situation to him, he said: "I'm not upset. I feel that healthcare workers are just being thorough, and it's good that they ensure those who are not suitable for the jab don't get it."

Last Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is also an MP for East Coast GRC, posted on Facebook that the Bedok CC Covid-19 vaccination centre will be starting operations from Monday.

He wrote: "Do help our seniors get vaccinated, and I encourage you to do so when you are offered. By getting vaccinated, you are protecting not only yourself, but also your loved ones."

An additional 16 vaccination centres will be opened progressively over the next few weeks, bringing the total number of such centres here to 31 by the end of the month.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Johor hopes Covid-19 vaccination drives in S'pore and Malaysia will enable border to reopen


ISKANDAR PUTERI (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Johor government is hoping that the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination programme in Malaysia and Singapore will lead to the reopening of the border between the two countries this year, said Johor Tourism, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

He said the state government had made the "necessary preparations" and was ready to receive travellers from Singapore.

"This matter is under the purview of the federal government through the Foreign Ministry and Singaporean Government.


"Discussions are still ongoing involving the safety and security of the people travelling between both countries.

"We hope the vaccination programme carried out by the Malaysian and Singaporean governments will give hope for the reopening of our border this year," he said after visiting the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Gelang Patah on Monday (March 8).

One of the reasons for his visit to KSAB was to send the message that Johor was ready to welcome all travellers, he said.


"Our immigration and our borders are ready to receive people from abroad.

"There are 29 upgrading projects in KSAB worth RM40 million (S$13.1 million), with the remaining 20 per cent of work still in progress. The projects are expected to be completed by this year," he added.

Among the completed works are the rooftop at the import and export terminal, traffic lights at the inbound and outbound checkpoint booth, traffic control for import and export bay, safety fence around the bay and the guard rail between cars and motorcycles.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Travel corridors for vaccinated passengers could open in 2nd half of 2021: Ong Ye Kung


SINGAPORE - Bilateral travel corridors for vaccinated passengers from places with low to moderate infection rates may well happen in the second half of this year, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (March 12) as Singapore continues to explore ways to open up its borders and revive air travel.

In an interview with Money FM 89.3, Mr Ong said stay-home notices and other quarantine measures will kill travel. Singapore, he added, needs to find ways to get rid of such requirements, a point he also made last week during the debate on his ministry's budget.

"Nobody is going to come to Singapore and stay for 14 days," he told radio DJ Elliott Danker.


While vaccinations are changing the game, this needs to work in tandem with other measures such as testing, movement restrictions and identifying countries that are "safe" and have successfully controlled the virus, Mr Ong said.

For example, Singapore could open up to travellers from places with moderate Covid-19 infection rates but have ongoing vaccination programmes.

"(Combine that) with testing, and you can possibly open up a safe travel corridor," he added.


On air travel bubbles, Mr Ong said such arrangements require reciprocity, noting that Singapore has already opened its borders unilaterally to travellers from countries and territories that have a handle on the virus, such as Australia, New Zealand and China, and this has not led to community infections here.

"Unfortunately, we are the only safe place in the world that is opening up to others like that," Mr Ong said.

"If only others start to do it, then we'll have a bubble, you have reciprocity, you can start to travel. And I hope some time this year we can do that."

Singapore's air travel bubble with Hong Kong, which was supposed to begin last November, remains on ice, as the city saw yet another flare-up in cases this week.


Mr Ong said Singapore is still in a "crisis situation", noting that the passenger volume at Changi Airport is only at 2.6 per cent of the levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said he shared the same view as International Air Transport Association (Iata) director Alexandre de Juniac, who told The Straits Times this week that personal and leisure travel will return from the second half of this year.

However, Mr Ong cautioned that this was neither an estimate nor a prediction but "a guess", and reiterated that it was unrealistic to expect the aviation sector here to have a "V-shaped" recovery.

He said the virus "wants to dominate the world".

"It will mutate, it transmits without symptoms, and you don't know what curveballs (it) will throw us next.

"(But) many countries and places have a handle on the issue, not just solely based on vaccination, but also testing, social distancing, masks, and different methods... I think all these different measures, plus vaccination, are going to have an impact.


"We'll get better at it. So I think this is the basis from which we feel there should be some recovery."

When asked if there is sufficient manpower in the aviation sector to bounce back, following several retrenchment exercises last year, Mr Ong said these retrenchments made up "a single-digit percentage" of the entire workforce and were mostly shouldered by foreign workers.

