December 15, 2020
The Health Sciences Authority and the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination have concluded the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is effective and safe.
Reuters
SINGAPORE - Monday s press conference by the multi-ministry taskforce on Covid-19 saw a range of questions asked on Singapore s planned vaccination rollout. Clara Chong reports on some of the highlights.
Q: Why is the vaccination programme voluntary and not mandatory? How does the government hope to encourage greater public acceptance of vaccination apart from getting it free?
A: Very few vaccinations are made mandatory, because the Government wants to respect people s choice, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said. But the taskforce hopes to encourage everyone to be vaccinated since the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination have concluded the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is effective and safe.
Q: Why is the vaccination programme voluntary and not mandatory? How does the Government hope to encourage greater public acceptance of vaccination apart from getting it free?
A: Very few vaccinations are made mandatory, because the Government wants to respect people s choices, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said. But the task force hopes to encourage everyone to be vaccinated since the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination have concluded the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is effective and safe.
However, the Government will not force anyone to accept the vaccine, which is still new. The task force is still learning more about the disease as well as the vaccine, such as how effective it is, and what its side effects are. Long-term data is still being gathered, and as the task force studies the vaccine profile and its side effects, it is prudent for it to make recommendations, but not insist that every Singaporean take it up.
COVID-19: Migrant workers in some dorms to have access to community once a month under pilot next year Toggle share menu
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COVID-19: Migrant workers in some dorms to have access to community once a month under pilot next year
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COVID-19: Migrant workers in some dorms to have access to community once a month under pilot next year
File photo of foreign workers at Tuas View Dormitory on May 6 after it was gazetted as an isolation area to curb the spread of COVID-19 (Photo: Jeremy Long)
14 Dec 2020 07:35PM) Share this content
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SINGAPORE: Migrant workers in some dormitories will be able to to access the community once a month under a pilot scheme in the first quarter of next year, as Singapore progressively eases restrictions as part of its transition into Phase 3.
Answers to key questions on vaccination strategy straitstimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from straitstimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.