The island state of Singapore decided to extend restrictions and preventive measures against the new coronavirus. Some of the restrictions are only for those unvaccinated. Since October 13, unvaccinated residents have not been allowed to enter malls and eat at hawker centers. Other restrictions include the number of people allowed at social gatherings. All imposed measures are to be reviewed every two weeks according to the number of infections.
More ICU beds could be added
During a press conference, the Health Minister of Singapore, Ong Ye Kung, declared that more beds could be added to the intensive care unit if the number of hospitalized positive patients increases. The total of ICU beds could reach 300.
Residents are advised to limit their social activities and get booster jabs to receive extra protection. Those who got infected and recovered from the virus and those who get tested before an event and receive a negative result are included in the fully vaccinated category.
Those traveling from Denmark, South Korea, Italy, France, Canada, the U.S, and the Netherlands do not have to quarantine. Another good news is that eligible residents under 30 can get booster shots. According to the most recent statistics from the Ministry of Health, Singapore has recorded around 154,725 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection since the beginning of the pandemic in 2019. The total population of the country is around 5.45 million people, and 84% of the population has been vaccinated against the virus.
The virus has been stabilized in the past weeks
During the last press conference, the Health Minister mentioned that the number of daily new infections has stabilized and that it remains around 3,000 cases. The extension of restrictions could help lower the numbers. Health officials will continue to monitor the trend and decide if new restrictions need to be added.
