-
IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Serious Many Pappys don't like OngYK..not Team player.
- Thread starter SalahParking
- Start date
OYK answers some questions.................................. not relating to his aspirations to be PM. 
Nightlife businesses, including karaoke, resume today, after a two-year pause. Here are some FAQs:
/ ?
As a precaution, we require dancing indoors to be masked on. This is in line with the Safe Management Measures (SMMs) 1-5.
?
Dancing in nightclubs involves a large number of people, in an enclosed space, coming into close contact for a long duration. A negative ART supervised by an MOH-approved test provider (https://go.gov.sg/covidtestcentres) is required to manage public health risks.
?
The test result will be valid for 24 hours. So get tested not more than 24 hours before the end of your time at the nightclub.
?
Yes if the establishments offer dancing. Check with the establishment ahead of time so that you can arrange for an ART if needed.
?
Two key things will decide when we can take the next steps of reopening. One, our COVID-19 situation here, including the situation in our hospitals. Two, the risks of a next infection wave, and the emergence of a new variant of concern.
Ong Ye Kung
1 hr ·Nightlife businesses, including karaoke, resume today, after a two-year pause. Here are some FAQs:
As a precaution, we require dancing indoors to be masked on. This is in line with the Safe Management Measures (SMMs) 1-5.
Dancing in nightclubs involves a large number of people, in an enclosed space, coming into close contact for a long duration. A negative ART supervised by an MOH-approved test provider (https://go.gov.sg/covidtestcentres) is required to manage public health risks.
The test result will be valid for 24 hours. So get tested not more than 24 hours before the end of your time at the nightclub.
Yes if the establishments offer dancing. Check with the establishment ahead of time so that you can arrange for an ART if needed.
Two key things will decide when we can take the next steps of reopening. One, our COVID-19 situation here, including the situation in our hospitals. Two, the risks of a next infection wave, and the emergence of a new variant of concern.
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - As Singapore mulls over the next steps of its reopening, it will keep two considerations in mind, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (April 17).
The first is the overall Covid-19 situation here, with Mr Ong saying the authorities will keep a close eye on hospital capacity and the number of severe cases.
They will also scan the horizon for risks that could drive the next wave of infection, such as the emergence of a new variant of concern.
"It's about balancing the two considerations, even as we take further steps," said Mr Ong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling the pandemic.
The minister observed that Covid-19 cases have continued to trend downwards, despite Singapore having significantly relaxed restrictions in the past month.
Any further easing will be done along five parameters: group sizes, mask-wearing, workplace rules, safe distancing and capacity limits.
"I think our approach is always not to go overboard," Mr Ong said. "Always do things in a moderate way; always be cautious. That's always been our approach and it has served us well."
He was speaking on the sidelines of a community event in his Sembawang constituency, where he helped distribute gift packs to residents in the lead-up to the Hari Raya celebrations.
Each pack contained 1kg of basmati rice, 2kg of mutton or beef, two whole chickens, rendang paste, ketupat, dates and serunding (spiced grated coconut).
Just over 200 such packs were distributed in Sembawang and Choa Chu Kang yesterday as part of the Meat-for-Eid event, organised by Jamiyah Singapore.
A total of 2,000 food packs will be given out to residents in nine constituencies over three weekends, as well as to Jamiyah's beneficiaries.
Dr Isa Hassan, who is senior vice-president at Jamiyah Singapore, stressed that the annual charity event drives home the deeper significance of the fasting month of Ramadan.
"Apart from fasting, it's about the feelings of sympathy and empathy that you have for those who don't have as much," he said, adding that it also helps to forge stronger bonds in the community.
One of those who received a food pack was Madam Khatijah Sarbini, who lives in Sembawang. The 60-year-old, who lives with her son, said their Hari Raya celebrations have been muted over the past two years.
"So we are very happy this year," the part-time van attendant added. "I want to visit my family, neighbours and friends."
2 key considerations as Singapore mulls over next step of reopening: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - As Singapore mulls over the next steps of its reopening, it will keep two considerations in mind, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (April 17).
