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Singapore appointed 2 idiots to lead the task force.
- Thread starter LaoTze
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from msn.com:
An alert from the Singapore health ministry on Friday noted that the country recorded its highest number of new daily COVID cases since January 30, with 52 new COVID-19 infections - including 24 in the community. Of these cases, 14 were unlinked - a troubling number, considering the country's relative success with contact tracing.
In a news conference on Friday afternoon, Lawrence Wong, head of the country's COVID task force, said that new limits would be set in place for one month, from Sunday, May 16 to June 13. This includes a ban on dining out and strongly regulated safe-distancing measures.
From May 16, under what Singapore's health authorities are dubbing a "heightened alert," people will only be able to move around the island in groups of two, down from a maximum of eight. Wong added that work from home must be the default mode for all staff, and activities like wedding receptions and indoor sports classes should be postponed or canceled.
"We need to act decisively to disrupt the virus transmission. We will, therefore, further tighten safe management measures in the community," Wong said on Friday.
"If everyone cooperates and we all do our part, we will be able to bring down the latest clusters and cases and bring the infection under control," he said.
Singapore had been hailed as a success story in how best to handle the pandemic due to its low infection numbers for the bulk of the pandemic. But several infection clusters popped up at hospitals and transport hubs, with unlinked cases surfacing in the community in late April. This included a major cluster of 46 cases at Changi Airport Terminal 3, which prompted the local government to close Changi Airport's terminals and its Jewel shopping center to the public for two weeks. Mass swab-testing of airport workers and hospital staff is now underway.
These new measures to stop the surge come just three days after Wong made a speech in Singapore's parliament, saying that Singapore was on a "knife's edge" where COVID transmission within the community was concerned.
"We have a chance of getting things under control by the end of the month. But as we know from experience, it only takes one lapse or one irresponsible action for an infection to happen; and that infection may end up being a super-spreader event in the community," Wong said on Tuesday.
Singapore emerged from its lockdown - known locally as a "circuit breaker" - in June last year. The country has executed a cautious but progressive reopening since then, which saw everything but essential services shut down for almost two months.
Reuters also reported that the stock market took a tumble after the new measures were announced, as the Straits Times Index and Singapore Airlines' stock price went to its lowest the market has seen in the last two months.
Singapore was one of the safest places to live in the world just two weeks ago. Now it's moving back under heavy COVID restrictions.
- Singapore has seen a surge in unlinked COVID cases and a jump in locally transmitted infections.
- It was one of the world's safest places to be just two weeks ago, but it will begin a quasi-lockdown on Sunday with restrictions similar to what was in place last summer.
- The head of Singapore's COVID task force said this week that the country was on a "knife's edge."
An alert from the Singapore health ministry on Friday noted that the country recorded its highest number of new daily COVID cases since January 30, with 52 new COVID-19 infections - including 24 in the community. Of these cases, 14 were unlinked - a troubling number, considering the country's relative success with contact tracing.
In a news conference on Friday afternoon, Lawrence Wong, head of the country's COVID task force, said that new limits would be set in place for one month, from Sunday, May 16 to June 13. This includes a ban on dining out and strongly regulated safe-distancing measures.
From May 16, under what Singapore's health authorities are dubbing a "heightened alert," people will only be able to move around the island in groups of two, down from a maximum of eight. Wong added that work from home must be the default mode for all staff, and activities like wedding receptions and indoor sports classes should be postponed or canceled.
"We need to act decisively to disrupt the virus transmission. We will, therefore, further tighten safe management measures in the community," Wong said on Friday.
"If everyone cooperates and we all do our part, we will be able to bring down the latest clusters and cases and bring the infection under control," he said.
Singapore had been hailed as a success story in how best to handle the pandemic due to its low infection numbers for the bulk of the pandemic. But several infection clusters popped up at hospitals and transport hubs, with unlinked cases surfacing in the community in late April. This included a major cluster of 46 cases at Changi Airport Terminal 3, which prompted the local government to close Changi Airport's terminals and its Jewel shopping center to the public for two weeks. Mass swab-testing of airport workers and hospital staff is now underway.
