Ong Ye Kung Tells Seniors To Get Booster Shots Before Next Omicron Wave
Even with the easing of measures, the Covid-19 virus and its variants are still spreading all over the globe. This was evident when Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat recently tested positive in Berlin.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung also highlighted the issue through his social media platforms, stating that the next wave of Omicron infections is expected to hit Singapore in the next one to two months.
@ongyekung The next infection wave is arriving. Get boosted to protect yourselves and your loved ones.
As such, he urged all senior citizens above 60 years of age to get their booster shots, adding that 80,000 of them still have not done so.
Urged seniors over 60 to get booster shots
On Monday (20 Jun), Mr Ong posted a video on his TikTok account @ongyekung addressing the ongoing pandemic situation in Singapore.
He warned Singaporeans of another Omicron wave, which will likely hit the island within the next one to two months.
He also mentioned that 80,000 senior citizens have not yet had their booster shots, which could be detrimental for them.
Source: @ongyekung on TikTok
Mr Ong gave a piece of serious advice,
You need to take your boosters. So don’t delay anymore. Go get your booster shot.
Importance of booster shots
To highlight the importance of booster shots, Mr Ong explained that Covid-19 vaccines were initially made for the “wild-type” virus.
Source: @ongyekung on TikTok
However, the virus has since evolved into strains such as Delta and Omicron. Because of this, three vaccine shots – two primary shots plus one booster – are necessary for protection against the virus.
Seniors who are 60 years old and above are strongly urged to get all three shots. Doing so will more than triple their chances of not ending up in the intensive care unit (ICU) or dying if they do contract any Covid-19 strains.
Source: @ongyekung on TikTok
According to Mr Ong, seniors aged 60 and above who are completely unvaccinated will have a four in 100 chance of ending up in the ICU or passing away.
As for seniors who have taken two doses but no booster shot, their chances will be one in 100.
Those who have all three shots including the booster are the most protected group as the chances plunge to three in 1,000.
“It makes a difference whether you have taken zero, one, two, or three shots,” Mr Ong stressed.
Vaccines and booster shots do make a difference when it comes to surviving the virus. This was also pointed out by Mr Heng, who contracted Covid-19 while on a work trip in Berlin.
He credited his vaccinations and booster shots as the primary reason why his symptoms were mild and not severe.
Bring your elders to get their booster shots done today
Booster shots are key in ensuring our bodies can fight off the virus.
This makes them extremely important in the upkeep of our health, especially so for the more vulnerable members of our community.
If your parents or grandparents have not yet had their booster shots, remember to take them to any vaccination centre to get it done as soon as possible.
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Featured image adapted from @ongyekung on TikTok.
