鉴于最近 COVID-19 感染增加，对卫生控制需求的评估

82  胡美霞（西海岸集选区议员）女士询问卫生部长：

(a) 对当前与 COVID-19 感染人数增加有关的风险进行了哪些评估？

(b) 卫生部是否认为有必要实施新的卫生协议，以控制病例的增加？

(c) 正在计划采取哪些措施，以保护易感人群，并确保医疗系统在感染率上升的情况下保持韧性？

王乙康(卫生部长)先生：我的答复还将包括连荣华（武吉班让单选区议员）先生在今天的国会上提出的要求以书面形式答复的第46号国会问题。

目前这波COVID-19疫情始于2024年4月中旬，一直在稳步下降。它在2024年 5 月初达到顶峰，每周约有26,000例病例，而COVID-19住院病例在两周后达到顶峰，占用了370张病床。由于COVID-19 住院病床占用率已降至130张左右，每周估计的COVID-19病例数已下降至8,700例。重症监护室的平均病例数仍然很低，仅为4例。

卫生部 (MOH) 已采取一些措施来保护我们的医疗能力，但我们已经平稳度过了一波又一波的疫情，而无需采取任何额外的限制。这符合我们将COVID-19作为一种地方病（就像流感或水痘一样）来对待的意图是一致的。

接种疫苗对于降低严重感染的风险仍然非常重要。截至2024年6月23日，过去两年中，我们总人口中约60.5%的人没有接种任何 COVID-19 疫苗。另一方面，像丹麦这样的国家却能够让绝大多数人口接种更新的 COVID-19 疫苗。

这是一个令人担忧的问题，因为我们知道疫苗的保护作用会随着时间的推移而减弱，而且随着病毒的进一步变异，在某个时候，许多受感染的病人可能会像大流行开始时一样，出现严重病症。 

因此，卫生部鼓励个人，尤其是老年人等易感人群接种COVID-19疫苗。我们正在与 Healthier SG 诊所合作提供 COVID-19 疫苗接种。截至 2024年 6月24日，除了全岛的5个联合检测和疫苗接种中心外，还有320 家 Healthier SG 全科诊所提供 COVID-19 疫苗接种。 

帕雷克（官委议员）先生询问卫生部长：

(a) 新加坡人接种 COVID-19 相关疫苗的现状如何，特别是迄今为止有多少老年人接种了第四次疫苗？

(b) 新加坡人没有接种额外加强针的原因是什么？

(c) 鉴于当前全球对病毒的担忧以及最近本地 COVID-19 病例激增，将采取哪些措施教育公民了解额外加强针的重要性？

王乙康(卫生部长)先生：截至2024年6月，只有约15%的60岁及以上老年人接种了超过四剂COVID-19疫苗。许多新加坡人不愿意再接种COVID-19疫苗。这在很大程度上是因为疫苗疲劳和希望将危机抛在脑后。这又是因为人们认为COVID-19不再是一种严重的疾病，接种疫苗会产生副作用。

建议老年人和易感人群及时接种疫苗，这意味着他们应该每年接种一次疫苗以保护自己。COVID-19 并不是突然变得温和的，它之所以温和是因为我们之前接种过疫苗，这保护我们在感染时不会患上严重疾病。

任何药物都不可避免地会产生副作用，但当地和国际证据继续表明，COVID-19 疫苗接种的严重副作用并不常见，即便如此，大多数副作用也会自行恢复。由于各种原因，包括多年的生活习惯，许多人患上了慢性疾病，并发展为心脏病发作和中风。还有些人由于衰老，也出现了各种疾病。人们倾向于将这些疾病与接种 COVID-19 疫苗混为一谈。养成健康的生活方式对预防这些疾病更为重要。

我们正在采取各种措施，例如全额资助COVID-19疫苗接种、发送社交媒体服务提醒和部署移动疫苗接种小组，以鼓励尤其是老年人接种疫苗。然而，很难违背当前公众的看法并实现高疫苗接种率。与许多西方国家不同，我们在成年人中没有强大的疫苗接种文化。

我们将努力随着时间的推移改变这一现状。毕竟，自 Healthier SG 推出以来，流感和肺炎球菌疫苗接种率已经上升。我们将鼓励更多 Healthier SG 诊所加入进来提供 COVID-19 疫苗接种。通过利用家庭医生和居民之间的关系，我们希望能够保持社会对 COVID-19 的抵御力，而 COVID-19 将继续存在。