These new measures to stop the surge come just three days after Wong made a speech in Singapore's parliament, saying that Singapore was on a "knife's edge" where COVID transmission within the community was concerned.
"We have a chance of getting things under control by the end of the month. But as we know from experience, it only takes one lapse or one irresponsible action for an infection to happen; and that infection may end up being a super-spreader event in the community," Wong said on Tuesday.
Singapore emerged from its lockdown - known locally as a "circuit breaker" - in June last year. The country has executed a cautious but progressive reopening since then, which saw everything but essential services shut down for almost two months.
Reuters also reported that the stock market took a tumble after the new measures were announced, as the Straits Times Index and Singapore Airlines' stock price went to its lowest the market has seen in the last two months.
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from msn.com:
Singapore on Friday announced further tightening of social distancing measures to combat an increased number of local Covid-19 cases, reimposing bans on dining at restaurants, urging people to work from home and restricting gatherings to two people rather than five.
Singapore on Thursday reported 24 new local cases of Covid-19, the highest number since July last year, and another 24 infections on Friday. Singapore now has 12 active clusters and has already recorded 136 domestic infections this month, compared to 55 cases in April and just nine in March.
Health minister Gan Kim Yong said it was "almost impossible" to completely eradicate the virus and "we will have to learn to live with it".
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
The latest measures will take effect on Sunday and will last for four weeks until June 13. Authorities last week limited social gatherings to five people from the previous cap of eight but the increase in local cases has led to even more stringent restrictions after higher rates of transmission in recent clusters where the people infected did not wear masks.
Gan on Friday said 15 unlinked cases in the past week were cause for concern as they suggested there were further undetected cases in the community.
Authorities have also in recent weeks detected several variants of concern in both local and imported infections, such as the B. 1.617 strain that was first identified in India and is thought to be more transmissible.
Kenneth Mak, the health ministry's director of medical services, said these variants behave differently to the strains detected last year. He cited the cluster at one of Singapore's biggest hospitals, where individuals who wore masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) still caught the virus.
"There may have been a very high viral load, and there may have been issues with airflow and ventilation which may have exacerbated spread to susceptible individuals," Mak said.
According to transport minister Ong Ye Kung, workers at the airport cluster, which on Friday grew to 59 infections, also became infected despite wearing masks and PPE. He said authorities were examining whether the virus variant could have been transmitted through the toilets or through common eating areas.
Under the new restrictions, which are similar to the Phase One restrictions imposed in June last year, strenuous indoor exercise and activities that require masks to be removed - such as beauty treatments, saunas and singing - will also be banned. Wedding receptions will also not be held.
Lawrence Wong, the co-chair of the virus task force, acknowledged the next few weeks would be difficult.
"This is clearly a setback in our fight against Covid-19, but we are resolved to keep fellow Singaporeans safe and to see Singapore safely through this crisis," he said.
As of May 13, Singapore had fully vaccinated 22.8 per cent of its 5.7 million population and another 10.5 per cent had received one dose.
The increased number of cases and the renewed restrictions could also lead to the travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong being delayed. The first flights were scheduled to depart on May 26.
Singapore's situation also cast a pall over events such as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is scheduled for early June and includes an in-person day. Wong said the government had been in contact with the organisers, who would provide an update.
As for the travel bubble, a two-week suspension would be warranted if the seven-day moving average of unlinked cases in either city exceeded five. As of Thursday, Singapore's number was 2.29, while Hong Kong's was 0.14.
For the bubble to resume, three criteria need to be met: the moving average on the last day of suspension is less than five; both cities report three consecutive days of no more than three unlinked cases; and the moving average on the third day is not more than five.
"So, what we are doing now is closely monitor the numbers over the next few days, critically review the start date and, early next week, we will make a decision and make an announcement on the Singapore Hong Kong ATB."
