Health Minister warns that falling vaccination rates among seniors could weaken the population’s resilience to COVID-19.
SINGAPORE: Health Minister Ong Ye Kung confirmed on Tuesday (May 9) that Singapore’s current COVID-19 wave has passed its peak, with daily cases now averaging around 3,000, a significant drop from approximately 4,000 infections a day last month.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Ong also noted that over 300 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized, but he reassured that the number should decrease in the coming weeks. While the number of hospitalizations is relatively low compared to the height of the pandemic, he acknowledged that it still adds a significant strain to the healthcare system.
The main circulating strains of the virus are XBB.1.9, XBB.1.16, and XBB.2.3, each accounting for about 25% of infections. Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) re-designating XBB.1.16, also known as Arcturus, as a “variant of interest,” Mr Ong emphasized that there is no current evidence to suggest that any of these variants have a clear advantage over others or are more likely to cause severe illness. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to monitor the variants closely.
Vaccination Concerns
One of the major concerns raised by Mr Ong was the declining vaccination rates among seniors. As of recent data, only 50% of people aged 60 and above have kept up with their COVID-19 vaccinations, a drop from 58% at the start of the year.
Mr Ong pointed out that many seniors believe that since they rarely leave their homes, they do not need further vaccinations. He strongly discouraged this thinking, explaining that the highly infectious Omicron variants can still find their way into homes through family visits or other interactions, even for those who stay indoors.
While some seniors are hesitant to continue their vaccinations due to fears about side effects, Mr Ong reassured the public that severe adverse reactions are extremely rare, occurring in about seven per 100,000 doses, and even less so with the latest bivalent mRNA vaccines (one per 100,000 doses).
Mr Ong warned that if the trend of declining vaccinations continues, the population’s resilience to COVID-19 could weaken, leaving the country vulnerable to future waves of the virus. He reiterated that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks, and urged Singaporeans to stay updated with their vaccinations. This is the recommendation of both the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination and the Health Sciences Authority.
Myocarditis and Vaccine Safety
In response to concerns about myocarditis (heart inflammation) following COVID-19 vaccination, Mr Ong shared that as of April 27, there have been 160 reports of myocarditis and pericarditis linked to the vaccine out of over 17 million doses administered. He explained that the majority of cases were mild and responded well to treatment.
For those affected by more serious side effects, Mr Ong mentioned that there have been about 340 applications for the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (VIFAP), 81 of which have been approved, providing financial assistance to those who experienced severe side effects.