我们正在采取各种措施，如全额资助COVID-19疫苗接种、发送社交媒体服务提醒以及部署流动疫苗接种小组，以鼓励尤其是老年人接种疫苗。然而，很难违背当前的公众看法并实现疫苗的高接种率。与许多西方国家不同的是，我们在成年人中没有强大的疫苗接种文化。

随着时间的推移，我们将努力改变这种状况。毕竟，自健康新加坡计划推出以来，流感疫苗和肺炎球菌疫苗的接种率已有所上升。我们将鼓励更多的 “健康新加坡政府”（Healthier SG）诊所加入提供 COVID-19 疫苗接种的行列。通过利用家庭医生和居民之间的关系，我们希望能够保持社会对 COVID-19 的抵御能力，因为 COVID-19 将继续存在。 

Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Health (a) what assessment has been made regarding the current risks associated with increased COVID-19 infections; (b) whether the Ministry considers it necessary to implement new health protocols to control the increase in cases; and (c) what measures are being planned to protect vulnerable populations and ensure healthcare system resilience amidst the rising infection rates.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: My response will also cover the matter raised in Parliamentary Question No 46 for Written Answer by Mr Liang Eng Hwa for today’s Sitting.

The current COVID-19 wave, which started in mid-April 2024, has been on a steady decline. It peaked in early May 2024 at around 26,000 cases per week, while the hospitalised COVID-19 cases peaked two weeks later with 370 beds occupied. The weekly estimated number of COVID-19 cases has since declined to 8,700 cases, as COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy has dropped to around 130. The average number of cases in the Intensive Care Unit remains low at four cases. 

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has taken some measures to protect our healthcare capacity, but we have ridden through another wave without having to impose any additional restrictions. This is consistent with our intention to live with COVID-19 as an endemic disease, just like influenza or chickenpox.  

Vaccination remains important to reduce the risk of severe infections. As of 23 June 2024, about 60.5% of our total population did not receive any COVID-19 vaccination in the last two years. On the other hand, countries like Denmark are able to get the broad majority of their population to take the updated COVID-19 vaccine.  

This is a cause for concern because we know that vaccine protection will wane with time, and as the virus mutates further, at some point, there can be escalated risks of many infected patients falling severely sick, just like at the beginning of the pandemic.  

MOH is thus encouraging individuals, especially vulnerable ones like seniors, to take their COVID-19 vaccination. We are bringing on board Healthier SG clinics to provide COVID-19 vaccination. There are 320 Healthier SG general practitioner clinics providing COVID-19 vaccinations as of 24 June 2024, in addition to the five Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres around the island.  

Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the status of COVID-19 related vaccination amongst the population especially as to how many seniors have gone beyond their fourth vaccination to date; (b) what are the reasons cited by Singaporeans for not having taken their additional booster shots; and (c) what steps will be taken to educate citizens on the importance of the additional boosters in view of current global concerns about the virus and the recent spike of COVID-19 cases locally.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: As of June 2024, only about 15% of seniors aged 60 and above, have received more than four doses of COVID-19 vaccinations. Many Singaporeans are reluctant to take further doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Much of it is because of vaccine fatigue and wanting to put the crisis behind us. This is, in turn, due to the perceptions that COVID-19 is no longer a severe disease and there are side-effects to taking the vaccines. 

Seniors and vulnerable individuals are recommended to stay updated with their vaccination, which means that they ought to take the vaccine once a year to keep themselves protected. COVID-19 did not become mild all of a sudden, it is mild because we have taken the vaccines earlier, which protected us against severe illness when infected.  

Side-effects are inevitable for any medications, but local and international evidence continue to show that severe side-effects from COVID-19 vaccination are infrequent and, even then, most recovered by themselves. Many people, due to various reasons, including years of lifestyle habits, have developed chronic illnesses that progressed into heart attacks and strokes. Others, due to ageing, also developed various medical conditions. There is a tendency to conflate these diseases with the taking of COVID-19 vaccines. It is much more important to lead a healthy lifestyle to prevent these diseases. 

We are undertaking various measures, such as fully-funding COVID-19 vaccinations, sending out Social Media Service reminders and deploying mobile vaccination teams, to encourage vaccination especially amongst seniors. However, it is difficult to go against the current public perception and bring about a high vaccine uptake. Unlike many Western countries, we do not have a strong vaccination culture among adults.  

We will try to change this over time. After all, flu and pneumococcal vaccination rates have gone up since the rollout of Healthier SG. We will encourage more Healthier SG clinics to come on board to provide COVID-19 vaccination. By leveraging the relationship between family physicians and residents, we can hopefully keep up societal resilience against COVID-19, which will be here to stay.