Coronavirus Singapore: tighter restrictions reimposed after surge in local cases
Singapore on Friday announced further tightening of social distancing measures to combat an increased number of local Covid-19 cases, reimposing bans on dining at restaurants, urging people to work from home and restricting gatherings to two people rather than five.
Singapore on Thursday reported 24 new local cases of Covid-19, the highest number since July last year, and another 24 infections on Friday. Singapore now has 12 active clusters and has already recorded 136 domestic infections this month, compared to 55 cases in April and just nine in March.
Health minister Gan Kim Yong said it was "almost impossible" to completely eradicate the virus and "we will have to learn to live with it".
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
The latest measures will take effect on Sunday and will last for four weeks until June 13. Authorities last week limited social gatherings to five people from the previous cap of eight but the increase in local cases has led to even more stringent restrictions after higher rates of transmission in recent clusters where the people infected did not wear masks.
Gan on Friday said 15 unlinked cases in the past week were cause for concern as they suggested there were further undetected cases in the community.
Authorities have also in recent weeks detected several variants of concern in both local and imported infections, such as the B. 1.617 strain that was first identified in India and is thought to be more transmissible.
Kenneth Mak, the health ministry's director of medical services, said these variants behave differently to the strains detected last year. He cited the cluster at one of Singapore's biggest hospitals, where individuals who wore masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) still caught the virus.
"There may have been a very high viral load, and there may have been issues with airflow and ventilation which may have exacerbated spread to susceptible individuals," Mak said.
According to transport minister Ong Ye Kung, workers at the airport cluster, which on Friday grew to 59 infections, also became infected despite wearing masks and PPE. He said authorities were examining whether the virus variant could have been transmitted through the toilets or through common eating areas.
Under the new restrictions, which are similar to the Phase One restrictions imposed in June last year, strenuous indoor exercise and activities that require masks to be removed - such as beauty treatments, saunas and singing - will also be banned. Wedding receptions will also not be held.
Lawrence Wong, the co-chair of the virus task force, acknowledged the next few weeks would be difficult.
"This is clearly a setback in our fight against Covid-19, but we are resolved to keep fellow Singaporeans safe and to see Singapore safely through this crisis," he said.
As of May 13, Singapore had fully vaccinated 22.8 per cent of its 5.7 million population and another 10.5 per cent had received one dose.
The increased number of cases and the renewed restrictions could also lead to the travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong being delayed. The first flights were scheduled to depart on May 26.
Singapore's situation also cast a pall over events such as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is scheduled for early June and includes an in-person day. Wong said the government had been in contact with the organisers, who would provide an update.
As for the travel bubble, a two-week suspension would be warranted if the seven-day moving average of unlinked cases in either city exceeded five. As of Thursday, Singapore's number was 2.29, while Hong Kong's was 0.14.
For the bubble to resume, three criteria need to be met: the moving average on the last day of suspension is less than five; both cities report three consecutive days of no more than three unlinked cases; and the moving average on the third day is not more than five.
"Given the rising cases in Singapore it is very likely that Singapore will not be able to meet the resumption criteria," transport minister Ong said.
"So, what we are doing now is closely monitor the numbers over the next few days, critically review the start date and, early next week, we will make a decision and make an announcement on the Singapore Hong Kong ATB."
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from msn.com:
No lesson learned: Singapore responds to COVID restrictions with immediate panic-buying
Singaporeans rushed to supermarkets to stock up on essentials as soon as tighter COVID-19 restrictions were announced today.
Crowd at an NTUC Fairprice outlet.
Long queues quickly formed at various supermarkets following the announcement of the latest measures, according to photos spreading online.
Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and Fairprice supermarket CEO Seah Kian Peng responded to the chaos by basically telling everyone to calm down.
“While F&B establishments may be closed for dine-in services, takeaways and deliveries are still allowed and there is no need to rush to buy groceries or other essentials,” Chan wrote online today. “Let us continue to remember to buy only what we need and look out for the more vulnerable among us,” Chan wrote.
