SINGAPORE: An estimated 60 per cent of Singapore residents have likely caught COVID-19 before, but this does not mean the country now has “herd immunity”, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in Parliament on Monday (Aug 1).
On record, there are about 1.7 million reported cases, which is about 30 per cent of the population.
The ministry also systematically monitors blood samples from routine polyclinic cases and other healthy volunteers for signs of previous infection, Mr Ong said.
“From these samples, we estimate about 60 per cent of local residents are likely to have been infected with COVID-19.”
By and large, however, scientists around the world do not think herd immunity is achievable because the virus will continue to mutate, escape the protection of vaccines and infect people, he noted.
What is achievable is “population protection against severe illness” through vaccinations, Mr Ong said.
This is what enables the healthcare system to weather an infection wave, even with high case numbers, because the translation of infections into severe illnesses is low, he said.
The minister was responding to MP Seah Kian Peng (PAP-Marine Parade) who asked for the percentage of the population that has been infected and whether Singapore has attained herd immunity with such an infection level.
While Singapore is still in the middle of an infection wave driven by the Omicron variant BA.5, over the last 10 days, infection numbers have been falling, Mr Ong said. The week-on-week infection ratio has dipped below 0.9 over the last week, and “we should see the wave subsiding further this week”.
During the last Omicron wave at the beginning of this year, 2.4 per cent of infected persons needed hospitalisation. During the current wave, 1.9 per cent have ended up in hospitals, Mr Ong said, adding that the actual percentages are lower because of unreported cases.
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On record, there are about 1.7 million reported cases, which is about 30 per cent of the population.
The ministry also systematically monitors blood samples from routine polyclinic cases and other healthy volunteers for signs of previous infection, Mr Ong said.
“From these samples, we estimate about 60 per cent of local residents are likely to have been infected with COVID-19.”
By and large, however, scientists around the world do not think herd immunity is achievable because the virus will continue to mutate, escape the protection of vaccines and infect people, he noted.
What is achievable is “population protection against severe illness” through vaccinations, Mr Ong said.
This is what enables the healthcare system to weather an infection wave, even with high case numbers, because the translation of infections into severe illnesses is low, he said.
The minister was responding to MP Seah Kian Peng (PAP-Marine Parade) who asked for the percentage of the population that has been infected and whether Singapore has attained herd immunity with such an infection level.
While Singapore is still in the middle of an infection wave driven by the Omicron variant BA.5, over the last 10 days, infection numbers have been falling, Mr Ong said. The week-on-week infection ratio has dipped below 0.9 over the last week, and “we should see the wave subsiding further this week”.
During the last Omicron wave at the beginning of this year, 2.4 per cent of infected persons needed hospitalisation. During the current wave, 1.9 per cent have ended up in hospitals, Mr Ong said, adding that the actual percentages are lower because of unreported cases.
Continue reading...