The first is the overall Covid-19 situation here, with Mr Ong saying the authorities will keep a close eye on hospital capacity and the number of severe cases.
They will also scan the horizon for risks that could drive the next wave of infection, such as the emergence of a new variant of concern.
"It's about balancing the two considerations, even as we take further steps," said Mr Ong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling the pandemic.
The minister observed that Covid-19 cases have continued to trend downwards, despite Singapore having significantly relaxed restrictions in the past month.
Any further easing will be done along five parameters: group sizes, mask-wearing, workplace rules, safe distancing and capacity limits.
"I think our approach is always not to go overboard," Mr Ong said. "Always do things in a moderate way; always be cautious. That's always been our approach and it has served us well."
He was speaking on the sidelines of a community event in his Sembawang constituency, where he helped distribute gift packs to residents in the lead-up to the Hari Raya celebrations.
Each pack contained 1kg of basmati rice, 2kg of mutton or beef, two whole chickens, rendang paste, ketupat, dates and serunding (spiced grated coconut).
Just over 200 such packs were distributed in Sembawang and Choa Chu Kang yesterday as part of the Meat-for-Eid event, organised by Jamiyah Singapore.
A total of 2,000 food packs will be given out to residents in nine constituencies over three weekends, as well as to Jamiyah's beneficiaries.
Dr Isa Hassan, who is senior vice-president at Jamiyah Singapore, stressed that the annual charity event drives home the deeper significance of the fasting month of Ramadan.
"Apart from fasting, it's about the feelings of sympathy and empathy that you have for those who don't have as much," he said, adding that it also helps to forge stronger bonds in the community.
One of those who received a food pack was Madam Khatijah Sarbini, who lives in Sembawang. The 60-year-old, who lives with her son, said their Hari Raya celebrations have been muted over the past two years.
"So we are very happy this year," the part-time van attendant added. "I want to visit my family, neighbours and friends."
OYK announces change of DORSCON. 
7 Feb 2020: DORSCON Orange
26 Apr 2022: DOSRCON Yellow
This is a very major milestone for #Singapore, made possible because of everyone’s hard work and perseverance.
The pandemic is not over, but we – especially our healthcare workers – can finally catch a breather.
From 26 Apr, we will step down most of our SMMs 1-5, except indoor mask wearing. This is a stepping down, but not a dismantling of the measures. We can reactivate it when needed.
No more group size limit.
Indoor masking required, optional in outdoor settings.
All workers can now return to the workplace. Workers can remove their masks at the workplace when they are not interacting with others and not in customer-facing areas.
Safe distancing will not be required.
Capacity limit will be removed.
We are also removing Vaccination-Differentiated SMMs (VDS) at most places. But we are not dropping it completely. It is still needed for big events, F&B outlets and certain nightspots. So keep your TraceTogether app or token.
Let’s continue to exercise social responsibility as we move towards pre-COVID normalcy.
Ong Ye Kung
7 hrs ·7 Feb 2020: DORSCON Orange
26 Apr 2022: DOSRCON Yellow
This is a very major milestone for #Singapore, made possible because of everyone’s hard work and perseverance.
The pandemic is not over, but we – especially our healthcare workers – can finally catch a breather.
From 26 Apr, we will step down most of our SMMs 1-5, except indoor mask wearing. This is a stepping down, but not a dismantling of the measures. We can reactivate it when needed.
We are also removing Vaccination-Differentiated SMMs (VDS) at most places. But we are not dropping it completely. It is still needed for big events, F&B outlets and certain nightspots. So keep your TraceTogether app or token.
Let’s continue to exercise social responsibility as we move towards pre-COVID normalcy.
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - It is up to each country to make the best choice for its people on how to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, and this must be based on the information available and a combination of both natural and social sciences, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Thursday (April 21).
For Singapore, this has meant a change in mindset - from thinking that Covid-19 is a deadly virus that must be avoided at all cost, to being able to live with the disease, he said during a panel session at the annual Boao Forum for Asia held in Hainan, China.
Mr Ong joined the session - titled "Science-Based Approach in Fighting Against the Pandemic" - via video call.