Seah repeated his advice from last year, when panic buying fever took over Singapore after the disease alert level was raised in March.
“So repeating our earlier messages at [the] onset of dorscon Orange : no need to rush & buy what u need; our stores will always remain open. More importantly take care and stay safe,” Seah said, noting that the supermarket chain was “seeing more traffic and bigger purchases” at both their physical and online stores since noon.
People were seen crowding multiple supermarkets to check out trolleys and baskets filled with food and essentials like, you guessed it, toilet paper rolls.
“The panic buying starts again! Haiss…..why!?” Facebook user Sunny Pang wrote today, sharing a video of grocery shoppers queuing at counters.
Other photos and videos also showed people trying to keep a distance from one another.
Among the rules kicking off Sunday are a two-person limit on gatherings and a ban on dining out.
They were announced today amid a new wave of infections largely affecting Changi Airport and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, causing Singapore stocks to fall by 3%. Sheng Siong supermarket shares, however, jumped by 11%.
Singapore added 52 new cases to its daily COVID-19 count today, made up of 24 locally transmitted cases and 28 from abroad. Thirteen of the local cases came from Changi Airport.
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from msn.com:
Jewel Changi Airport in the sunset. Photo: Changi Airport/Facebook
Forty-six cases have been found there as of yesterday, surpassing the number of infections at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where 44 people including healthcare workers and patients have taken ill. Jewel Changi Airport and two passenger terminals have been closed to everyone except essential staff and ticketed travelers until May 26, according to an airport advisory.
All airport staff and those who have visited the area in the last two weeks are to get swab tests. Nearly 20 more cases involving cleaners and Terminal 3 visitors at the airport were reported yesterday. The outbreak ignited after a 88-year-old cleaner working there tested positive last week.
Singapore also announced yesterday that visitors who recently traveled to Vietnam will have to serve 21 days of quarantine at dedicated facilities amid a surge of cases from that nation.
Students at Yio Chu Kang Primary School will homeschool through Tuesday after a 7-year-old student tested positive Wednesday. He was identified as a close contact of an infected operating theatre nurse at Sengkang General Hospital.
Singapore recorded 34 cases yesterday and has totaled 61,453 cases and 31 deaths since the outbreak began.
COVID-19: Singapore’s largest outbreak now taking off at Changi Airport
Singapore has been hit by a whirlwind of infections and is now experiencing its largest outbreak at Changi Airport.
Jewel Changi Airport in the sunset. Photo: Changi Airport/Facebook
Forty-six cases have been found there as of yesterday, surpassing the number of infections at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where 44 people including healthcare workers and patients have taken ill. Jewel Changi Airport and two passenger terminals have been closed to everyone except essential staff and ticketed travelers until May 26, according to an airport advisory.
All airport staff and those who have visited the area in the last two weeks are to get swab tests. Nearly 20 more cases involving cleaners and Terminal 3 visitors at the airport were reported yesterday. The outbreak ignited after a 88-year-old cleaner working there tested positive last week.
Singapore also announced yesterday that visitors who recently traveled to Vietnam will have to serve 21 days of quarantine at dedicated facilities amid a surge of cases from that nation.
Students at Yio Chu Kang Primary School will homeschool through Tuesday after a 7-year-old student tested positive Wednesday. He was identified as a close contact of an infected operating theatre nurse at Sengkang General Hospital.
Singapore recorded 34 cases yesterday and has totaled 61,453 cases and 31 deaths since the outbreak began.
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from yahoo.com:
SINGAPORE — All students and staff must wear masks, and not face shields, when in school and on campus, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday (14 May).
Only those who have special needs or medical conditions are exempted from the mask-wearing requirement. Face shields should not be used as a substitute for mask wear, except for medical reasons or where the child is 12 years or younger.
The tightened safe management measures announced by MOE are in line with the national Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) stance, which will take effect from Sunday to 13 June.
The measures will apply to MOE Kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, Special Education (SPED) schools, junior colleges, Millennia Institute and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL).
