Those Who Never Had Covid-19 Or Caught It Over 1 Year Ago At Higher Risk Of Infection During XBB Wave
As a new Covid-19 infection wave, driven by the Omicron XBB subvariant, sweeps over Singapore, many may understandably worry about reinfection.
While there’s always that possibility, the Ministry of Health (MOH) shared statistics today (15 Oct) that showed that only certain groups of people are at higher risk.
Mainly, those who contracted Covid-19 during the Delta wave around Oct and Nov 2021 or prior, and those who have yet to catch the virus at all.
New XBB infection wave more risky for uninfected individuals
In a press release on Saturday (15 Oct), MOH shared their observations of recent Covid-19 cases, including the rates of infection and reinfection.
According to a table that records the data in October so far, most of the recent cases comprise Covid-19-naive individuals or those who don’t have a history of infection at all.
Source: Ministry of Health
The second largest group is among those who got Covid-19 during the Delta wave or earlier.
Quoting Health Minister Ong Ye Kung who spoke at a press conference, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) wrote,
People who got infected last October or earlier … your risk of being infected is almost the same as a COVID-naive person.
Mr Ong also reportedly attributed the recent rise in infections to this factor.
Elaborating further, he noted that the chances of reinfection increase the longer ago someone’s first infection was. Specifically, Mr Ong directed this statement to those who caught Covid-19 between four to 10 months ago, cited The Straits Times (ST).
However, the most at-risk group remains those who have yet to contract the virus at all.
Get booster shots when you can
Anticipating the impending wave, vaccination still proves to be the strongest form of protection.
Therefore, the health ministry encourages the public to get vaccinated or boosted when they are eligible to do so.
This is especially because the population’s immunity is likely waning over time.
Eligible folks may walk into any Joint Testing and Vaccination Centre (JTVC) to receive their bivalent vaccine dose. You may find the nearest centre via the link here.
While the idea of a new infection wave seems scary, we’re hopeful that it’ll pass quickly.
We’ve made it through multiple waves already; surely we can get through this one too.
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Featured image by MS News.
