In an interview with the radio station, Kiss92FM, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said that Singapore “might well be the most vaccinated country in the world“.
While his optimism is encouraging, I do wonder if giving the impression that we might be the most vaccinated country in the world in any way shape or form is the most responsible behaviour on the part of the Minister for Health.
While the uptake of vaccinations in our nation-state is generally high, there still remains a group of people who are either vaccine-hesitant or unable to take the vaccine.
By suggesting that we may be the most vaxxed country in the world, Mr Ong could well be encouraging reckless behaviour from those who might still be vulnerable to the disease. For example, those who are not yet vaxxed, may be under the impression, based on Mr Ong’s words, that they can drop their guard.
Further, the Government has been strict on what it considers fake news via the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) and especially where facts of the Coronavirus is concerned. Most recently, a POFMA notice was issued in relation to an article that falsely claimed that a three-year-old had died from the vaccine.
Whether or not a country is the highest vaccinated in the world is a statement of fact. There is no “might as well be” or “maybe”. With that in mind, shouldn’t Mr Ong be more mindful of the words he uses when talking about vaccinations?
According to a vaccine tracker by the New York Times, the UAE is the most vaccinated country in the world. This is followed by Malta and then Singapore. This is a statement of fact and not conjecture.
While Mr Ong may not have had any ill intent when he spoke and was more likely than not, trying to reassure Singaporeans while also bigging up his own achievements as Minister of Health and by virtue of that, the Peoples’ Action Party’s (PAP) good handling of the pandemic and vaccination programme,
Mr Ong might still consider being more careful in the words that he chooses to use — especially when talking about COVID-19.
Furthermore, the figures from Mr Ong does not seem to cover individuals such as Short Term Pass (STP) holders. It was earlier announced that STP holders who are in Singapore for long periods of time will soon be able to get their COVID-19 jabs under the national vaccination drive. Those eligible will be progressively notified via text message from 18 August, and more details will be announced shortly.
However, the Ministry of Health (MOH) did not elaborate on how long a pass holder has to stay in the country to qualify. Although STP holders stuck in Singapore take up a small percentage of the local population, they are still nevertheless important elements to address in the fight against COVID-19, particularly in light of the lessons from the recent KTV and Jurong Fishery clusters.
The times of the pandemic are confusing enough to navigate with the ever-changing rules and variants. This is a time where we look to those in leadership positions for clear guidance.