"It takes years, a decade even, to train a pilot, and even the air crew. The air traffic controllers, for example, take years of training. So you don't even want to get into that position where you lose talent, you lose your core capability, and when things recover, you can't get them back," he said.

Mr Ong added: "What we have done is to hold on to the manpower as much as we can, with the belief that one day this will recover... The problem you mentioned, it would be because the sector has expanded, things are reviving.

"Then we can attract people. But the key thing is don't lose your core capabilities. Your core staff, you must stay intact."


The Jobs Support Scheme, which has been extended by another six months for the aviation sector, has helped with this.

In his interview with ST earlier this week, Mr de Juniac said Iata is already working with various states to design and plan protocols and road maps for the reopening of borders.

Key among these protocols is Iata's Travel Pass, a mobile health verification app which electronically captures a traveller's vaccination history and Covid-19 test results for cross-border safety checks.

Singapore Airlines has been the first airline to officially announce that it will begin testing the Iata Travel Pass on flights from Singapore to London.

Meanwhile, China also just announced the roll-out of its vaccine passport, while Germany and the United States are poised to introduce their own soon.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Over 150,000 staff in educational institutions to be offered Covid-19 vaccine from March 10


SINGAPORE - More than 150,000 teachers and other staff in educational institutions will be offered the Covid-19 vaccine from March 10, said the Ministry of Education on Monday (March 8).

The MOE said that this is in line with the Ministry of Health's efforts to extend vaccination to personnel who offer essential services.

"It complements existing efforts to keep our educational institutions safe, as children and the majority of our students are not yet medically eligible for vaccination," said the MOE.


The exercise will cover all staff in primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute, as well as those in special education schools, the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnics.

Vaccination will also be extended to staff at pre-schools licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and all MOE-registered kindergartens, as well as those at early intervention centres and programmes funded by or registered with ECDA for children with developmental needs, aged six and under.

Staff of private schools registered with MOE that have full-time students below 18 years old, private education institutions - including international schools - with full-time students below 18, and madrasahs, will also be offered the vaccine.


To further minimise transmission risks, the vaccination exercise will also include other individuals who work in these institutions and come into regular contact with students.

They include administrative staff, adjunct staff, school-based and community-based student care centre staff, special student care centre staff, as well as canteen and bookshop vendors.

The MOE said that together with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and ECDA, it will work to identify individuals to be included in the exercise.

Identified individuals will progressively receive SMSes for them to book their appointments at any of the vaccination centres, 20 polyclinics, or Public Health Preparedness Clinics operating as vaccination sites.

"While Covid-19 vaccination is not mandatory, we strongly encourage all medically eligible individuals to get vaccinated. This is our way of protecting not just those working in the education sector but also our children and students who are not yet medically eligible for vaccination," said the MOE.

So far, over 217,000 people here have received both doses of the vaccine.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Australian minister plans to visit Singapore to discuss Covid-19 vaccine-based travel bubble

SYDNEY - Australia's Tourism Minister plans to travel to Singapore to discuss the creation of a digital vaccine passport system that would enable a travel bubble between the two countries by the middle of the year.

In an announcement that has raised the hopes of Australia's ailing tourism sector, Mr Dan Tehan said on Monday (March 15) the country hopes to set up a travel bubble that would include Singapore and New Zealand, and perhaps other places such as Fiji.

Mr Tehan said Singapore has handled the Covid-19 pandemic in an "exemplary fashion" and is a strong potential partner for Australia's first two-way travel bubble, which would eliminate the need for quarantine. He said he wants to travel to Singapore within the next two months to discuss the proposal.


"If we can continue to get the vaccine roll-out right here in Australia, they continue to do what they're doing so well there with their vaccine roll-out in Singapore, I'm optimistic that we might be able to get something up and running by the middle of the year," he told Channel Nine.

The key would be to ensure that travellers have valid vaccine credentials, he noted.

Mr Tehan said Australia wants to work with Singapore on developing a digital vaccine passport that will prove that a traveller has been vaccinated. "We really want that digital vaccination passport up and running, operating, and in a way that we know that we can trust it," he said.


Australia imposed strict curbs on foreign travellers early last year and has also banned Australians from travelling overseas without an exemption from the government. This has had a heavy impact on the tourism and international student sectors.

The government is keen to open up borders as soon as possible but is also facing pressure to ensure that Australia remains effectively free of Covid-19. Most of the country has been free of locally transmitted cases for weeks or months and is operating as normal. In the past four weeks, there have been 10 locally transmitted cases, but no broader outbreak.

