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Serious Many Pappys don't like OngYK..not Team player.
- Thread starter SalahParking
- Start date
OYK wishes Malayalees Happy Onam.
If you see a multi-coloured intricate floral decoration on the ground of your neighbour’s home, it’s called Pookkalam and they are probably celebrating #Onam.
Onam is a harvest festival widely celebrated by the Malayalee community, many of whom live in #Sembawang. According to Malayalam calendar, the festival this year started on 12 August and is celebrated over about two weeks.
Celebrations usually take place over Onam Sadya, a feast that can sometimes have up to 26 different vegetarian dishes served on a banana leaf. I used to have them at the Sree Narayana Mission at this time of the year.
So residents in Sembawang can reach out to their neighbours who are Malayalees, and wish them Happy Onam. As for residents who are Malayalees, to also share with others what Onam means to you. And I’d like to wish you Happy Onam 2021!
https://www.facebook.com/ongyekung/...-WtGQ9j04tT68JZ8Au560Gq2qcIqxNA&__tn__=EEHH-R
Ong Ye Kung
Yesterday at 06:05·If you see a multi-coloured intricate floral decoration on the ground of your neighbour’s home, it’s called Pookkalam and they are probably celebrating #Onam.
Onam is a harvest festival widely celebrated by the Malayalee community, many of whom live in #Sembawang. According to Malayalam calendar, the festival this year started on 12 August and is celebrated over about two weeks.
Celebrations usually take place over Onam Sadya, a feast that can sometimes have up to 26 different vegetarian dishes served on a banana leaf. I used to have them at the Sree Narayana Mission at this time of the year.
So residents in Sembawang can reach out to their neighbours who are Malayalees, and wish them Happy Onam. As for residents who are Malayalees, to also share with others what Onam means to you. And I’d like to wish you Happy Onam 2021!
https://www.facebook.com/ongyekung/...-WtGQ9j04tT68JZ8Au560Gq2qcIqxNA&__tn__=EEHH-R
OYK praises home vaccination medical professionals.
Meet Dr Desmond Wai and Lesley, with a happy Mdm Heah who had just taken her second COVID-19 jab at home.
Dr Desmond Wai started his first home vaccination deployment last week. His day job is a full-time gastroenterologist practising at a private hospital. He is one of the 200 volunteer doctors and registered nurses who signed up with SG Healthcare Corps since my call for volunteers earlier this month.
For Lesley, she started volunteering earlier in February when we began our national vaccination efforts. An occupational health nurse, she is now doing home vaccination as a full-time job. She sees this as her national service.
Mdm Heah recounted that she saw Zoe Tay and I on TV talking about vaccination, and asked her daughter to sign her up for home vaccination. I am glad to have helped persuade Mdm Heah!
With more stepping forward, our home vaccination teams have now tripled to 33, from 11 just a few weeks ago. Many thanks for being part of this meaningful exercise!
I am starting this series of stories about our #everydayheroes who work on the frontline or quietly behind the scenes during this pandemic. If you have a story to share, share with me at [email protected].
Ong Ye Kung
13 hrs·Meet Dr Desmond Wai and Lesley, with a happy Mdm Heah who had just taken her second COVID-19 jab at home.
Dr Desmond Wai started his first home vaccination deployment last week. His day job is a full-time gastroenterologist practising at a private hospital. He is one of the 200 volunteer doctors and registered nurses who signed up with SG Healthcare Corps since my call for volunteers earlier this month.
For Lesley, she started volunteering earlier in February when we began our national vaccination efforts. An occupational health nurse, she is now doing home vaccination as a full-time job. She sees this as her national service.
Mdm Heah recounted that she saw Zoe Tay and I on TV talking about vaccination, and asked her daughter to sign her up for home vaccination. I am glad to have helped persuade Mdm Heah!
With more stepping forward, our home vaccination teams have now tripled to 33, from 11 just a few weeks ago. Many thanks for being part of this meaningful exercise!
I am starting this series of stories about our #everydayheroes who work on the frontline or quietly behind the scenes during this pandemic. If you have a story to share, share with me at [email protected].
OYK emphasizes importance of getting vaccinated.
Many of us are concerned about the spate of COVID-19 related deaths – 12 people in August so far.
To better understand the situation, Ministry of Health, Singapore plotted the incidence of deaths and ICU admissions, by the date when the patient was detected to have been infected.
This means that if a case was tested COVID-19 positive on 1 Aug but deteriorated and got admitted to ICU or passed away on 10 Aug, we plot the data point on 1 Aug, instead of 10 Aug.
The chart shows that most of the deaths arose from infections that happened earlier in the month. Then, we had more daily cases and importantly, fewer people were vaccinated (11 out of the 12 patients who passed away were not fully vaccinated).
It remains important to get vaccinated. I have met many residents who are worried about getting vaccinated because they have some underlying illnesses, or they fall sick easily.
In many of such instances, they need the vaccines even more because the chances of them falling very sick if infected with COVID-19 is much higher.
If in doubt, please consult a trusted doctor. Take care.
Ong Ye Kung
1 hr·Many of us are concerned about the spate of COVID-19 related deaths – 12 people in August so far.
To better understand the situation, Ministry of Health, Singapore plotted the incidence of deaths and ICU admissions, by the date when the patient was detected to have been infected.
This means that if a case was tested COVID-19 positive on 1 Aug but deteriorated and got admitted to ICU or passed away on 10 Aug, we plot the data point on 1 Aug, instead of 10 Aug.
The chart shows that most of the deaths arose from infections that happened earlier in the month. Then, we had more daily cases and importantly, fewer people were vaccinated (11 out of the 12 patients who passed away were not fully vaccinated).
It remains important to get vaccinated. I have met many residents who are worried about getting vaccinated because they have some underlying illnesses, or they fall sick easily.
In many of such instances, they need the vaccines even more because the chances of them falling very sick if infected with COVID-19 is much higher.
If in doubt, please consult a trusted doctor. Take care.
from theonlinecitizen.com:
In his address to members of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) yesterday (20 Aug), Health Minister Ong Ye Kung assured the audience that Singapore is determined to never let far-right populist politics to gather strength here.
Singapore continues to value foreign contributions, he said. That means Singapore will continue to “complement” the local workforce with foreign talent, expand its network of free trade agreements (FTAs) and welcome foreign investments.
But there have been recent debates on foreign manpower and free trade. He said, “In Singapore, there have been attempts to use free trade agreements… to whip up anti-foreigner sentiments and seed xenophobia in our society.”
He and other Cabinet ministers have taken to Parliament to defend such agreements, as openness is a fundamental value for the ruling party, he added.
Ong was referring to the Parliamentary debates last month when he rebuked the oppositions for repeatedly made “false statements” that the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) has given Indian nationals “a free hand” to come and work in Singapore.
In particular, Ong accused Progress Singapore Party (PSP) NCMP Leong Mun Wai for claiming that foreign professionals and FTAs have affected the jobs and livelihoods of Singaporeans. “These statements are false. They have been repeated for too long,” he said during the debates, adding that FTAs and CECA have been made “political scapegoats” to discredit the People’s Action Party (PAP) government’s policies.