The minister said that Singapore's focus shifted from overall infection numbers to severe cases leading to intensive care or death, and ensuring sufficient healthcare capacity to manage these severe cases.
Today, after going through a major Omicron wave, case numbers here are relatively low, hospital operations are stable, borders are open, and social and economic activities are almost back to normal, Mr Ong said.
"Fortunately, our accumulated incidence of fatalities is one of the lowest in the world," he added. As at Thursday, 1,322 people here have died from Covid-19 complications.
Mr Ong said the journey was difficult and arduous, and Singapore had to feel its way forward like crossing a river one stone at a time.
This approach best suited the Republic's needs and circumstances as a globally connected city state that needs to tap into the world in order to survive, he added.
However, other countries will have to tailor their pandemic responses based on their unique circumstances, priorities, and societal cultures, he said.
Mr Ong did not directly address China's continued persistence with its "zero-Covid" strategy, even as most of the world has loosened pandemic restrictions.
But he said that many countries had the decision between lives and livelihoods taken out of their hands as they responded to Covid-19 like they would have with influenza, which is far less deadly.
While many of these countries have since acquired strong herd protection and can live life normally, this was only after paying a huge price in human casualties, Mr Ong noted.
He said Singapore had to make many critical decisions on health protocols, safe management measures, and whether to impose mask mandates and requirements for Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters.
Each of these decisions was guided by science and data, and when new findings became available, Singapore was prepared to change its position and policies, and explain the reasons to the public, he added.
Some decisions go beyond science, and require balancing health, economic and social considerations - a difficult juggling act that all governments have to go through, Mr Ong said.
"It was not easy but progressively we reopened our economy, occasionally stepping on the brakes to protect our healthcare system and our people."
A transcript of Mr Ong's speech was shared with the media by the Ministry of Health.
Other panellists at the session included Dr Rifat Atun, professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University, Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Christopher Fearne, and Thailand's former deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai.
Up to each country to make the best choice on how to fight Covid-19: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - It is up to each country to make the best choice for its people on how to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, and this must be based on the information available and a combination of both natural and social sciences, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Thursday (April 21).
For Singapore, this has meant a change in mindset - from thinking that Covid-19 is a deadly virus that must be avoided at all cost, to being able to live with the disease, he said during a panel session at the annual Boao Forum for Asia held in Hainan, China.
Mr Ong joined the session - titled "Science-Based Approach in Fighting Against the Pandemic" - via video call.
The minister said that Singapore's focus shifted from overall infection numbers to severe cases leading to intensive care or death, and ensuring sufficient healthcare capacity to manage these severe cases.
Today, after going through a major Omicron wave, case numbers here are relatively low, hospital operations are stable, borders are open, and social and economic activities are almost back to normal, Mr Ong said.
"Fortunately, our accumulated incidence of fatalities is one of the lowest in the world," he added. As at Thursday, 1,322 people here have died from Covid-19 complications.
Mr Ong said the journey was difficult and arduous, and Singapore had to feel its way forward like crossing a river one stone at a time.
This approach best suited the Republic's needs and circumstances as a globally connected city state that needs to tap into the world in order to survive, he added.
However, other countries will have to tailor their pandemic responses based on their unique circumstances, priorities, and societal cultures, he said.
Mr Ong did not directly address China's continued persistence with its "zero-Covid" strategy, even as most of the world has loosened pandemic restrictions.
But he said that many countries had the decision between lives and livelihoods taken out of their hands as they responded to Covid-19 like they would have with influenza, which is far less deadly.
While many of these countries have since acquired strong herd protection and can live life normally, this was only after paying a huge price in human casualties, Mr Ong noted.
He said Singapore had to make many critical decisions on health protocols, safe management measures, and whether to impose mask mandates and requirements for Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters.
Each of these decisions was guided by science and data, and when new findings became available, Singapore was prepared to change its position and policies, and explain the reasons to the public, he added.
Some decisions go beyond science, and require balancing health, economic and social considerations - a difficult juggling act that all governments have to go through, Mr Ong said.
"It was not easy but progressively we reopened our economy, occasionally stepping on the brakes to protect our healthcare system and our people."