Australia earlier opened a one-way travel bubble for people from New Zealand, but this has been suspended several times due to outbreaks of Covid-19 clusters in New Zealand.

Canberra is now looking to potentially open its first two-way travel bubble with Singapore.

Media reports suggested that Canberra is also looking to allow travellers from other countries to complete their 14-day quarantine period in Singapore before travelling on to Australia. However, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has said it is not discussing "the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub" with Australia.

"Singapore is currently in discussions with Australia on the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and resumption of travel, with priority for students and business travellers," MFA said on Sunday. It added: "We are not in discussion on the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub."


Mr Tehan did not explicitly comment last Thursday on the possibility of a quarantine centre. His office referred The Straits Times to an interview with Channel Seven, in which he referred to Singapore's current practice of testing incoming passengers on arrival.

"They (Singapore) have already got some steps in place," he said. "This would be something that we'll have as part of those discussions, but that would be the ideal scenario."

In 2019, Australia had more travel to and from Singapore than with any other city. Almost 6.4 million passengers went between the countries on more than 24,700 flights.

But Australia's slow start in vaccinations may pose a difficulty to creating the travel bubble with Singapore by July. Health officials admitted last week that initial plans to vaccinate the bulk of the country's population by October may not be met and that some Australians may only have had their first dose by then.

 

[jw5]

from yahoo.com:

Singapore to begin using Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from 17 March


SINGAPORE — Singapore will begin using the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at four new vaccination centres that are set to begin operations on Wednesday (17 March).

These centres will be located at Hong Kah North Community Club (CC), Marsiling CC, Punggol 21 CC and Radin Mas CC, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a media release on Tuesday.

"As more supplies of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrive, more vaccination centres will offer the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine," said MOH.

Another three new vaccination centres – located at Nanyang CC, Sengkang CC and Arena @ Our Tampines Hub – are also due to open on Wednesday. These will continue to offer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine that was the first to be used in Singapore.

These new locations will join the 24 existing centres, along with the 20 polyclinics and Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs), in offering vaccinations for members of the public. MOH said it expects a total of 40 vaccination centres to be in operation islandwide by mid-April.

The ministry also noted that each centre will only stock and administer one type of vaccine.

"Individuals must select the same vaccination centre for both their first and second appointments, when booking via the national appointment system. As the vaccination capacity of each vaccination centre is not the same, the waiting times for first dose vaccination will differ between the vaccination centres," said MOH.

Those unable to secure a vaccination slot at the centre of their choice are encouraged to check the availability of slots at other centres. MOH also noted that the vaccination centres have higher capacity than polyclinics.

Appointment slots for vaccinations are currently open for frontline and healthcare workers, as well as seniors aged 60 and above. MOH said that vaccinations will be made available to more segments of the population from April.

As of Monday, Singapore has administered over 792,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 549,000 people having received their first dose. Of this latter group, about 243,000 have also received their second dose, thus completing their vaccination schedule.

Since vaccinations for seniors commenced on 22 February, over 175,000 seniors have received their first dose, with about 230,000 seniors set to receive their first dose over the next few weeks.

Early vaccination appeals
MOH said that it would consider allowing Singapore citizens and permanent residents with "very exceptional circumstances" to receive their vaccination earlier.

These include those who have an urgent need to travel overseas to pursue formal education or vocational programmes, or those set to be based abroad for work that cannot be done remotely. Appeals from those who need to travel abroad to visit or care for a critically ill family member or to seek necessary medical treatment that cannot be obtained in Singapore, will also be considered.

"Individuals who plan to appeal for early vaccination should cater for the time needed to complete the full course of vaccination in Singapore in their plans," said MOH. The ministry added that they should aim to complete the registration form (https://vaccine.gov.sg/appeal) at least eight weeks in advance.

MOH said it is also working with hospitals to provide earlier vaccinations for patients with complex chronic medial conditions who would be more susceptible to severe complications if they were to be infected with COVID-19.

Vaccine injury financial aid scheme
The ministry said that the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme for COVID-19 vaccination (VIFAP) will be open for applications on Wednesday.

The scheme provides financial aid to Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders who suffer serious side-effects arising from their vaccination. It is aimed at giving peace of mind to those still deciding whether to take up the vaccination.