But during yesterday’s meeting with EuroCham, Ong did acknowledge the downsides of globalisation, including heightened competition from foreign manpower and the over-concentration of foreigners in certain sectors or firms.
In fact, it has been revealed by the Manpower Ministry that of the 177,000 foreign EP holders Singapore currently has, 25 percent are Indian nationals. The ministry did not reveal the breakdown for foreign S Pass holders.
“We will deal robustly with these problems. If we don’t, resentments will grow, and there will be fertile ground for far-right populist politics to gather strength,” Ong said. “We are determined to never let such politics take root here.”
In other words, Ong attributed the “over-concentration” of foreigners in certain sectors or firms to “globalisation” and not to any specific FTAs.
Ong: We help foreign workers keep their jobs
In his conversation with EuroCham, Ong also said that when the pandemic hit, despite Singapore closing its borders, it took steps to stay open like contributing to the world by keeping supply lines clear and helping foreign workers keep their jobs.
Everyone infected with Covid-19 is also treated equally regardless of nationality, with the Government absorbing the costs, he said.
“People value us because the city is well-governed; everything works; we are stable, secure and safe; and above all, because we take care of everyone in Singapore, even in a pandemic,” Ong further assured members of EuroCham.
Singapore’s strong position today is a product of the trust between the Government and its people, he added. “It comes from the Government’s consistency of action, guided by a recognition of our constraints, a long-term perspective, and a strong sense of mission to keep Singapore stable, safe and secure.”
Still, that trust has been observed to be eroded somewhat based on last year’s results of general election when the ruling PAP garnered only 61.2 percent of the popular vote, a steep drop from the 69.9 percent it achieved in 2015 GE. Furthermore, for the first time in the history of Singapore, PAP lost 2 GRCs to the oppositions.
Ong Ye Kung: We’re determined to never let far-right populist politics to gather strength
In his address to members of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) yesterday (20 Aug), Health Minister Ong Ye Kung assured the audience that Singapore is determined to never let far-right populist politics to gather strength here.
Singapore continues to value foreign contributions, he said. That means Singapore will continue to “complement” the local workforce with foreign talent, expand its network of free trade agreements (FTAs) and welcome foreign investments.
But there have been recent debates on foreign manpower and free trade. He said, “In Singapore, there have been attempts to use free trade agreements… to whip up anti-foreigner sentiments and seed xenophobia in our society.”
He and other Cabinet ministers have taken to Parliament to defend such agreements, as openness is a fundamental value for the ruling party, he added.
Ong was referring to the Parliamentary debates last month when he rebuked the oppositions for repeatedly made “false statements” that the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) has given Indian nationals “a free hand” to come and work in Singapore.
In particular, Ong accused Progress Singapore Party (PSP) NCMP Leong Mun Wai for claiming that foreign professionals and FTAs have affected the jobs and livelihoods of Singaporeans. “These statements are false. They have been repeated for too long,” he said during the debates, adding that FTAs and CECA have been made “political scapegoats” to discredit the People’s Action Party (PAP) government’s policies.
But during yesterday’s meeting with EuroCham, Ong did acknowledge the downsides of globalisation, including heightened competition from foreign manpower and the over-concentration of foreigners in certain sectors or firms.
In fact, it has been revealed by the Manpower Ministry that of the 177,000 foreign EP holders Singapore currently has, 25 percent are Indian nationals. The ministry did not reveal the breakdown for foreign S Pass holders.
“We will deal robustly with these problems. If we don’t, resentments will grow, and there will be fertile ground for far-right populist politics to gather strength,” Ong said. “We are determined to never let such politics take root here.”
In other words, Ong attributed the “over-concentration” of foreigners in certain sectors or firms to “globalisation” and not to any specific FTAs.
Ong: We help foreign workers keep their jobs
In his conversation with EuroCham, Ong also said that when the pandemic hit, despite Singapore closing its borders, it took steps to stay open like contributing to the world by keeping supply lines clear and helping foreign workers keep their jobs.
Everyone infected with Covid-19 is also treated equally regardless of nationality, with the Government absorbing the costs, he said.
“People value us because the city is well-governed; everything works; we are stable, secure and safe; and above all, because we take care of everyone in Singapore, even in a pandemic,” Ong further assured members of EuroCham.
Singapore’s strong position today is a product of the trust between the Government and its people, he added. “It comes from the Government’s consistency of action, guided by a recognition of our constraints, a long-term perspective, and a strong sense of mission to keep Singapore stable, safe and secure.”
Still, that trust has been observed to be eroded somewhat based on last year’s results of general election when the ruling PAP garnered only 61.2 percent of the popular vote, a steep drop from the 69.9 percent it achieved in 2015 GE. Furthermore, for the first time in the history of Singapore, PAP lost 2 GRCs to the oppositions.
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - Singapore continues to value foreign contributions, and will not change its approach to running the economy, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (Aug 20).
This means it still welcomes, facilitates and protects foreign investments. It will also continue to complement its local workforce with foreign talent, and work to fortify and expand its network of free trade agreements, he said.
"We will continue to value the technology and expertise the world can offer us. We will persist in learning from everyone," Mr Ong added.
He was addressing members of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Singapore in a speech in which he assured his audience of the Republic's continued commitment to staying open to the world.
Doing so is part of the reality that the country operates in - that it needs to tap global markets to survive.
But this understanding of the world has recently been called into question, with the minister identifying two reasons for this.
They are the current debate on foreign manpower and free trade, as well as the broader impact of Covid-19 on the economy.
"In Singapore, there have been attempts to use free trade agreements... to whip up anti-foreigner sentiments and seed xenophobia in our society," the minister said.
He and other Cabinet ministers have taken to Parliament to defend such agreements, as openness is a fundamental value for the ruling party, he said.
But he also acknowledged the downsides of globalisation, including heightened competition from foreign manpower and the over-concentration of foreigners in certain sectors or firms.
"We will deal robustly with these problems. If we don't, resentments will grow, and there will be fertile ground for far-right populist politics to gather strength," Mr Ong added. "We are determined to never let such politics take root here."
When the pandemic hit, Singapore was forced to close its borders. Even so, the minister said, it took steps to stay open - contributing to the world by keeping supply lines clear and helping foreign workers keep their jobs.
Everyone infected with Covid-19 is also treated equally regardless of nationality, with the Government absorbing the costs, he said.
The minister also spoke of how Singapore's middle course approach was the "right and prudent" decision.
While many people experienced inconveniences due to social restrictions, they were also generally able to go about life as usual. In contrast, other countries implemented tight border measures that would have been difficult for Singapore to sustain, while yet others opted for freedom at the heavy cost of lives.
"People value us because the city is well-governed; everything works; we are stable, secure and safe; and above all, because we take care of everyone in Singapore, even in a pandemic," Mr Ong said.
Had the country taken a different tack, its experience with Covid-19 would have been like New York's or London's, he added.
"People would now be asking to leave Singapore, not asking to return."
His comments echoed those made by Finance Minister Lawrence Wong in an interview on Friday with the BBC.
Mr Wong spoke of how Singapore's reopening is aimed at maintaining its status as a business hub. The minister also talked about how the Republic has taken a more cautious approach so far, given its underlying philosophy that values stability and security.