In addition, classes will be strictly cohortised, with lectures capped at a maximum of 50 persons to reduce intermingling of students. Group size across all activities will be reduced from five to two persons.
Centre-based classes such as the MOE Language Centres and the Elective Programme Centres will be conducted online.
All Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) will be reformatted and conducted online (eCCA) while other external activities such as external CCAs will remain suspended during this period.
In-person events will be suspended while all large-scale events will continue to be cancelled or postponed, or held virtually, if possible.
In addition, schools will enforce fixed seating with one metre spacing for recess, with no intermingling. School-based activities and after-school care arrangements will continue, subject to the tightened SMMs. Both school-based mid-year assessments and the mid-year GCE O- and A-Level mother tongue language examinations will proceed.
All IHLs will continue to keep in-person class and lecture sizes to no more than 50 persons. Other larger classes and lectures are to be conducted online. Dining in canteens and dining halls at the IHLs can continue with SMMs in place, given that students and staff are on campuses for a longer period of time. Examinations will be conducted in classrooms with a maximum class size of 50 persons. Where possible, IHLs will conduct examinations online.
Private Education Institutions offering pre-tertiary and tertiary courses must follow the tightened national SMMs.
While private tuition and enrichment centres may continue operating in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), they should consider online lessons as the default arrangement during this period.
COVID-19: All students and staff must wear masks in schools – MOE
SINGAPORE — All students and staff must wear masks, and not face shields, when in school and on campus, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday (14 May).
Only those who have special needs or medical conditions are exempted from the mask-wearing requirement. Face shields should not be used as a substitute for mask wear, except for medical reasons or where the child is 12 years or younger.
The tightened safe management measures announced by MOE are in line with the national Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) stance, which will take effect from Sunday to 13 June.
The measures will apply to MOE Kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, Special Education (SPED) schools, junior colleges, Millennia Institute and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL).
In addition, classes will be strictly cohortised, with lectures capped at a maximum of 50 persons to reduce intermingling of students. Group size across all activities will be reduced from five to two persons.
Centre-based classes such as the MOE Language Centres and the Elective Programme Centres will be conducted online.
All Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) will be reformatted and conducted online (eCCA) while other external activities such as external CCAs will remain suspended during this period.
In-person events will be suspended while all large-scale events will continue to be cancelled or postponed, or held virtually, if possible.
In addition, schools will enforce fixed seating with one metre spacing for recess, with no intermingling. School-based activities and after-school care arrangements will continue, subject to the tightened SMMs. Both school-based mid-year assessments and the mid-year GCE O- and A-Level mother tongue language examinations will proceed.
All IHLs will continue to keep in-person class and lecture sizes to no more than 50 persons. Other larger classes and lectures are to be conducted online. Dining in canteens and dining halls at the IHLs can continue with SMMs in place, given that students and staff are on campuses for a longer period of time. Examinations will be conducted in classrooms with a maximum class size of 50 persons. Where possible, IHLs will conduct examinations online.
Private Education Institutions offering pre-tertiary and tertiary courses must follow the tightened national SMMs.
While private tuition and enrichment centres may continue operating in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), they should consider online lessons as the default arrangement during this period.
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PE also wear mask??
If outdoor PE and 2 pupils to a team and safety distance practised, then no need.
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Actually, this is a very good sport to improve sporting ability as well as maintaining safe distance.
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from msn.com:
SINGAPORE — It is "highly unlikely" that Singapore will meet the criteria for the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble (ATB) that is set to resume on 26 May, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (14 May).
Speaking at a Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) press conference, Ong said that an announcement on the status of the ATB will be made some time next week.
He added that he had spoken to Hong Kong's Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau earlier on Friday to reaffirm both sides' commitment to the ATB. Ong noted, however, that the ball is now in Singapore's court.
"Hong Kong is a very safe region now. Like us, they do 10s of 1000s of tests a day, and they are picking up often zero if not one, two cases a day. So it's a very safe region. The issue now is the situation in Singapore where cases are going up," he said.
