Singapore facing new COVID-19 wave
Singapore is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 infections, with cases steadily escalating over the past two weeks. "We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising," Health Minister Ong Ye Kung stated on Saturday. He predicts that this wave will peak between mid- and end of June. The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases from 13,700 in the previous week to 25,900 in the week of May 5-11.
Hospitals gear up for rising COVID-19 cases
As a precaution, the MOH has directed public hospitals to reduce non-urgent elective surgeries to preserve hospital bed capacity. Ong strongly advises those most at risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they haven't done so in the last year. He stated that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubles once, Singapore's healthcare system will have 500 patients, which is the maximum capacity.
No social restrictions planned despite rising cases
However, if the number of cases doubles again, there would be 1,000 patients, which "will be a considerable burden on the hospital system," he stated. "One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital," said Ong. As of now, Singapore has no plans for any form of social restrictions or other mandatory measures as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease. "Imposing additional measures would be a last resort," Ong noted.
MOH urges public to stay updated with vaccination
The MOH is urging the public to stay updated with their vaccinations to protect against current and emerging virus strains. The ministry asserts that the vaccines have consistently proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe illness since their introduction in 2020-2021. During the peak month of the JN.1 wave in December 2023, hospitalizations and ICU admissions among seniors were 25% higher in those who had not kept their vaccination updated compared with those who had.
MOH to deploy mobile vaccination teams for accessibility
The updated COVID-19 vaccines continue to be free for all eligible residents. The public is advised to book their COVID-19 vaccination appointments via the Health Appointment System or call clinics directly before visiting. Additional mobile vaccination teams will be deployed to selected heartland locations in the coming weeks for greater accessibility. The MOH will also send out SMS reminders to individuals who have not taken any COVID-19 vaccination in the past 12 months, urging them to keep their vaccination up-to-date.