Mr Ong said that Singapore's strong position today is a product of the trust between the Government and its people.
"It comes from the Government's consistency of action, guided by a recognition of our constraints, a long-term perspective, and a strong sense of mission to keep Singapore stable, safe and secure."
EuroCham president Federico Donato said he welcomed indications that Singapore is working towards a cautious but steady reopening of its borders.
The trade association appreciates Singapore for its reliability, as well as its clear vision of the road ahead and the certainty its system works, he added.
"Reopening is crucial for everybody, and of course everybody is trying to do their best," he said.
"But it's even more crucial for a country which has a domestic economy which is limited in comparison to the regional and global role that the country has."
S'pore will stay open to the world, continue to welcome foreign contributions: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - Singapore continues to value foreign contributions, and will not change its approach to running the economy, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (Aug 20).
This means it still welcomes, facilitates and protects foreign investments. It will also continue to complement its local workforce with foreign talent, and work to fortify and expand its network of free trade agreements, he said.
"We will continue to value the technology and expertise the world can offer us. We will persist in learning from everyone," Mr Ong added.
He was addressing members of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Singapore in a speech in which he assured his audience of the Republic's continued commitment to staying open to the world.
Doing so is part of the reality that the country operates in - that it needs to tap global markets to survive.
But this understanding of the world has recently been called into question, with the minister identifying two reasons for this.
They are the current debate on foreign manpower and free trade, as well as the broader impact of Covid-19 on the economy.
"In Singapore, there have been attempts to use free trade agreements... to whip up anti-foreigner sentiments and seed xenophobia in our society," the minister said.
He and other Cabinet ministers have taken to Parliament to defend such agreements, as openness is a fundamental value for the ruling party, he said.
But he also acknowledged the downsides of globalisation, including heightened competition from foreign manpower and the over-concentration of foreigners in certain sectors or firms.
"We will deal robustly with these problems. If we don't, resentments will grow, and there will be fertile ground for far-right populist politics to gather strength," Mr Ong added. "We are determined to never let such politics take root here."
When the pandemic hit, Singapore was forced to close its borders. Even so, the minister said, it took steps to stay open - contributing to the world by keeping supply lines clear and helping foreign workers keep their jobs.
Everyone infected with Covid-19 is also treated equally regardless of nationality, with the Government absorbing the costs, he said.
The minister also spoke of how Singapore's middle course approach was the "right and prudent" decision.
While many people experienced inconveniences due to social restrictions, they were also generally able to go about life as usual. In contrast, other countries implemented tight border measures that would have been difficult for Singapore to sustain, while yet others opted for freedom at the heavy cost of lives.
"People value us because the city is well-governed; everything works; we are stable, secure and safe; and above all, because we take care of everyone in Singapore, even in a pandemic," Mr Ong said.
Had the country taken a different tack, its experience with Covid-19 would have been like New York's or London's, he added.
"People would now be asking to leave Singapore, not asking to return."
His comments echoed those made by Finance Minister Lawrence Wong in an interview on Friday with the BBC.
Mr Wong spoke of how Singapore's reopening is aimed at maintaining its status as a business hub. The minister also talked about how the Republic has taken a more cautious approach so far, given its underlying philosophy that values stability and security.
Mr Ong said that Singapore's strong position today is a product of the trust between the Government and its people.
"It comes from the Government's consistency of action, guided by a recognition of our constraints, a long-term perspective, and a strong sense of mission to keep Singapore stable, safe and secure."
EuroCham president Federico Donato said he welcomed indications that Singapore is working towards a cautious but steady reopening of its borders.
The trade association appreciates Singapore for its reliability, as well as its clear vision of the road ahead and the certainty its system works, he added.
"Reopening is crucial for everybody, and of course everybody is trying to do their best," he said.
"But it's even more crucial for a country which has a domestic economy which is limited in comparison to the regional and global role that the country has."
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - Even as Singapore's borders remained closed to most of the world, the country did whatever it could to revive travel and maintain its hub status over the past 18 months.
This included allowing senior executives from major companies to fly in and out of Singapore, sticking to controlled itineraries and undergoing frequent testing for Covid-19 in lieu of quarantine, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (Aug 20).
These privileges were also extended to key personnel and board members, as well as experts needed to maintain, repair or install critical equipment.
"To manage transmission risk, we had to limit the number of such travellers," Mr Ong told audience members at a virtual dialogue with the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
The Economic Development Board could not satisfy the demand, as hard as it tried, he added. "It had to be selective, giving priority to those with a large base of employees in Singapore."
In his speech, Mr Ong gave a wide-ranging overview of Singapore's efforts to stay open and connected to the world despite the pandemic.
For instance, manufacturers were initially concerned about potential disruptions to the supply chain. The country responded by making efforts to keep supply lines open and keep up smooth port and air cargo operations.
"We never locked down; we never closed in," the minister said, adding that Singapore never imposed export controls even when mask supplies were running low, with manufacturers continually able to access raw materials and components.
With thousands of workers unable to disembark at certain ports during the height of the pandemic - effectively trapping them at sea - Singapore developed a process to facilitate crew changes.
To date, over 160,000 crew changes have taken place here, with the Government and industry collaborating on a global effort to help vaccinate sea crew coming through the country's ports.
When Malaysia imposed its first movement control order at very short notice, many workers were stranded on both sides of the Causeway. Singapore made arrangements for them to find accommodation here, and ensured the continued flow of supplies from north to south.
But the biggest challenge Singapore faced was the disruption to travel, which dealt a major blow to the country as people-to-people exchanges dried up, Mr Ong said.
"We are a hub and a key node in the world. If people from different parts of the world cannot come here to do business, exchange ideas, collaborate, create sparks and make things happen, we are diminished."
The minister detailed the various snags on Singapore's path to reopen its borders, starting with the demise of the travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong.
The bubble was slated to launch last November, then postponed to May. In May, it was derailed again, with Transport Minister S. Iswaran saying on Thursday that the plan would be scrapped altogether, as both cities are taking different strategies to tackle the virus.
Mr Ong said: "It would have been a very meaningful scheme, between two international cities and financial services hubs.
"But the stars were never aligned, and the bubble could not take off."
Another road block came after Singapore planned to ease travel restrictions for certain countries. Community cases spiked at a Jurong Fishery Port and these plans were shelved as the country raced to vaccinate more of its population.
Now, with more of the population vaccinated, the country is once again working to reopen its borders, Mr Ong said.
Today, the majority of Singapore's population is vaccinated and the measures it took - including the painful ones - have helped keep the pandemic at bay, he added.
This was possible because of trust built between the people and the Government, Mr Ong said.
"As a result, whenever we face challenges, people collectively come together to do their part, even making sacrifices, for the larger good and for the long term."
S'pore tried whatever it could to revive travel with borders closed: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - Even as Singapore's borders remained closed to most of the world, the country did whatever it could to revive travel and maintain its hub status over the past 18 months.
This included allowing senior executives from major companies to fly in and out of Singapore, sticking to controlled itineraries and undergoing frequent testing for Covid-19 in lieu of quarantine, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (Aug 20).
These privileges were also extended to key personnel and board members, as well as experts needed to maintain, repair or install critical equipment.