A transcript of Mr Ong's speech was shared with the media by the Ministry of Health.
Other panellists at the session included Dr Rifat Atun, professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University, Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Christopher Fearne, and Thailand's former deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai.
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - Even as Singapore moves decisively to ease Covid-19 measures further across the board, there is still a need to be alert to potential risks in the future, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (April 22).
This is why Singapore will not declare a "freedom day" until the pandemic is truly over, he said, adding that the approach is, instead, to step down but not dismantle the measures completely.
The minister was speaking during a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19, which he co-chairs.
One immediate risk facing some countries is the resurgence of the Omicron infection wave.
Mr Ong said parts of the United States are already seeing this new wave, fuelled by the Omicron BA.2 strain, which is related to the original Omicron variant known as BA.1.
This is less of a concern for Singapore as the Omicron wave seen here was already driven by the BA.2 strain, Mr Ong said.
But he added that a new wave could emerge some months down the road when the protection conferred by vaccines and past infections begins to wane in the local population.
A more worrying possibility - the emergence of a new variant of concern.
"This continues to be a potential curveball that may knock us back to square one and we must be alert to these risks, remind ourselves not to be complacent and to be alert to possible future dangers," said Mr Ong.
He added that the authorities will look closely at two characteristics: whether any new variants can lead to more severe illnesses and deaths among those infected, and whether it is more infectious.
If a new variant causes more severe illness, Singapore may have to respond by bringing back contact tracing, isolation, quarantine and testing.
Such a variant will be short-lived if it cannot overtake the currently dominant Omicron variant, but Mr Ong said it is entirely possible for both a more deadly and more transmissible variant than Omicron to emerge.
"We may then need to hunker down for six months or more while scientists develop a new variant-specific vaccine," he said.
"This is one of the worst-case scenarios that we need to be psychologically prepared for."
Despite these potential risks, Mr Ong struck an optimistic tone.
"On the whole, things continue to look up for us. Our social resilience is strong and now we are in a comfortable position."
He said the current coronavirus situation here is stable despite an earlier easing of measures on March 29, with new cases staying around 3,000 a day.
This shows the population is now more resilient to the virus, he said, adding that the hospital situation is also steadily improving.
Beware future Covid-19 variants and other risks as Singapore opens up further: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - Even as Singapore moves decisively to ease Covid-19 measures further across the board, there is still a need to be alert to potential risks in the future, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (April 22).
This is why Singapore will not declare a "freedom day" until the pandemic is truly over, he said, adding that the approach is, instead, to step down but not dismantle the measures completely.
The minister was speaking during a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19, which he co-chairs.
One immediate risk facing some countries is the resurgence of the Omicron infection wave.
Mr Ong said parts of the United States are already seeing this new wave, fuelled by the Omicron BA.2 strain, which is related to the original Omicron variant known as BA.1.
This is less of a concern for Singapore as the Omicron wave seen here was already driven by the BA.2 strain, Mr Ong said.
But he added that a new wave could emerge some months down the road when the protection conferred by vaccines and past infections begins to wane in the local population.
A more worrying possibility - the emergence of a new variant of concern.
"This continues to be a potential curveball that may knock us back to square one and we must be alert to these risks, remind ourselves not to be complacent and to be alert to possible future dangers," said Mr Ong.
He added that the authorities will look closely at two characteristics: whether any new variants can lead to more severe illnesses and deaths among those infected, and whether it is more infectious.
If a new variant causes more severe illness, Singapore may have to respond by bringing back contact tracing, isolation, quarantine and testing.
Such a variant will be short-lived if it cannot overtake the currently dominant Omicron variant, but Mr Ong said it is entirely possible for both a more deadly and more transmissible variant than Omicron to emerge.
"We may then need to hunker down for six months or more while scientists develop a new variant-specific vaccine," he said.
"This is one of the worst-case scenarios that we need to be psychologically prepared for."
Despite these potential risks, Mr Ong struck an optimistic tone.
"On the whole, things continue to look up for us. Our social resilience is strong and now we are in a comfortable position."