Ong's announcement comes as Singapore faces a sharp rise in COVID-19 community infections and the emergence of new clusters of cases linked to variants of the coronavirus. One of these clusters originated at Changi Airport, leading to the closure of public areas and new safe management measures being imposed.
'Highly unlikely' Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble will resume on schedule: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE — It is "highly unlikely" that Singapore will meet the criteria for the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble (ATB) that is set to resume on 26 May, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (14 May).
Speaking at a Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) press conference, Ong said that an announcement on the status of the ATB will be made some time next week.
He added that he had spoken to Hong Kong's Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau earlier on Friday to reaffirm both sides' commitment to the ATB. Ong noted, however, that the ball is now in Singapore's court.
"Hong Kong is a very safe region now. Like us, they do 10s of 1000s of tests a day, and they are picking up often zero if not one, two cases a day. So it's a very safe region. The issue now is the situation in Singapore where cases are going up," he said.
Ong's announcement comes as Singapore faces a sharp rise in COVID-19 community infections and the emergence of new clusters of cases linked to variants of the coronavirus. One of these clusters originated at Changi Airport, leading to the closure of public areas and new safe management measures being imposed.
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from yahoo.com:
SINGAPORE — The next phase of Singapore's mass vaccination exercise could focus on ensuring more people receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, while allowing for a longer waiting period before their second doses are administered.
This strategy is being considered by the government with the aim of giving as many people as possible a "good level of protection" against COVID-19 while not reducing the vaccines' effectiveness, said Health Minister and multi-ministry taskforce co-chair Ong Ye Kung during a virtual press conference on Sunday (16 May).
"There have been many international studies. And (they show) that even with one dose, it confers good protection without compromising efficacy," he added.
Ong said that local scientists and the government's expert committee on COVID-19, along with immunologists around the world, share the opinion that the administering of the vaccine's second dose can be delayed for longer than the current period of 21 to 28 days from the first dose.
"It can possibly be extended to six to eight weeks without materially impacting the efficacy of the vaccine," he said.
"So this will also be helpful given our situation where we have more cases. And this is something we are studying...once we are ready, not too long in the future, we'll announce the details."
Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 49 new cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore, of which 38 were local transmissions – the highest number of community cases in over a year.
Ong said that those who have appointments to receive their second doses will not be affected once the new strategy is rolled out.
"We have a steady stream of arrival of supplies, both Pfizer as well as Moderna, enough to cover our population, but they come at a certain pace.
"Our vaccination exercise is still pretty much aligned in tandem with the arrival of supplies. If we have a lot of supplies, of course, we will do it faster," said Ong. Singapore's vaccine rollout has seen one-quarter of the population fully vaccinated with two doses and one-third of the population having received at least one dose thus far, according to Ong.
Also speaking on the vaccine supply issue, Education Minister and former Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing pointed out that Singapore's vaccine capacity is much higher than the vaccine availability here.
Noting the 40 vaccination centres in Singapore, each of which can accommodate up to 2,000 people a day, Chan said, "This gives us the confidence that once vaccines arrive in Singapore, we can get it into the arms of our people in the shortest time possible."
New COVID-19 vaccine strategy may focus on giving more people their first dose: Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE — The next phase of Singapore's mass vaccination exercise could focus on ensuring more people receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, while allowing for a longer waiting period before their second doses are administered.
This strategy is being considered by the government with the aim of giving as many people as possible a "good level of protection" against COVID-19 while not reducing the vaccines' effectiveness, said Health Minister and multi-ministry taskforce co-chair Ong Ye Kung during a virtual press conference on Sunday (16 May).
"There have been many international studies. And (they show) that even with one dose, it confers good protection without compromising efficacy," he added.
Ong said that local scientists and the government's expert committee on COVID-19, along with immunologists around the world, share the opinion that the administering of the vaccine's second dose can be delayed for longer than the current period of 21 to 28 days from the first dose.
"It can possibly be extended to six to eight weeks without materially impacting the efficacy of the vaccine," he said.