"To manage transmission risk, we had to limit the number of such travellers," Mr Ong told audience members at a virtual dialogue with the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
The Economic Development Board could not satisfy the demand, as hard as it tried, he added. "It had to be selective, giving priority to those with a large base of employees in Singapore."
In his speech, Mr Ong gave a wide-ranging overview of Singapore's efforts to stay open and connected to the world despite the pandemic.
For instance, manufacturers were initially concerned about potential disruptions to the supply chain. The country responded by making efforts to keep supply lines open and keep up smooth port and air cargo operations.
"We never locked down; we never closed in," the minister said, adding that Singapore never imposed export controls even when mask supplies were running low, with manufacturers continually able to access raw materials and components.
With thousands of workers unable to disembark at certain ports during the height of the pandemic - effectively trapping them at sea - Singapore developed a process to facilitate crew changes.
To date, over 160,000 crew changes have taken place here, with the Government and industry collaborating on a global effort to help vaccinate sea crew coming through the country's ports.
When Malaysia imposed its first movement control order at very short notice, many workers were stranded on both sides of the Causeway. Singapore made arrangements for them to find accommodation here, and ensured the continued flow of supplies from north to south.
But the biggest challenge Singapore faced was the disruption to travel, which dealt a major blow to the country as people-to-people exchanges dried up, Mr Ong said.
"We are a hub and a key node in the world. If people from different parts of the world cannot come here to do business, exchange ideas, collaborate, create sparks and make things happen, we are diminished."
The minister detailed the various snags on Singapore's path to reopen its borders, starting with the demise of the travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong.
The bubble was slated to launch last November, then postponed to May. In May, it was derailed again, with Transport Minister S. Iswaran saying on Thursday that the plan would be scrapped altogether, as both cities are taking different strategies to tackle the virus.
Mr Ong said: "It would have been a very meaningful scheme, between two international cities and financial services hubs.
"But the stars were never aligned, and the bubble could not take off."
Another road block came after Singapore planned to ease travel restrictions for certain countries. Community cases spiked at a Jurong Fishery Port and these plans were shelved as the country raced to vaccinate more of its population.
Now, with more of the population vaccinated, the country is once again working to reopen its borders, Mr Ong said.
Today, the majority of Singapore's population is vaccinated and the measures it took - including the painful ones - have helped keep the pandemic at bay, he added.
This was possible because of trust built between the people and the Government, Mr Ong said.
"As a result, whenever we face challenges, people collectively come together to do their part, even making sacrifices, for the larger good and for the long term."
OYK not sure whether to drink or cook.
During a recent Parliamentary debate, I argued that Singapore needs to maintain our free trade policy. I mentioned we only have four tariff lines, one is on Samsoo, and all these years working as a trade negotiator I don’t know what it is and have never drunk it.
Raj Joshua Thomas then sent me this. But no instructions - is it for drinking or cooking?
Ong Ye Kung
11 hrs·During a recent Parliamentary debate, I argued that Singapore needs to maintain our free trade policy. I mentioned we only have four tariff lines, one is on Samsoo, and all these years working as a trade negotiator I don’t know what it is and have never drunk it.
Raj Joshua Thomas then sent me this. But no instructions - is it for drinking or cooking?
He is trying to sound cute, but he will probably drink it.
from straitstimes.com:
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Covid-19 has dealt the country a severe blow, with Changi Airport becoming empty and people-to-people exchanges drying up.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Covid-19 has underlined a fundamental reality about Singapore: We are too small to survive on our own. We need to tap into global markets.
We have only two advantages: a good geographical location, and a people who are responsible, resourceful and reliable, willing and able to work hard to make miracles happen.
From time to time, these truisms about Singapore and Singaporeans are questioned. I accepted your invitation today so I can assure all our international partners that Singapore's approach to running our economy has not and will not change - for the simple reason it can't, for our reality has not changed and never can.
We will continue to welcome, facilitate and protect foreign investments. We will continue to complement local with foreign talent. We will preserve, buttress and expand our network of free trade agreements.
We will continue to value the technology and expertise the world can offer us. We will persist in learning from all. We will continue to be a hub for manufacturing, trading, maritime, aviation, financial services, ICT and R&D. Singapore will also continue to be the interchange between East and West, Europe and Asia, China and India. It will continue to be your springboard to connect with the Asean region.
There are two reasons why all these longstanding understandings of our reality have been called into question recently by some. One is internal, the other external.
The internal reason is the domestic debate we have been having, on whether foreign manpower and free trade harm the interest of Singaporeans.
This is not a new debate. We have had this debate before in Singapore. Indeed, such a debate has occurred elsewhere in the world with greater ferocity. In America and Europe, we have seen the rise of anti-globalisation, and populist, far-right political groupings.
In Singapore, there have been attempts to use free trade agreements - especially Ceca, our partnership agreement with India - to whip up anti-foreigner sentiments and seed xenophobia in our society.
That is why the Prime Minister and Cabinet decided recently that my colleague, (Manpower Minister) Tan See Leng, and I should deliver ministerial statements in Parliament and openly debate the issue.
We presented the facts, explained the importance of free trade to Singapore and proved that while our workers are facing challenges, their problems were not caused by free trade agreements, let alone Ceca.
The PAP government is prepared to confront this issue, because openness is a fundamental value for us. We are confident the great majority of Singaporeans understand the need for us to stay open, including the need to continue welcoming foreign expertise to complement local talent.
However, we must and will address the genuine concerns of some Singaporeans. As in other advanced economies, globalisation does have downsides for us.
In our case, some segments of our workforce are concerned about the heightened competition for jobs from foreign manpower; the over-concentration of foreigners in certain sectors, companies, and locations on the island; and the unfair and discriminatory hiring practices of a small minority of employers.
We will deal robustly with these problems. If we don't, resentments will grow, and there will be fertile ground for far-right populist politics to gather strength. We are determined to never let such politics take root here.
By addressing the problems some in our workforce face, we will continue to maintain broad support for our open economic model. The solutions we adopt to address these problems will not depart significantly from the measures other developed countries have adopted.
The larger challenge we face now is an external one - arising from Covid-19.
Though F&B is an important barometer of domestic well-being, the single biggest factor that will profoundly affect Singapore's long-term attractiveness and competitiveness is the openness of our borders. PHOTO: ST FILE
Economies around the world have gone through upheavals because of Covid-19. In Singapore, a very visible marker has been the F&B industry.
We had to suspend dining in F&B outlets each time there was a significant rise in infections, because restaurants are high-risk settings. Each time that happened, it affected the daily lives of Singaporeans in tangible ways.
However, though F&B is an important barometer of domestic well-being, the single biggest factor that will profoundly affect Singapore's long-term attractiveness and competitiveness is the openness of our borders.
Hence, when Covid-19 disrupted cross-border activities, we stayed true to our longstanding commitment of staying open, and tried various ways to overcome the disruptions. Let me recount a few key episodes.
First, manufacturers were concerned supply lines were disrupted. We did whatever we could to keep supply lines open, and the Port of Singapore and air cargo operations uninterrupted.
Throughout the pandemic, we continued to service the world as a major transhipment and bunkering hub. When queues built up at our port, the PSA used automation, artificial intelligence and advanced planning to clear them as quickly as possible. We never locked down; we never closed in.