He said the current coronavirus situation here is stable despite an earlier easing of measures on March 29, with new cases staying around 3,000 a day.
This shows the population is now more resilient to the virus, he said, adding that the hospital situation is also steadily improving.
OYK thanks operations staff.
I paid a special visit last week to thank our operations staff for their contributions over the past months (for some, years) in fighting COVID-19.
They are the ones running COVID-19 operations in the background, from case management, vaccination operations and testing, to community facilities and health protocols.
We are stepping down to DORSCON Yellow tomorrow, it was everyone’s hard work and sacrifices that led to this milestone. You made it possible, thank you!
Ong Ye Kung
1 hr ·I paid a special visit last week to thank our operations staff for their contributions over the past months (for some, years) in fighting COVID-19.
They are the ones running COVID-19 operations in the background, from case management, vaccination operations and testing, to community facilities and health protocols.
We are stepping down to DORSCON Yellow tomorrow, it was everyone’s hard work and sacrifices that led to this milestone. You made it possible, thank you!
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - People aged 60 to 79 can now take a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot if they wish to, even though the Expert Committee on Covid-19 has yet to recommend that they do so.
The second booster dose should be administered about five months after a person receives the first booster, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung at a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 on Friday (April 22).
Those aged 60 and above who would like to receive their second booster can walk in before 7pm to any vaccination centre offering mRNA vaccines.
These boosters are currently recommended for those aged 80 and above, residents of aged-care facilities and medically vulnerable people.
Some 17,200 seniors have taken or booked their second booster within two weeks of the committee's recommendation, representing about 30 per cent of those eligible, with many more in this age group to become eligible in the months ahead, said Mr Ong.
Singapore’s director of medical services Kenneth Mak said local data shows that vaccine effectiveness against severe disease remains high for some time after completing both the primary course and a booster dose.
He added: “Local studies of vaccine effectiveness against severe disease for people above the age of 60 years remains well above 80 per cent and in some stages, reaches 90 per cent at the 120 to 180-day mark after booster vaccination. Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease is also high, following the booster dose, for hospitalisation.”
He said, however, that some waning of effectiveness against severe disease takes place over time among seniors who have received their boosters.
Data from countries such as Israel with more mature vaccination programmes shows that seniors and the medically vulnerable can get additional protection against severe infection through a second booster, he said.
“In particular, the overseas data shows the greatest benefit to decreasing severe disease risk is in persons above the age of 80 following the second booster vaccination dose,” said Associate Professor Mak.
He added that vaccination effectiveness data also shows some benefit from a second booster dose for those aged between 70 and 79, and those aged between 60 and 69 to a slightly lesser extent, although not to the same extent as those in the above-80 group.
“The incidence of severe infection in these age groups is lower compared with those above 80,” he said.
Data suggests that the second booster dose is currently not as beneficial for younger age groups – for example, those aged between 12 and 60 – as the risk of getting severe infection is much lower and less associated with the presence of chronic medical conditions that render individuals vulnerable, he added.
“If we need to provide the second booster dose for the younger population, this is more appropriate as a strategy to augment immune protection at a time when we are experiencing a new wave of a highly transmissible or highly virulent novel variant of concern, rather than at a time when the situation is improving and the community caseload has stabilised,” said Prof Mak.
The Expert Committee on Covid-19 will also review whether there is a need for more targeted booster vaccinations in sub-populations where the immune protection from earlier primary vaccinations is still not optimal, he added.
The committee has also recommended a booster dose for recovered persons aged 12 and above who have completed their primary vaccination course, in the light of waning immunity.
The booster should not be delayed beyond nine months after completing the primary vaccination series, and should be received at least 28 days after the infection.
From June 1, these recovered people will need to receive the booster dose within nine months of their last primary vaccination dose, in order to maintain their vaccinated status.
Individuals may walk into any vaccination centre before 7pm to receive their booster.
The Ministry of Health said on Friday that booster vaccinations for all recovered migrant workers living in dormitories, as well as non-dormitory dwelling work permit-holder migrant workers in the construction, marine and process sectors will be scheduled and announced later.