"So this will also be helpful given our situation where we have more cases. And this is something we are studying...once we are ready, not too long in the future, we'll announce the details."
Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 49 new cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore, of which 38 were local transmissions – the highest number of community cases in over a year.
Ong said that those who have appointments to receive their second doses will not be affected once the new strategy is rolled out.
Vaccine supply 'based on arrivals'
When asked if the new strategy is linked to the state of Singapore's vaccine supplies, Ong said that the number of vaccines available fluctuates based on arrivals."We have a steady stream of arrival of supplies, both Pfizer as well as Moderna, enough to cover our population, but they come at a certain pace.
"Our vaccination exercise is still pretty much aligned in tandem with the arrival of supplies. If we have a lot of supplies, of course, we will do it faster," said Ong. Singapore's vaccine rollout has seen one-quarter of the population fully vaccinated with two doses and one-third of the population having received at least one dose thus far, according to Ong.
Also speaking on the vaccine supply issue, Education Minister and former Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing pointed out that Singapore's vaccine capacity is much higher than the vaccine availability here.
Noting the 40 vaccination centres in Singapore, each of which can accommodate up to 2,000 people a day, Chan said, "This gives us the confidence that once vaccines arrive in Singapore, we can get it into the arms of our people in the shortest time possible."
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from msn.com:
Ong Ye Kung
on Saturday
Started my new journey at Ministry of Health, Singapore today.
Following the announcing of new safe measures yesterday, I have been receiving a number of queries. These are the top questions and answers. Hope they are useful.
Can members of the same household go out in groups of more than 2 people ?
Yes, we could have been clearer. Family members staying together can go out as one group to do essential activities, such as going to school or for medical appointment. They can also go out together as a family unit to take care of their elderly relatives, like their grandparents. For grocery shopping, do try to keep to 2 as this minimises your family’s exposure to the virus.
For a family of four (parents with two children) from the same household, can they travel in the same car?
Yes, as a family unit, they can travel in the same car or take public transport together. Do observe safe management measures when in public places.
Can my parents continue to come over to my place to care for my children, or can I continue to send my children to their place?
Yes, you can continue to do so. For families who require childcare support, grandparents may go over to help, but do keep to the cap of 2 visitors per household per day. You can also send your children to their grandparents’ place, without worrying about the visitor cap.
Some have asked about the enforcement of this rule. It does not apply to members of the same household.
Enforcement officers will exercise judgement and flexibility. But we will not hesitate to take firm actions against the egregious offenders, such as refusing to wear a mask in public and challenging our Safe Distancing Ambassadors, who perform an important public service.
Ong Ye Kung clarifies exceptions in new Covid-19 regulations safety measures
Ong Ye Kung
on Saturday
Started my new journey at Ministry of Health, Singapore today.
Following the announcing of new safe measures yesterday, I have been receiving a number of queries. These are the top questions and answers. Hope they are useful.
Can members of the same household go out in groups of more than 2 people ?Yes, we could have been clearer. Family members staying together can go out as one group to do essential activities, such as going to school or for medical appointment. They can also go out together as a family unit to take care of their elderly relatives, like their grandparents. For grocery shopping, do try to keep to 2 as this minimises your family’s exposure to the virus.
For a family of four (parents with two children) from the same household, can they travel in the same car?Yes, as a family unit, they can travel in the same car or take public transport together. Do observe safe management measures when in public places.
Can my parents continue to come over to my place to care for my children, or can I continue to send my children to their place?Yes, you can continue to do so. For families who require childcare support, grandparents may go over to help, but do keep to the cap of 2 visitors per household per day. You can also send your children to their grandparents’ place, without worrying about the visitor cap.
Some have asked about the enforcement of this rule. It does not apply to members of the same household.
Enforcement officers will exercise judgement and flexibility. But we will not hesitate to take firm actions against the egregious offenders, such as refusing to wear a mask in public and challenging our Safe Distancing Ambassadors, who perform an important public service.
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