Along Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s announcement of Phase 3, all Singaporeans are also expected to receive a free vaccination by the 3rd quarter of next year.
However this begs the question of whether masks and social distancing are still required. The Multi-Ministry Task Force said residents must still follow safe distancing measures even after a jab.
Minister for Education Lawrence Wong said the vaccine is not a “ticket to freedom”.
In a press conference yesterday, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said we must be careful with the idea of a vaccination.
A person with a Covid-19 jab does not necessarily mean that they will stop being carriers for the virus.
He added that studies are being done to ascertain the transmission rate for vaccinated Singaporeans.
Therefore, those who have been vaccinated cannot assume that they will not transmit Covid-19 to others and take off their masks outside.
Furthermore, safe distancing measures will still apply even as vaccines arrive.
Minister for Education Lawrence Wong said measures must be looked at holistically. This includes vaccinations, testing and Safe Management Measures (SMMs).
Once it has been confirmed that the vaccine will be effective in reducing transmission risk, the government can then look at how to adjust SMMs accordingly.
Minister Wong concluded that the vaccine is not “a ticket to freedom” to do anything we want.
Though many Singaporeans have grown weary and frustrated with social distancing and SMMs, it is reasonable to remain cautious until everyone is safe.
For now, there is still much to be optimistic about. After all, Phase 3 is just around the corner.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image by MS News.
"Laughing gas", or nitrous oxide, is an odourless, colourless, non-flammable gas that can cause a…
Three other members of the family were injured.
A real-life action hero.
The 12-year-old boys, students from Owen Primary School, went missing in 1986.
The "content creator" said she created the video as requested by a netizen who paid…
The owner buried the dog at the plantation as a mark of respect for its…
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="722px" width="1088px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="562px" width="1111px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="536px" width="804px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)