Singapore to offer Covid-19 booster vaccines to vulnerable people
Bangkok, Sep 10 (EFE).- Singapore authorities announced they will begin offering booster vaccines against Covid-19 to the elderly and vulnerable from Tuesday and reduce quarantine requirements from the current 14 days to 10.
With more than 80 percent of its population inoculated with the complete course, the vaccination campaign in the city-state of 5.7 million inhabitants is a contrast to supply problems in other countries in the region such as Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. They are all in the midst of a new wave due to the virus’ delta variant.
In a Friday statement, the Health Ministry said daily infections had increased to about 288 on average and that 1,000 cases a day would soon be reached.
However, he said serious cases are low, with 26 patients requiring oxygen and another seven admitted to intensive care, which they attributed to the high vaccination rate.
In addition, authorities said they would reduce the quarantine of people exposed to the virus to 10 days, because the incubation time of the delta variant is four days on average, instead of six with the original virus.
Singapore, one of the countries that has responded best to the pandemic, has administered more than 8.8 million vaccine doses and has registered about 70,000 cases and 57 deaths.
Authorities have gone from a strategy to eliminate the coronavirus, as in New Zealand or China, to one based on keeping infections to a minimum by vaccinating people.
In recent weeks they relaxed restrictions in restaurants, places of worship, stadiums and workplaces, among others, although they do not rule out imposing them again if infections increase considerably.
Migrant workers, who have been the main source of infections due to crowded living conditions, suffer more restrictions than the rest of the population, something criticized by non-governmental organizations.
The government announced Thursday the relaxation of some measures for immigrants, who will now be allowed to attend recreation centers twice a week after taking a Covid-19 test. EFE
grc/lds