Mr Ong added that there are two key considerations when deciding on a suitable time to proactively roll out a second booster to the general population.
"One, whether subsequent Omicron or new variant waves break out in other countries. When they do, we will then have a good idea when a new wave may emerge in Singapore, and then we roll out a second booster before that happens," he said.
The second indicator is the level of vaccine protection against severe illness in the population who have already had their first booster.
Mr Ong said: "So far, this has been holding up well as vaccine efficacy against severe illness across different age groups continues to stay very high, well above 80 per cent.
"Scientists think that this can hold out for as long as one to two years, maybe even longer. We will watch out for early signs of waning of vaccine efficacy against severe illness, which will indicate the need for a second booster."
In considering which vaccines to use for a second booster for the general population, he said this depends on the nature of the new variant of concern - for instance, if it is a derivative of the Omicron variant with similar characteristics and there is a high chance that current vaccines will continue to confer good protection against the virus.
"However, if the new variant of concern is more dangerous than the Omicron variant, then it may require a different response strategy as far as the second booster is concerned," he said.
Two characteristics can be used to determine if a variant is more dangerous - whether it leads to more severe illnesses and deaths among infected individuals, and if it is more infectious than Omicron and dominates it.
"If it is both... we may then need to hunker down for six months or more while scientists develop a new variant-specific vaccine. This is one of the worst-case scenarios that we need to be psychologically prepared for," he added.
People aged 60 to 79 can take second Covid-19 vaccine booster if they wish to
SINGAPORE - People aged 60 to 79 can now take a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot if they wish to, even though the Expert Committee on Covid-19 has yet to recommend that they do so.
The second booster dose should be administered about five months after a person receives the first booster, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung at a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 on Friday (April 22).
Those aged 60 and above who would like to receive their second booster can walk in before 7pm to any vaccination centre offering mRNA vaccines.
These boosters are currently recommended for those aged 80 and above, residents of aged-care facilities and medically vulnerable people.
Some 17,200 seniors have taken or booked their second booster within two weeks of the committee's recommendation, representing about 30 per cent of those eligible, with many more in this age group to become eligible in the months ahead, said Mr Ong.
Singapore’s director of medical services Kenneth Mak said local data shows that vaccine effectiveness against severe disease remains high for some time after completing both the primary course and a booster dose.
He added: “Local studies of vaccine effectiveness against severe disease for people above the age of 60 years remains well above 80 per cent and in some stages, reaches 90 per cent at the 120 to 180-day mark after booster vaccination. Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease is also high, following the booster dose, for hospitalisation.”
He said, however, that some waning of effectiveness against severe disease takes place over time among seniors who have received their boosters.
Data from countries such as Israel with more mature vaccination programmes shows that seniors and the medically vulnerable can get additional protection against severe infection through a second booster, he said.
“In particular, the overseas data shows the greatest benefit to decreasing severe disease risk is in persons above the age of 80 following the second booster vaccination dose,” said Associate Professor Mak.
He added that vaccination effectiveness data also shows some benefit from a second booster dose for those aged between 70 and 79, and those aged between 60 and 69 to a slightly lesser extent, although not to the same extent as those in the above-80 group.
“The incidence of severe infection in these age groups is lower compared with those above 80,” he said.
Data suggests that the second booster dose is currently not as beneficial for younger age groups – for example, those aged between 12 and 60 – as the risk of getting severe infection is much lower and less associated with the presence of chronic medical conditions that render individuals vulnerable, he added.
“If we need to provide the second booster dose for the younger population, this is more appropriate as a strategy to augment immune protection at a time when we are experiencing a new wave of a highly transmissible or highly virulent novel variant of concern, rather than at a time when the situation is improving and the community caseload has stabilised,” said Prof Mak.
The Expert Committee on Covid-19 will also review whether there is a need for more targeted booster vaccinations in sub-populations where the immune protection from earlier primary vaccinations is still not optimal, he added.
The committee has also recommended a booster dose for recovered persons aged 12 and above who have completed their primary vaccination course, in the light of waning immunity.
The booster should not be delayed beyond nine months after completing the primary vaccination series, and should be received at least 28 days after the infection.
