With the proliferation of COVID-19, there is a growing demand among Singaporean experts for mandatory vaccines.

Singapore, September 21 (Reuters)-Some medical professionals in Singapore are serious among unvaccinated people as infections have skyrocketed and vaccination has peaked in 82% of the population. We are calling for forced vaccination against the increasing number of COVID-19 victims of coronavirus.

The government has linked the resumption to vaccination goals, but this month suspended the relaxation of restrictions to monitor signs that severe infections could overwhelm the healthcare system.

Dale Fisher, an infectious disease expert at Singapore’s National University Hospital, said:

“It’s the same reason that the age group was chosen early for the vaccine, and the same reason that the age group was chosen for the booster jab.”

Singapore has been a model for coronavirus mitigation since it began with pandemics of essential masks, effective contact tracing, and closed borders.

In total, 62 out of 5.7 million people died, and only a handful of new infections occur each day.

However, like elsewhere in Southeast Asia, delta variants have spread in recent months, with new daily cases increasing to about 1,000.

Several countries, including the United States, France and Italy, have announced compulsory vaccination programs, fearing Delta variants, and slowing vaccination will hinder plans to return to normal. read more

From May 1st to September 16th, only 0.09% of Singapore vaccinated people infected with the virus went to the intensive care unit or died. The unvaccinated rate was 1.7%.

The data for the elderly is particularly impressive.

Of infected unvaccinated people over the age of 80, 15% had to be treated in the intensive care unit or died. Only 1.79% of vaccinated people of that age group needed intensive care or died.

“More protective”

Singapore does not require vaccination for Pfizer (PFE.N) And moderna (MRNA.O) Shot has limited activities such as eating out without vaccination, but has only urgent approval in Japan.

Neither company answered the question as to whether they applied for full approval in Singapore.

With about 87,000 older people not yet vaccinated, some experts say full approval could pave the way for the mission.

Alex Cook, an infectious disease modeling expert at the National University of Singapore, said:

“If we don’t get vaccinated, it seems strange to take weaker and more expensive measures.”

The number of patients in need of oxygen support or intensive care surged more than five times this month to 146, including 18 in the ICU.

The government is concerned that the number of ICUs could grow rapidly on an exponentially growing basis for infected people, especially if they are older and unvaccinated.

Singapore has about 100 ICU beds for COVID-19 patients, which can be increased to nearly 300 with urgent notice.

According to infectious disease doctor Leong Hoenam, vaccination obligations can take the form of reducing activities related to work, leisure and public transport access for unvaccinated people.

“You can’t go to the mall, use public transport, or eat out without vaccination,” he said, citing examples of possible restrictions.

In Singapore, only diphtheria and measles vaccinations are required by law.

The government has provided free Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and has approved payments to 144 people suffering from serious side effects, the media reported.

Although Singapore has long records of imposing rules, such as the 1992 ban on the sale of chewing gum to prevent littering, forced vaccines will still be an important step.

“It will require political courage, there is no doubt about it, but science says that if you vaccinate the last 100,000 seniors you will save hundreds of lives. I will say, “Fisher said.

Report by Aradhana Aravindan of Singapore.Edited by Kim Mi-yeon and Robert Barcel

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