And at the height of uncertainty, even when Singapore was about to run short of certain items (like N95 masks), we never imposed export controls. Throughout the pandemic, including during the circuit breaker period, manufacturers in Singapore continued to have access to raw materials and components, and were able to export freely to overseas markets and honour deliveries to their global clients.
Second, when a humanitarian crisis was brewing because over half a million sea crew were stranded, not able to disembark when they called at certain ports, the Singapore Government worked with the industry and developed a process to facilitate crew change in Singapore.
To date, we have facilitated over 160,000 crew changes - and up to 300 a day over the past five months. We are currently working with the industry on a global effort to help vaccinate sea crew coming through our ports.
Third, when the supply of workers became a concern. For example, when Malaysia imposed a movement control order at very short notice in March 2020, tens of thousands of Malaysian workers who commuted daily between Singapore and Johor were stranded on both sides of the Causeway.
For those in Singapore, if they returned to their home country, they would not be able to come out again to Singapore to work.
Literally overnight, we made arrangements with hotels to help the Malaysian workers find accommodation in Singapore, so that they could continue to work, and operations here were not affected.
We worked with our counterparts in Malaysia to make sure that as far as possible Malaysian suppliers to Singapore plants could continue to operate.
As for healthcare during the pandemic, we treated everyone equally. Thus far, everyone who was infected with Covid-19 in Singapore, regardless of nationality, has been given the best possible care, at no cost.
When we commenced our vaccination exercise earlier this year, we made sure we covered everyone who lives in Singapore. Hence, all foreigners holding work passes, dependant passes and student passes could get their vaccinations and be protected while living in Singapore. We just extended vaccination to short-term pass holders who have an extended stay in Singapore.
We vaccinated in the order most sensible for public health reasons, starting with front-line workers, then vulnerable seniors, and then down the age bands - but always, regardless of nationalities.
Changi Airport became empty, and SIA was grounded. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
But while we were able to keep supply lines open, facilitated crew change, and vaccinated the great majority of people living in Singapore, we could not overcome the biggest challenge we faced, which was the disruption to travel.
Changi Airport became empty, and SIA was grounded. It was a serious situation and remains so, for Changi and SIA are strategic to Singapore.
People-to-people exchanges also dried up. Our businessmen and entrepreneurs have not been able to fly out of Singapore to meet partners and clients abroad; MNC executives, both Singaporean and expatriate, have been unable to visit overseas operations; and students had to forgo overseas internships. Many couples as well as multinational families were forced apart, which is painful.
We are a hub and a key node in the world. If people from different parts of the world cannot come here to do business, exchange ideas, collaborate, create sparks and make things happen, we are diminished. Covid-19 dealt us a severe blow indeed.
We cannot reverse this simply by opening up our borders, ceasing to quarantine new visitors and letting normal travel resume. That would lead to massive outbreaks of infection and deaths, and eventually, another lockdown.
Instead, we tried whatever we could to revive travel, step by step. Key personnel, senior executives, board members of major companies, as well as experts needed to maintain, repair or install critical equipment, were allowed to travel in and out of Singapore, with controlled itineraries and frequent testing in lieu of quarantine.
However, to manage transmission risk, we had to limit the number of travellers. As a result, as hard as it tried, EDB could not satisfy all the demand. It had to be selective, giving priority to those with a large base of employees in Singapore.
Not too long into the pandemic, we developed a plan to revive travel safely. The first step was to open up, unilaterally if necessarily, to countries and regions which had successfully controlled the spread of the virus. We are the only Asian country to have done this for Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, China, Vietnam and Taiwan. The scheme has been successful and remains in force today, with countries and regions added or removed depending on their Covid-19 situation.
We made attempts to commence a first-of-its-kind air travel bubble with Hong Kong. It would have been a very meaningful scheme, between two international cities and financial services hubs. But the stars were never aligned, and the bubble could not take off.
Nevertheless, we plan to open up to countries with moderate risk, by reducing or removing quarantine for fully vaccinated individuals from countries with lower infection rates.
We explained this broad plan earlier this year. Around the same time, we managed to bring forward the vaccine delivery schedule. We were thus able to accelerate the pace of vaccination - with about 1 per cent of our population vaccinated every day.
On June 24, 2021, the co-chairs of the multi-ministry task force articulated the Government's plan to transit to a new normal, where we live with Covid-19 as an endemic disease. One key component of the transition was the road map to progressively reopen our borders, to reconnect with the world again.
Unfortunately, just then we hit a snag. The Delta variant infected fishmongers at a fisheries port, who in turn spread the virus to numerous markets across the city frequented by many seniors. Only 42 per cent of our population was fully vaccinated at that point and it would have been reckless if we had doggedly pushed ahead with our road map.
We had to re-tighten so as to buy more time to vaccinate more people, especially our seniors. As expected, cases shot up, and so too the number of people who were exposed to infected individuals and had to be quarantined.
We needed more quarantine rooms for them, which meant fewer rooms for travellers. Hence, we had to throttle back travel flows, causing a lot of inconveniences to global businesses and their employees.
But our responses worked. Numbers of infection cases, Covid-19 patients who fall severely ill, and fatalities are stable and under control. With the time we bought ourselves, we became one of the most highly vaccinated countries in the world. About 80 per cent of our total population have fully completed their vaccinations; and the numbers are still rising. In terms of eligible population, our coverage is even higher, at 86 per cent.
We have thus reactivated our transition road map. The Ministry of Manpower's application window for returning Employment Pass holders and their dependants are opened again.
Yesterday, we announced a new country risk framework, and a vaccinated travel arrangement. We will start this arrangement in September with Germany and Brunei, expanding to other parts of the world later.
Some countries or regions have been very safe with low infection numbers, and very tight border measures. But it is difficult to sustain this for a prolonged period. People are tired of the frequent lockdowns and travel bans.
In other countries, there is far more freedom. But it came at a heavy cost, for these countries had gone through massive outbreaks, and had high numbers of fatalities.
We adopted a middle course in Singapore. While there were many inconveniences due to social restrictions, by and large, life could carry on normally. Schools stayed opened, restaurants and attractions operated most of the time, and people discovered that there was more nature in Singapore than they had realised.
More importantly, our hospitals were never overwhelmed and we had relatively few deaths. However, our border controls were quite strict, and were further tightened during periods when local infections spiked.
There is no country or region that has been both free of restrictions and safe from Covid-19. Singapore had to weigh carefully between preserving lives and livelihoods.
We believe this approach was right and prudent. People value and love Singapore not because we adopt a laissez-faire attitude about anything, let alone public health. People value us because the city is well governed; everything works; we are stable, secure and safe; and above all, because we take care of everyone in Singapore, even in a pandemic.
This is why we took the measures we did, including painful ones, so as to keep the country safe from Covid-19. If we had opened up recklessly, we would not be Singapore anymore. Our experience of Covid-19 would have resembled New York's or London's. People would now be asking to leave Singapore, not asking to return.
Today, we are in a new position. Primarily because even without a severe threat of infections and deaths, our population came forward in big numbers to get vaccinated. Everyone - young and old, all races and nationalities - are taking their jabs.
