ANN/THE STAR – As Singapore prepares to remove COVID-19 restrictions for those who are not fully vaccinated, it is also ready to step up such measures when necessary to lower infection rates and protect the unvaccinated, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung yesterday.
With vaccination-differentiated measures (VDS) to be fully lifted today, he noted that while such restrictions, aimed at protecting the unvaccinated in crowded areas, had pushed many to get vaccinated, it is better to step them down given that they are now not as extensive.
Speaking to the media at a Sembawang Community Club event, Ong added: “Today VDS is very light and in restaurants is pretty much an honesty system with random sporadic enforcement.
“It’s not that VDS doesn’t work. In its current form, which is light, I think it doesn’t work as well. So we might as well step it down with the understanding that we can step up to an appropriate level when we really need it.”
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on October 7 that VDS will no longer be required for events with more than 500 participants, nightlife establishments where there is dancing, and dining at food and beverage establishments, including hawker centres.
When asked if there was any concern that the easing would result in those above 50 not getting their fourth booster shot, Ong said he does not think that it is in their consideration given that VDS is currently not extensive, and he appealed to those in that age bracket to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination.
“When you are fully vaccinated and up to date, your chances of being infected and leading to a very bad outcome is much lower, much lower. Do it to protect yourself and don’t listen too much to the rumours circulating outside,” he said.
Ong, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sembawang GRC, said some seniors had asked him about rumours regarding serious reactions caused by vaccines when he spoke to residents at the Sembawang Central Community Garden Gala – One Community Fiesta event.
More than 250 residents attended the event organised by Sembawang Central Grassroots Organisations and the People’s Association Integration Council.
Ong said the Government has been transparent about the reactions caused by vaccines, with the Health Sciences Authority publishing the severe adverse reaction incidents every three months.
He added that such cases mostly recover by themselves and that while there are risks to every type of vaccination, this has to be weighed against the cost of remaining unvaccinated.
Said Ong: “Come December, we don’t know what kind of variant will come up or what kind of variant will arrive in Singapore. If it’s something dangerous, we don’t want to be caught off guard.
“So now, while we have the time and the space, get ourselves properly vaccinated with the bivalent vaccines. It is the best protection for us for whatever may come.”
The use of the bivalent vaccine to replace the current formulation has been recommended by the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination, MOH said on October 7.
The ministry added that it will replace the original Moderna/Spikevax vaccine with the updated bivalent version from October 17, and this will be for all adults aged 18 and above.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Ong said clinical studies show that the bivalent version has the same safety profile as the original Moderna/Spikevax.
“Serious adverse events (SAE) have been reported in about six in 100,000 vaccinations of the original formulation, and all have recovered or are recovering. HSA has also reported a declining rate of SAEs with further shots (that is even fewer have adverse reactions after taking boosters compared to taking primary series),” he added.
