My take is always the so called multi-ministerial task force was never working coherently together in the first place. If we trace back the major policy decisions, it seems to me that different departments and ministries were simply evaluating and deciding on their own and this led to policy incoherence.
Looking at what they have done chronologically, you can see a lot of flip flops and tripping over one another:
- Bought BNT, Moderna and Sinovac
- Decided that only BNT and Moderna would be the ones selected for the national vaccination program
- Some weeks into the vaccination program, announce that the previously bought Sinovac shots will be available for Singaporeans for free as well
- Selected 14 healthcare providers to provide Sinovac (but providers can charge "admin" fee though the shots themselves are free)
- Long queues piled up at the Sinvoac providers' vaccination venues - obviously the demand was way ahead of what they expected and the approved providers could not cope
- In a general announcement on how vaccinated people will have different privileges, suddenly say only BNT and Moderna is considered vaccinated both as a national statistic and policy differentiation on the ground. Sinovac not counted after people have had their shots.
- After outcry and confusion, push the most junior guy in the task force Dr Kenneth Mak to "explain" why this incoherent decision
- Few days later, OYK tells everyone he is trying to liaise with China to resume travelling on both sides implying Singapore is looking at recognizing Sinovac/Sinopharm/Cansino vaccination for China nationals to come in
- Private healthcare providers request that in addition to Sinovac, they want to bring in Sinopharm as well. MOH approved their request and started to vet another list of providers to provide vaccination for Sinopharm
- Announced another list of providers for Sinopharm which is different (though got overlap I think) from the previous list of Sinovac. Meanwhile continue saying both Sinovac and Sinopharm will not be recognized
- Another announcement over how people who are allergic to BNT or Moderna can go for Sinovac and will be considered as vaccinated resulting in yet more confusion.
- By this time folks on the ground were obviously fed up will all the flip flops, double standards and illogic, OYK then pops up again and spins a totally different story from what Dr Kenneth Mak said earlier and emphasize on the spirt of "inclusiveness" and WHO authority and Singapore will recognize in both national statistic and policy differentiation of another 5 more vaccines inclusive of Sinovac and Sinopharm.
Does this look like any of them are even talking to each other?
