SINGAPORE – The success of Singapore in controlling the spread of the coronavirus and fears about the potential side effects of the vaccine are making some Singaporeans wary of taking the jabs.
Many think that when daily new cases are almost zero and the number of fatalities is among the lowest in the world, there is no need to go for vaccinations as there could be side effects even if they are minimal.
City resident Aishwarya Kris, 40, said, “Singapore is doing pretty well,” adding that she does not want to get vaccinated.
“I doubt the vaccine will help at all.”
According to a poll by The Straits Times in early December, 48% of respondents said they were willing to take a shot if it is available while 34% said they would wait another six to 12 months.
As the country is dependent on trade and tourism, the government wants to open more of the economy with the aid of a coronavirus vaccine. This comes as it prepares to host the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in 2021.
“Singapore is a victim of its own success,” said Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases expert at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
In order to demonstrate the shots are safe, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 68, said he and his cabinet colleagues would be the first recipients of the vaccine, which will be free. It will be first administered to healthcare workers and senior citizens.
The first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in the country this week and the government expects to procure enough doses for its 5.7 million people by the third quarter of next year.
In the next month or two, the first vaccines would be administered to priority groups such as health workers. It will take time before it is given to the general population, said Lawrence Wong, a minister.
“The roll-out to the Singapore population will also take place over several months, depending on factors such as the supply and delivery schedules of the vaccines,” he said.
Many citizens are ready to get vaccinated as they hope to travel overseas once again. But for many others, it is a civic responsibility.
“I am the one in the family that goes out daily to work, so it’s the responsible thing to do,” said Jeff Tan, a photographer.