This came about because there is strong trust amongst people and between people and government. This trust does not come out of nowhere. It comes from the Government's consistency of action, guided by a recognition of our constraints, a long-term perspective, and a strong sense of mission to keep Singapore stable, secure and safe.
As a result, whenever we face challenges, people collectively come together to do their part, even making sacrifices, for the larger good and for the long term. That is why throughout the pandemic, Singaporeans were disciplined and socially responsible. I believe we are more united now than before Covid-19 struck.
I thank all our foreign partners for bearing with all the inconveniences and heartaches of the past 18 months. I hope that as important stakeholders here, you will continue to work with us in partnership, as we transit to become a Covid-19 resilient nation.
Singapore realities in the era of Covid-19
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Singapore remains committed to staying open to global connections. It is a matter of survival, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in a speech to members of the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore yesterday. This is the edited text of his speech.
Ong Ye Kung
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Covid-19 has dealt the country a severe blow, with Changi Airport becoming empty and people-to-people exchanges drying up.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Covid-19 has underlined a fundamental reality about Singapore: We are too small to survive on our own. We need to tap into global markets.
We have only two advantages: a good geographical location, and a people who are responsible, resourceful and reliable, willing and able to work hard to make miracles happen.
From time to time, these truisms about Singapore and Singaporeans are questioned. I accepted your invitation today so I can assure all our international partners that Singapore's approach to running our economy has not and will not change - for the simple reason it can't, for our reality has not changed and never can.
We will continue to welcome, facilitate and protect foreign investments. We will continue to complement local with foreign talent. We will preserve, buttress and expand our network of free trade agreements.
We will continue to value the technology and expertise the world can offer us. We will persist in learning from all. We will continue to be a hub for manufacturing, trading, maritime, aviation, financial services, ICT and R&D. Singapore will also continue to be the interchange between East and West, Europe and Asia, China and India. It will continue to be your springboard to connect with the Asean region.
There are two reasons why all these longstanding understandings of our reality have been called into question recently by some. One is internal, the other external.
The discomforts of globalisation
The internal reason is the domestic debate we have been having, on whether foreign manpower and free trade harm the interest of Singaporeans.
This is not a new debate. We have had this debate before in Singapore. Indeed, such a debate has occurred elsewhere in the world with greater ferocity. In America and Europe, we have seen the rise of anti-globalisation, and populist, far-right political groupings.
In Singapore, there have been attempts to use free trade agreements - especially Ceca, our partnership agreement with India - to whip up anti-foreigner sentiments and seed xenophobia in our society.
That is why the Prime Minister and Cabinet decided recently that my colleague, (Manpower Minister) Tan See Leng, and I should deliver ministerial statements in Parliament and openly debate the issue.
We presented the facts, explained the importance of free trade to Singapore and proved that while our workers are facing challenges, their problems were not caused by free trade agreements, let alone Ceca.
The PAP government is prepared to confront this issue, because openness is a fundamental value for us. We are confident the great majority of Singaporeans understand the need for us to stay open, including the need to continue welcoming foreign expertise to complement local talent.
However, we must and will address the genuine concerns of some Singaporeans. As in other advanced economies, globalisation does have downsides for us.
In our case, some segments of our workforce are concerned about the heightened competition for jobs from foreign manpower; the over-concentration of foreigners in certain sectors, companies, and locations on the island; and the unfair and discriminatory hiring practices of a small minority of employers.
We will deal robustly with these problems. If we don't, resentments will grow, and there will be fertile ground for far-right populist politics to gather strength. We are determined to never let such politics take root here.
By addressing the problems some in our workforce face, we will continue to maintain broad support for our open economic model. The solutions we adopt to address these problems will not depart significantly from the measures other developed countries have adopted.
The larger challenge we face now is an external one - arising from Covid-19.
The real economic threat of Covid-19
Economies around the world have gone through upheavals because of Covid-19. In Singapore, a very visible marker has been the F&B industry.
We had to suspend dining in F&B outlets each time there was a significant rise in infections, because restaurants are high-risk settings. Each time that happened, it affected the daily lives of Singaporeans in tangible ways.
However, though F&B is an important barometer of domestic well-being, the single biggest factor that will profoundly affect Singapore's long-term attractiveness and competitiveness is the openness of our borders.
Hence, when Covid-19 disrupted cross-border activities, we stayed true to our longstanding commitment of staying open, and tried various ways to overcome the disruptions. Let me recount a few key episodes.
First, manufacturers were concerned supply lines were disrupted. We did whatever we could to keep supply lines open, and the Port of Singapore and air cargo operations uninterrupted.
Throughout the pandemic, we continued to service the world as a major transhipment and bunkering hub. When queues built up at our port, the PSA used automation, artificial intelligence and advanced planning to clear them as quickly as possible. We never locked down; we never closed in.
And at the height of uncertainty, even when Singapore was about to run short of certain items (like N95 masks), we never imposed export controls. Throughout the pandemic, including during the circuit breaker period, manufacturers in Singapore continued to have access to raw materials and components, and were able to export freely to overseas markets and honour deliveries to their global clients.
Second, when a humanitarian crisis was brewing because over half a million sea crew were stranded, not able to disembark when they called at certain ports, the Singapore Government worked with the industry and developed a process to facilitate crew change in Singapore.
To date, we have facilitated over 160,000 crew changes - and up to 300 a day over the past five months. We are currently working with the industry on a global effort to help vaccinate sea crew coming through our ports.
Third, when the supply of workers became a concern. For example, when Malaysia imposed a movement control order at very short notice in March 2020, tens of thousands of Malaysian workers who commuted daily between Singapore and Johor were stranded on both sides of the Causeway.
For those in Singapore, if they returned to their home country, they would not be able to come out again to Singapore to work.
Literally overnight, we made arrangements with hotels to help the Malaysian workers find accommodation in Singapore, so that they could continue to work, and operations here were not affected.
We worked with our counterparts in Malaysia to make sure that as far as possible Malaysian suppliers to Singapore plants could continue to operate.
As for healthcare during the pandemic, we treated everyone equally. Thus far, everyone who was infected with Covid-19 in Singapore, regardless of nationality, has been given the best possible care, at no cost.
When we commenced our vaccination exercise earlier this year, we made sure we covered everyone who lives in Singapore. Hence, all foreigners holding work passes, dependant passes and student passes could get their vaccinations and be protected while living in Singapore. We just extended vaccination to short-term pass holders who have an extended stay in Singapore.
We vaccinated in the order most sensible for public health reasons, starting with front-line workers, then vulnerable seniors, and then down the age bands - but always, regardless of nationalities.
Disruption to people-to-people contact
But while we were able to keep supply lines open, facilitated crew change, and vaccinated the great majority of people living in Singapore, we could not overcome the biggest challenge we faced, which was the disruption to travel.
Changi Airport became empty, and SIA was grounded. It was a serious situation and remains so, for Changi and SIA are strategic to Singapore.
People-to-people exchanges also dried up. Our businessmen and entrepreneurs have not been able to fly out of Singapore to meet partners and clients abroad; MNC executives, both Singaporean and expatriate, have been unable to visit overseas operations; and students had to forgo overseas internships. Many couples as well as multinational families were forced apart, which is painful.
