Gather, below-age-45-citizens! It is our turn to be bestowed with the most sacred ability of all: immunity against the evil virus intent on destroying our civilisation!
Those Under 45 Soon to be Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccines
Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong (not yet Mr Ong Ye Kung) announced on Tuesday (11 May) that, according to schedule, vaccine access can be extended to those below 45 years of age by late May.
This is earlier than an earlier estimate made in April, when the same demographic was initially expected to receive their vaccines in June, according to The Straits Times.
However, the rollout will be made progressively based on smaller age-bands, according to Mr Gan, given the restricted vaccine supplies. The vaccination effort is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year, subject to the timely delivery of vaccine supplies.
Gan has also signalled that the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is currently evaluating if the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be safely used in adolescents between 12 and 15 years old.
The government may extend the vaccination campaign to younger populations if it is safe to do so.
These reports came from an address to parliament that covered Singapore’s response to the pandemic in general. As part of the speech, Mr Gan assessed that vaccine take-up rates so far are “encouraging”, with about 1.2 million individuals, or more than 20% of our population, having completed the full vaccination regimen.
The government is also devising a plan to deploy booster shots for those already vaccinated, though such plans would only be relevant after the completion of the vaccination drive, which would possibly be the beginning of next year.
To encourage vaccination, Mr Gan stated that public education was an essential aspect of the vaccination programme, Singapore being in the privileged position where vaccine roll-out is restricted by public willingness instead of supply shortages.
To know more COVID-19 vaccines in Singapore, watch this video to the end:
Ministers Stress Need for Vigilance
This comes as Singapore enters a “critical” stage of its COVID-19 recovery, with an upsurge in locally transmitted cases that has forced the authorities to work their hardest in discovering and eliminating chains of transmission.
He expressed sympathy to Singaporeans whose upcoming Hari Raya and Vesak Day celebrations have been disrupted, but stressed that “we need to remain vigilant to avoid an uncontrolled resurgence of community cases”.
Education Minister Lawrence Wong, in a speech succeeding Mr Gan’s, agreed, emphasising that Singapore is “on the knife’s edge” and it can take one irresponsible action for a super-spreader event to occur.
He added that border controls are insufficient in protecting Singapore from the virus, and that the recently tightened safe distancing and management measures, while deeply inconvenient and disappointing, are crucial in controlling the pandemic.
Feature Image: BaLL LunLa / Shutterstock.com