Those qualifying for the VIFAP will receive a one-time payout in the following amounts, depending on the severity of the side-effects suffered:

• $2,000 for individuals who require inpatient hospitalisation and medical intervention, and subsequently recover
• $10,000 for individuals who require admission to High Dependency or Intensive Care units, and subsequently recover
• $225,000 for individuals who die or suffer permanent severe disability as a result of COVID-19 vaccination

"The VIFAP is not meant to reimburse medical costs. It provides an additional layer of financial support, on top of the existing government healthcare financing schemes for medical costs incurred, which include government subsidies, MediShield Life, MediSave and MediFund," said MOH.

More information on VIFAP can be found at www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/vaccination/vifap

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

S'pore will use Covid-19 jabs from any source, as long as they are safe, effective: PM Lee

SINGAPORE - Singapore will use Covid-19 vaccines no matter where they are made, as long as they are safe and effective, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in an interview with the BBC broadcast on Sunday (March 14).

"We will use vaccines from any source. Vaccines do not carry a nationality. Is it good or is it no good? Does it work? If it does, then we will use it," he added.

Singapore has placed orders for vaccines against the Sars-CoV-2 virus from multiple suppliers to hedge its bets, and has received supplies of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which have been approved for use.


Late last month, it received its first shipment of China's Sinovac vaccine, which has not yet been authorised by the Health Sciences Authority for use in Singapore. The agency is in the process of evaluating it for safety and efficacy.

With mass vaccination campaigns under way around the world giving rise to vaccine diplomacy - countries using vaccines as instruments of influence - some commentators have suggested that China may be pushing for Singapore to approve the Sinovac product.

Asked by BBC World News Asia Business correspondent Karishma Vaswani if Singapore was under pressure to use a Chinese-made vaccine, Mr Lee said: "We are in the process of evaluating the vaccine. If it passes muster in terms of safety and effectiveness, we will use it."


He added: "I do not think there is any basis for people to say, a vaccine comes from China, it is no good, or conversely, a vaccine comes from China, it must be good because I am a Chinaman and it matches my DNA. Vaccines are vaccines."

Mr Lee also noted that China has capable scientists, biomedical researchers and vaccine researchers, adding that he had no doubt they were capable of making good vaccines.

Since Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination drive kicked off last December, more than 610,000 doses of vaccines have been administered.

On why Singapore was not moving faster despite having got the vaccines quite early, Mr Lee said the Government wanted to persuade people to come on board.


"We have not been under quite as much pressure because we did not have so many cases domestically, and there was time for us to explain to people, persuade them, reassure them, and dispel their worries and anxieties, and to do it in a systematic way," he added.

"But we hope to do it with due dispatch, and certainly by the end of the year and sooner."

Mr Lee also hoped that as countries move to vaccinate their populations, those with a substantial proportion of people who have been inoculated may be able to reopen their borders for international travel, hopefully by later this year or early next year.

Describing how this may work, he said: "It would not be like before where you can just buy a ticket, hop onto the plane and go off to Hong Kong, Bangkok or Bali for a weekend and a casual holiday.


"You have to plan for it, you must have some documentation, you need some way to prove that you have been properly vaccinated and maybe be tested to prove that you have the antibodies in you when you fly."

Some have said that such vaccine passports present ethical issues. For instance, there is the potential that they could be used to deny people essential goods and services.

Noting that such mechanisms were also used before, with people having to show proof of vaccination for yellow fever or cholera to travel, Mr Lee said: "I think that will happen again. There are ethical issues, but I do not think that you can run away from a practical solution."

Singapore had also discussed opening up safe corridors or travel bubbles with places where the outbreaks are under control. A travel bubble with Hong Kong was to have started last November, but it was postponed following a spike in the number of cases in Hong Kong.

Asked whether the world has seen the worst of the pandemic, Mr Lee said that while cases have come down in the developed world with the proliferation of vaccines, the effort to vaccinate people worldwide is a massive task.

"Nobody has ever tried to vaccinate the entire population of the world within a year, or two or three years, and to invent a vaccine, test it out, manufacture it, and then to do that in 200-odd countries around the world. That is a huge task," he added.

"We cannot assume that it will go smoothly, and that it will always be in time. We are going to be struggling with this for some time yet, but we are no longer defenceless."

Mr Lee also noted that pandemics have happened before and subsided, and the Covid-19 pandemic will similarly end, though not for another three to five years.

"The nasty way is to go up the hill and come down the infection curve to get to herd immunity, and take a huge human toll along the way. Better if we can have vaccinations and protect people, and at the same time, therapeutics to treat people, so that we can get to a safe place, and we learn to live with this if it does not disappear," he added.