We are a hub and a key node in the world. If people from different parts of the world cannot come here to do business, exchange ideas, collaborate, create sparks and make things happen, we are diminished. Covid-19 dealt us a severe blow indeed.
We cannot reverse this simply by opening up our borders, ceasing to quarantine new visitors and letting normal travel resume. That would lead to massive outbreaks of infection and deaths, and eventually, another lockdown.
Instead, we tried whatever we could to revive travel, step by step. Key personnel, senior executives, board members of major companies, as well as experts needed to maintain, repair or install critical equipment, were allowed to travel in and out of Singapore, with controlled itineraries and frequent testing in lieu of quarantine.
However, to manage transmission risk, we had to limit the number of travellers. As a result, as hard as it tried, EDB could not satisfy all the demand. It had to be selective, giving priority to those with a large base of employees in Singapore.
Not too long into the pandemic, we developed a plan to revive travel safely. The first step was to open up, unilaterally if necessarily, to countries and regions which had successfully controlled the spread of the virus. We are the only Asian country to have done this for Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, China, Vietnam and Taiwan. The scheme has been successful and remains in force today, with countries and regions added or removed depending on their Covid-19 situation.
We made attempts to commence a first-of-its-kind air travel bubble with Hong Kong. It would have been a very meaningful scheme, between two international cities and financial services hubs. But the stars were never aligned, and the bubble could not take off.
Nevertheless, we plan to open up to countries with moderate risk, by reducing or removing quarantine for fully vaccinated individuals from countries with lower infection rates.
We explained this broad plan earlier this year. Around the same time, we managed to bring forward the vaccine delivery schedule. We were thus able to accelerate the pace of vaccination - with about 1 per cent of our population vaccinated every day.
On June 24, 2021, the co-chairs of the multi-ministry task force articulated the Government's plan to transit to a new normal, where we live with Covid-19 as an endemic disease. One key component of the transition was the road map to progressively reopen our borders, to reconnect with the world again.
Unfortunately, just then we hit a snag. The Delta variant infected fishmongers at a fisheries port, who in turn spread the virus to numerous markets across the city frequented by many seniors. Only 42 per cent of our population was fully vaccinated at that point and it would have been reckless if we had doggedly pushed ahead with our road map.
We had to re-tighten so as to buy more time to vaccinate more people, especially our seniors. As expected, cases shot up, and so too the number of people who were exposed to infected individuals and had to be quarantined.
We needed more quarantine rooms for them, which meant fewer rooms for travellers. Hence, we had to throttle back travel flows, causing a lot of inconveniences to global businesses and their employees.
But our responses worked. Numbers of infection cases, Covid-19 patients who fall severely ill, and fatalities are stable and under control. With the time we bought ourselves, we became one of the most highly vaccinated countries in the world. About 80 per cent of our total population have fully completed their vaccinations; and the numbers are still rising. In terms of eligible population, our coverage is even higher, at 86 per cent.
We have thus reactivated our transition road map. The Ministry of Manpower's application window for returning Employment Pass holders and their dependants are opened again.
Yesterday, we announced a new country risk framework, and a vaccinated travel arrangement. We will start this arrangement in September with Germany and Brunei, expanding to other parts of the world later.
The other reality of Singapore
It has been a trying time for everyone, including for anyone who is working in a foreign land.Some countries or regions have been very safe with low infection numbers, and very tight border measures. But it is difficult to sustain this for a prolonged period. People are tired of the frequent lockdowns and travel bans.
In other countries, there is far more freedom. But it came at a heavy cost, for these countries had gone through massive outbreaks, and had high numbers of fatalities.
We adopted a middle course in Singapore. While there were many inconveniences due to social restrictions, by and large, life could carry on normally. Schools stayed opened, restaurants and attractions operated most of the time, and people discovered that there was more nature in Singapore than they had realised.
More importantly, our hospitals were never overwhelmed and we had relatively few deaths. However, our border controls were quite strict, and were further tightened during periods when local infections spiked.
There is no country or region that has been both free of restrictions and safe from Covid-19. Singapore had to weigh carefully between preserving lives and livelihoods.
We believe this approach was right and prudent. People value and love Singapore not because we adopt a laissez-faire attitude about anything, let alone public health. People value us because the city is well governed; everything works; we are stable, secure and safe; and above all, because we take care of everyone in Singapore, even in a pandemic.
This is why we took the measures we did, including painful ones, so as to keep the country safe from Covid-19. If we had opened up recklessly, we would not be Singapore anymore. Our experience of Covid-19 would have resembled New York's or London's. People would now be asking to leave Singapore, not asking to return.
Today, we are in a new position. Primarily because even without a severe threat of infections and deaths, our population came forward in big numbers to get vaccinated. Everyone - young and old, all races and nationalities - are taking their jabs.
This came about because there is strong trust amongst people and between people and government. This trust does not come out of nowhere. It comes from the Government's consistency of action, guided by a recognition of our constraints, a long-term perspective, and a strong sense of mission to keep Singapore stable, secure and safe.
As a result, whenever we face challenges, people collectively come together to do their part, even making sacrifices, for the larger good and for the long term. That is why throughout the pandemic, Singaporeans were disciplined and socially responsible. I believe we are more united now than before Covid-19 struck.
I thank all our foreign partners for bearing with all the inconveniences and heartaches of the past 18 months. I hope that as important stakeholders here, you will continue to work with us in partnership, as we transit to become a Covid-19 resilient nation.
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - Most deaths this month linked to Covid-19 arose from infections that had happened earlier in the month, when there were more daily cases and fewer people were vaccinated, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
In fact, 11 of the 12 people who died from Covid-19 complications in August were not fully vaccinated, he added in a Facebook post on Monday (Aug 23).
On Sunday, a 91-year-old woman who was unvaccinated and an 87-year-old man who was partially vaccinated died from Covid-19 complications.
Both had pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Those who died from Covid-19 complications this month were largely seniors who had several pre-existing conditions.
Mr Ong said: “It remains important to get vaccinated. I have met many residents who are worried about getting vaccinated because they have some underlying illnesses, or they fall sick easily.
“In many of such instances, they need the vaccines even more because the chances of them falling very sick if infected with Covid-19 are much higher.”
To better understand the situation in Singapore, Mr Ong said the Ministry of Health plotted a chart with the incidence of deaths and ICU admissions, according to the date when the patient was detected to have been infected.
This means that if a case was detected on Aug 1, then later deteriorated and got admitted to ICU or died on Aug 10, the data point was plotted on Aug 1 instead of Aug 10.
This helped illustrate how infections happened earlier in the month, when the overall vaccination numbers in Singapore were not as high as it is now.
Most Covid-19 deaths in August arose from infections earlier in the month: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - Most deaths this month linked to Covid-19 arose from infections that had happened earlier in the month, when there were more daily cases and fewer people were vaccinated, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
In fact, 11 of the 12 people who died from Covid-19 complications in August were not fully vaccinated, he added in a Facebook post on Monday (Aug 23).
On Sunday, a 91-year-old woman who was unvaccinated and an 87-year-old man who was partially vaccinated died from Covid-19 complications.