From June 1, these recovered people will need to receive the booster dose within nine months of their last primary vaccination dose, in order to maintain their vaccinated status.
Individuals may walk into any vaccination centre before 7pm to receive their booster.
The Ministry of Health said on Friday that booster vaccinations for all recovered migrant workers living in dormitories, as well as non-dormitory dwelling work permit-holder migrant workers in the construction, marine and process sectors will be scheduled and announced later.
Mr Ong added that there are two key considerations when deciding on a suitable time to proactively roll out a second booster to the general population.
"One, whether subsequent Omicron or new variant waves break out in other countries. When they do, we will then have a good idea when a new wave may emerge in Singapore, and then we roll out a second booster before that happens," he said.
The second indicator is the level of vaccine protection against severe illness in the population who have already had their first booster.
Mr Ong said: "So far, this has been holding up well as vaccine efficacy against severe illness across different age groups continues to stay very high, well above 80 per cent.
"Scientists think that this can hold out for as long as one to two years, maybe even longer. We will watch out for early signs of waning of vaccine efficacy against severe illness, which will indicate the need for a second booster."
In considering which vaccines to use for a second booster for the general population, he said this depends on the nature of the new variant of concern - for instance, if it is a derivative of the Omicron variant with similar characteristics and there is a high chance that current vaccines will continue to confer good protection against the virus.
"However, if the new variant of concern is more dangerous than the Omicron variant, then it may require a different response strategy as far as the second booster is concerned," he said.
Two characteristics can be used to determine if a variant is more dangerous - whether it leads to more severe illnesses and deaths among infected individuals, and if it is more infectious than Omicron and dominates it.
"If it is both... we may then need to hunker down for six months or more while scientists develop a new variant-specific vaccine. This is one of the worst-case scenarios that we need to be psychologically prepared for," he added.
OYK warns of fake endorsements. 
Recently many members of public have alerted me and Ministry of Health, Singapore of doctored pictures of me endorsing certain medical products. These are all fake. As a practice, MOH officials and political appointees do not endorse any medical products. MOH is working with Facebook (Singapore) to remove the misleading and unauthorised posts.
Please be careful and not fall prey to such fake advertising.
Ong Ye Kung
3 hrs ·Recently many members of public have alerted me and Ministry of Health, Singapore of doctored pictures of me endorsing certain medical products. These are all fake. As a practice, MOH officials and political appointees do not endorse any medical products. MOH is working with Facebook (Singapore) to remove the misleading and unauthorised posts.
Please be careful and not fall prey to such fake advertising.
Today is a key milestone for OYK.
Today marks a key milestone, with further easing of COVID-19 measures.
As we go about our daily activities, here are 5 things to still remember:
1) Mask is still required indoors. Also a good idea to mask up in crowded outdoor areas.
2) Take your booster when eligible.
3) Test yourself before seeing someone vulnerable eg your grandparents.
4) Keep your TraceTogether app or token even if you may not use it very much.
5) Live life, exercise and stay healthy!
Here are some photos of life in different parts of #Singapore.
No more SafeEntry when entering malls.
Ong Ye Kung
2 hrs ·Today marks a key milestone, with further easing of COVID-19 measures.
As we go about our daily activities, here are 5 things to still remember:
1) Mask is still required indoors. Also a good idea to mask up in crowded outdoor areas.
2) Take your booster when eligible.
3) Test yourself before seeing someone vulnerable eg your grandparents.
4) Keep your TraceTogether app or token even if you may not use it very much.
5) Live life, exercise and stay healthy!
Here are some photos of life in different parts of #Singapore.
Ong Ye Kung
4 hrs ·No more SafeEntry when entering malls.
Last edited:
Ong Ye Kung
Yesterday at 19:06 ·In-person visits to hospitals and residential care homes have also resumed.
Ong Ye Kung
Yesterday at 19:06 ·At Sembawang park this morning, our seniors are enjoying a game of pétanque.
Ong Ye Kung
26 April at 19:06 ·To welcome MOH staff returning to office, we have also prepared some healthy snacks and beverages for everyone.
Similar threads
