Besides lockdowns and social distancing, our two main lines of defence against the coronavirus are vaccinations and testing.
This means that to keep the virus at bay, you either need to have a needle jabbed into your arm or a long cotton bud shoved up your nose.
Not the greatest options, but they’re the only ones we have.
Fortunately, the vast majority of our population has been vaccinated against COVID-19. So, those who haven’t, for whatever reason, will need to have a long cotton bud shoved up their nostrils on a more regular basis now.
Unvaccinated Staff in Malls, Supermarkets & Food Delivery Will be Tested Twice a Week
Recently, it was reported that unvaccinated school staff will have to be vaccinated twice a week as part of the new “vaccinate or regular test” regime.
Now, it appears that workers in certain lines of work that entail frequent interactions with the public will be subjected to this requirement as well.
This includes:
- mall and supermarket employees
- taxi and private-hire car drivers
- delivery personnel
- driving instructors
- public transport front-line staff
The regime, which kicks in on 1 Oct, will also apply to unvaccinated staff working in places where masks are taken off, such as F&B establishments, gyms, fitness studios, and personal care services.
And as previously mentioned, unvaccinated school staff, as well as non-governmental employees who have regular contact with students aged 12 and below, will also be tested under the regime.
As long as these employees are not fully vaccinated, meaning they’re medically ineligible for vaccination, only received one dose, or not vaccinated at all, they’ll be part of the regime.
74% of Population Vaccinated, Over 115,000 Seniors Above 60 Yet to Get a Shot
Currently, 74% of the population have completed their vaccination regimen, with 81% at least partially vaccinated.
This includes 82,951 people who received 142,996 doses of other vaccines recognised in the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing.
Home vaccinations have also increased, as 6,600 seniors have received their shot in their own place of residence.
In total, 84% of seniors above 60 have completed their vaccination regimen, with 89% at least partially vaccinated, but there are still 115,000 residents in this age group who have not received a single dose.
Yesterday (13 Aug), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that by the end of this month, vaccinations will be available at over 60 Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPC), up from the current 44.
As you know, all residents in Singapore above 12 will be able to walk into any polyclinic or participating PHPC clinic to get their first dose of the vaccine without making an appointment, from 18 Aug.
This will apply to citizens, PRs, and long-term pass holders. The list of participating PHPCs can be found here.
Short-term Pass Holders to Be Offered Vaccinations
As for short-term pass holders, MOH said it would offer vaccinations to those who have been in the country for “long periods of time”.
The ministry did not specify how long one had to be in the country to qualify for the programme.
If eligible, short-term pass holders will be notified through SMS progressively.
Understand the importance of vaccination here:
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Featured Image: kandl stock/shutterstock.com