Both had pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Those who died from Covid-19 complications this month were largely seniors who had several pre-existing conditions.
Mr Ong said: “It remains important to get vaccinated. I have met many residents who are worried about getting vaccinated because they have some underlying illnesses, or they fall sick easily.
“In many of such instances, they need the vaccines even more because the chances of them falling very sick if infected with Covid-19 are much higher.”
To better understand the situation in Singapore, Mr Ong said the Ministry of Health plotted a chart with the incidence of deaths and ICU admissions, according to the date when the patient was detected to have been infected.
This means that if a case was detected on Aug 1, then later deteriorated and got admitted to ICU or died on Aug 10, the data point was plotted on Aug 1 instead of Aug 10.
This helped illustrate how infections happened earlier in the month, when the overall vaccination numbers in Singapore were not as high as it is now.
OYK introduces new community care facility.
A new Community Care Facility (CCF) has come on board - at the Connect@Changi. The facility was intended for travellers, but given the tight border measures that are still in place, Connect@Changi adapted and repurposed itself.
Hall 7 of Connect@Changi started CCF operations early this week and by next month, Hall 8 will also be ready. Both halls will have a total of 660 rooms.
This means we now have a total of 7 CCFs. In all, they can accommodate more than 5,500 individuals who are clinically well, or who have mild symptoms, and do not require much medical care.
It also means that there is a stronger buffer to protect our hospital capacity, and prevent it from being overwhelmed if the pandemic turns for the worse.
Photo credit: Connect at Changi
Ong Ye Kung
43 mins·A new Community Care Facility (CCF) has come on board - at the Connect@Changi. The facility was intended for travellers, but given the tight border measures that are still in place, Connect@Changi adapted and repurposed itself.
Hall 7 of Connect@Changi started CCF operations early this week and by next month, Hall 8 will also be ready. Both halls will have a total of 660 rooms.
This means we now have a total of 7 CCFs. In all, they can accommodate more than 5,500 individuals who are clinically well, or who have mild symptoms, and do not require much medical care.
It also means that there is a stronger buffer to protect our hospital capacity, and prevent it from being overwhelmed if the pandemic turns for the worse.
Photo credit: Connect at Changi
OYK announces distribution of test kits.
For the next one month, the Government will be distributing to each of the 1.5 million households in #Singapore, a package of six Antigen Rapid Testing (#ART) self-test kits. They will be delivered to your letterbox.
Our schools and ECDA will also be distributing 3 ART kits to every student and staff from mid-September.
As Singapore becomes highly vaccinated, the next phase of our battle against COVID-19 falls on our individual actions, which make a major collective impact.
We will need to be civic-minded, take care of ourselves, and of each other. Self-test is a big part of it.
The test is easy to do, just a few minutes of our time. I do it every week, so that I know I am alright, and my family, friends and colleagues around me are safe (from me at least).
The MTF will explain this, and our broader testing strategy, in greater detail next week.
You can visit go.gov.sg/selftestART for more info on how to use the kits.
Photo credit: Singapore Post
Ong Ye Kung
22 hrs·For the next one month, the Government will be distributing to each of the 1.5 million households in #Singapore, a package of six Antigen Rapid Testing (#ART) self-test kits. They will be delivered to your letterbox.
Our schools and ECDA will also be distributing 3 ART kits to every student and staff from mid-September.
As Singapore becomes highly vaccinated, the next phase of our battle against COVID-19 falls on our individual actions, which make a major collective impact.
We will need to be civic-minded, take care of ourselves, and of each other. Self-test is a big part of it.
The test is easy to do, just a few minutes of our time. I do it every week, so that I know I am alright, and my family, friends and colleagues around me are safe (from me at least).
The MTF will explain this, and our broader testing strategy, in greater detail next week.
You can visit go.gov.sg/selftestART for more info on how to use the kits.
Photo credit: Singapore Post
OYK pleased that 80% of SG population has been vaccinated.
We have crossed another milestone, where 80% of our population has received their full regimen of two doses.
It means #Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to COVID-19. It is the result of the collective effort of many people working behind the scenes, and the people of Singapore coming forward to take care of themselves and the people around them.
Home vaccination continues apace. Over 4,300 homebound individuals have received their COVID-19 jab by the home vaccination teams.
Every week, we continue to receive about 700 requests for home vaccinations. To meet the demand, and thanks to over 200 volunteer doctors and nurses, and also the assistance of SAF, we are tripling the number of home vaccination teams from 11 to 33 teams.
As a result, we are now able to halve the waiting time from 8 weeks to 4 weeks. We aim to complete all home vaccinations by end Sep. That will be another important step forward.
Ong Ye Kung
11 hrs·We have crossed another milestone, where 80% of our population has received their full regimen of two doses.
It means #Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to COVID-19. It is the result of the collective effort of many people working behind the scenes, and the people of Singapore coming forward to take care of themselves and the people around them.
Home vaccination continues apace. Over 4,300 homebound individuals have received their COVID-19 jab by the home vaccination teams.
Every week, we continue to receive about 700 requests for home vaccinations. To meet the demand, and thanks to over 200 volunteer doctors and nurses, and also the assistance of SAF, we are tripling the number of home vaccination teams from 11 to 33 teams.
As a result, we are now able to halve the waiting time from 8 weeks to 4 weeks. We aim to complete all home vaccinations by end Sep. That will be another important step forward.
from yahoo.com:
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that over 4,3000 homebound people have also received their COVID-19 jabs from home vaccination teams. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
SINGAPORE — Singapore has "crossed another milestone" with 80 per cent of its population now fully vaccinated against COVD-19, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (29 August).
"It means Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to COVID-19.
"It is the result of the collective effort of many people working behind the scenes, and the people of Singapore coming forward to take care of themselves and the people around them," said Ong in a Facebook post.
He added that over 4,300 homebound people have also received their COVID-19 jabs from home vaccination teams. Ong also noted that about 700 requests for home vaccinations are received every week.
"To meet the demand, and thanks to over 200 volunteer doctors and nurses, and also the assistance of SAF, we are tripling the number of home vaccination teams from 11 to 33 teams," he said.
With the increased resources, the waiting time for home vaccinations has been reduced from eight weeks to four weeks, and all such vaccinations should be completed by end-September, added Ong.
80% of Singapore population now fully vaccinated: Ong Ye Kung
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that over 4,3000 homebound people have also received their COVID-19 jabs from home vaccination teams. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
SINGAPORE — Singapore has "crossed another milestone" with 80 per cent of its population now fully vaccinated against COVD-19, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (29 August).
"It means Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to COVID-19.
"It is the result of the collective effort of many people working behind the scenes, and the people of Singapore coming forward to take care of themselves and the people around them," said Ong in a Facebook post.
He added that over 4,300 homebound people have also received their COVID-19 jabs from home vaccination teams. Ong also noted that about 700 requests for home vaccinations are received every week.
"To meet the demand, and thanks to over 200 volunteer doctors and nurses, and also the assistance of SAF, we are tripling the number of home vaccination teams from 11 to 33 teams," he said.
With the increased resources, the waiting time for home vaccinations has been reduced from eight weeks to four weeks, and all such vaccinations should be completed by end-September, added Ong.
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