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Singapore reaches 80 pc double-vaccination rate but life is not returning to normal


The_King

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Having passed the 80 per cent double-vaccination mark last month, the example of Singapore suggests that achieving a milestone coveted by Australia is not a guarantee of returning to anything like pre-pandemic life.

Key points:

  • Singapore is one of the world's most inoculated countries with 81 per cent vaccinated
  • But this month has seen its highest daily infections in more than a year
  • One epidemiologist says at least 90 per cent vaccination is required against the Delta strain

The island state reluctantly delayed reopening measures and re-imposed some restrictions last week after seeing its highest daily COVID-19 infections in more than a year.

On Sunday, the nation of 5.7 million people reported 555 new local COVID-19 cases, the most since August 2020.

A day earlier, it recorded its 58th death, a partially vaccinated 80-year-old man with a history of diabetes, hypertension and heart problems.

Singapore's Ministry of Health last week banned social gatherings at workplaces after recent clusters in staff canteens and pantries, believed to have been caused by employees removing their masks in common areas.

With Singaporeans told to limit social gatherings to one per day, Gan Kim Yong — co-chair of the multi-ministry task force — said the "worrying" spike in infections would "probably get to 2,000 new cases a day", describing the next two to four weeks as "crucial".

Alex Cook, an infectious diseases modelling expert at the National University of Singapore, said life had not improved "by as much as we might have hoped", despite Singapore being one of the world's most vaccinated countries.

 

The nation has relied mostly on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, with a handful of older residents opting for China's Sinovac. Last month, it agreed to a 500,000 Pfizer dose swap deal with Australia. 

 

"The community cases have actually gone up since reaching 80 per cent coverage, in part because we're allowing more social events for those who are vaccinated and, I dare say, more fatigue at the control measures," Mr Cook told the ABC.

"One main lesson from across South-East Asia is that it is incredibly hard to prevent Delta's spread and, as Singapore shows, even high vaccination rates will not help that much," he said.

"We're finding quite a lot of breakthrough infections among vaccinated people, but these are mostly mild or asymptomatic."

Singapore has only 35 seriously ill COVID-19 patients, with seven in ICU, according to its Ministry of Health.

With 50 per cent of Singaporeans now allowed to return to the office and most using public transport to get there, the city last week announced that more than 300 COVID-19 cases had been linked to eight bus depots across the island.

And it closed the popular Chinatown Complex, frequented by seniors over the age of 60, after a cluster of 44 infections.

Achieving 80 pc 'too low for Delta'

Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases expert from Singapore's Rophi Clinic, said the Delta strain had moved the goalposts, in terms of what level of community vaccination was necessary.

People wearing face masks cross a road, with several children in hand/
Some Singapore experts now believe 80 per cent vaccination may not be enough to protect its citizens.(

Reuters: Caroline Chia

)

"They set a target of 80 per cent, which is too low … it would have worked fine for the Alpha strain but this is Delta, a variant with easily two to three times more transmissibility," Dr Leong said.

"They now need at least 90 per cent vaccination, which is technically not possible due to hardened anti-vaxxers or refusers."

Singapore, like Australia, has also not yet opened COVID vaccinations up to children aged under 12.

Dr Leong said 80 per cent was "not good enough because it can still burden the hospital system very significantly and there will be too many excess deaths".

"The numbers are mind-boggling, given what's possible over the next few weeks," he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison set a vaccination target as part of his four-step opening plan for Australia, with phase C triggered when double vaccination reached 80 per cent.

However, Australia's threshold is actually lower because it is based on the population aged over 16.

Singapore's threshold is based on the total population.

Mental health issues rising

Although Singapore has not endured as many lockdowns as Sydney or Melbourne, clinical psychologist Annabelle Chow said she had seen a 20 to 30 per cent rise in people seeking counselling at her practice since the pandemic began.

And she said the most recent setback with Singapore's increased infections was already taking a toll.

"We're not any different in experiencing pandemic fatigue, compared to other countries, and don't forget most of us live in tiny spaces here, without the countryside of Australia," said Dr Chow, who runs practices at Novena and Newton near Singapore's CBD.

"Despite achieving 80 per cent vaccination, Singapore has taken a conservative approach in terms of opening up ... given our population is so concentrated, it means that any spread moves very quickly.

People aged over 70 wearing masks sit spread out in chairs.
Singaporeans have been inoculated with Pfizer, Moderna and Sinovac.(

Reuters: Edgar Su

)

"So, mental health professionals are trying to help Singaporeans live in a new normal, and not thinking about returning to an old normal, while accepting rules are going to change very frequently."

Glenn van Zutphen, an American radio host who runs Singapore's Van Media Group, said it had been difficult to negotiate "the changing official guidance" on COVID-19.

 

"We know we will get through it but, in the meantime, the uncertainty of how and when is taking an economic, physical and mental toll on people here," he said.

 
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jin kumgong.

 

i alrdy foresaw this scenario in feb 2021 liao.

 

CNA, pls notice me!!!!!!!!

 

@chamfer zz, u r rite.

 

zheng gu shld have engaged me as their public health policy tsar early this yr.

 

wahahahahaha

 

 

On 2/25/2021 at 9:05 AM, socrates469bc said:

,,,,,,,, can i trust the data and analysis?????

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel-vaccine/in-boost-for-covid-19-battle-pfizer-vaccine-found-94-effective-in-real-world-idUSKBN2AO2UA

 

short answer is no and reason is given below.

 

the data collected is from the start of vaccination rollout which was on 19 dec 2020.

 

https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2021-02-07/Why-is-Israel-s-COVID-19-vaccine-rollout-the-fastest-in-the-world--XDM6cn8Oyc/index.html

 

but hor, isreal went in a lockdown on 27 dec 2020 and still in a lock down, abt 8 days after the vaccination rollout.

 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-third-lockdown-what-you-need-to-know/

 

and it was on 7 feb 2021 that the restrictions started to ease.

 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-third-lockdown-to-ease-sunday-morning-as-death-toll-climbs-to-5057/

 

there is always a dramatic fall in wuhan cases during lockdown and in the few months after as the borderline retarded masses r still vigilant.

 

the researchers claim that there is no biasness in the data but there is alrdy an exogenous event which introduced a statistically significant biasness into the data, the third lockdown which they and reuters conveniently ignored.

 

this is a very important factor which will impact on the efficacy of the vaccines and they choose to ignore it.

 

how can i trust these supposedly neutral scientists and researchers??????

 

nb, really think everyone bo statistical training.

 

Edited by socrates469bc
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2 hours ago, socrates469bc said:

jin kumgong.

 

i alrdy foresaw this scenario in feb 2021 liao.

 

CNA, pls notice me!!!!!!!!

 

@chamfer zz, u r rite.

 

zheng gu shld have engaged me as their public health policy tsar early this yr.

 

wahahahahaha

 

 

 

why cna? Aim higher! 

 

it will be better for u if HC notice u instead! :hehe:

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