Permitted Singaporean and PR travellers can tap subsidies, insurance if infected
Majority of foreign workers in dorms to resume work by end-August 2020
Most events to remain virtual; working from home to be default option
By Audrey Tan, Science and Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
With more activities and events resuming, borders gradually reopening and most foreign workers set to resume work this month, Singapore is cautiously moving towards a new normal amid the pandemic.
To support these changes, travellers who contract COVID-19 while on permitted essential travel will be able to tap financial support from today, while workers will be tested regularly to minimise the chances of a flare-up.
The multi-ministry task force on the coronavirus set out these steps yesterday, even as it stressed the need for caution and vigilance to avoid a new wave of cases.
Almost all foreign workers will be tested for COVID-19 by today, and the majority will be allowed to go back to work by the end of this month, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong during a virtual press conference.
This means that many construction activities and projects should be able to resume soon, he added.
And under changes to the charging policy for travellers getting treatment, those who head abroad under permitted schemes, and develop symptoms of COVID-19 infection within 14 days of their return to Singapore, can get more help with their hospitalisation bills.
Permitted schemes include bilateral arrangements with Malaysia and China, and any that may be implemented in future.
Since March 27, Singaporeans, permanent residents (PRs) and long-term pass holders who travelled overseas have had to pay for their own inpatient medical bills in full if they developed symptoms within 14 days of their return. They were also unable to claim from MediShield Life or Integrated Shield Plans in public and private hospitals.
But as the Government gradually reopens its borders, permitted Singaporean and PR travellers can now tap government subsidies, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans for treatment.
Likewise, long-term pass holders who travel under permitted arrangements can tap financing arrangements like foreign worker insurance for their treatment.
The travellers will bear any remaining co-payment.
But while certain restrictions are lifted or eased, life will not return to what it was before the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, the task force warned.
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force, said Singapore should not let its guard down even though the number of new COVID-19 cases here is likely to taper down by end-August as dormitories are cleared.
"We have seen the experiences everywhere in the world... So long as there is a lapse in the community or people do not observe the safe management practices carefully, these low levels of infection can suddenly flare up into large clusters anywhere, any time," he said.
Working from home should remain the default for employees. And where possible, events should remain fully virtual, or take on a hybrid physical-virtual form.
This includes large gatherings and festivities surrounding national and community occasions, said task force co-chair and Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The Health Ministry said prayers for the lunar seventh month and post-funeral religious rites will be allowed to take place in places of worship and some external venues like Housing Board common areas, if conducted by religious organisations with a good track record of safe management measures, or by workers endorsed by these organisations.
Mr Gan also urged those who are unwell to see a doctor instead of trying to self-medicate or sleeping it off, so that COVID-19 infections can be detected at an early stage.
"This will prevent one case from becoming many cases," he said.
Majority of foreign workers in dorms to resume work by end-August 2020
Most events to remain virtual; working from home to be default option
By Audrey Tan, Science and Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
With more activities and events resuming, borders gradually reopening and most foreign workers set to resume work this month, Singapore is cautiously moving towards a new normal amid the pandemic.
To support these changes, travellers who contract COVID-19 while on permitted essential travel will be able to tap financial support from today, while workers will be tested regularly to minimise the chances of a flare-up.
The multi-ministry task force on the coronavirus set out these steps yesterday, even as it stressed the need for caution and vigilance to avoid a new wave of cases.
Almost all foreign workers will be tested for COVID-19 by today, and the majority will be allowed to go back to work by the end of this month, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong during a virtual press conference.
This means that many construction activities and projects should be able to resume soon, he added.
And under changes to the charging policy for travellers getting treatment, those who head abroad under permitted schemes, and develop symptoms of COVID-19 infection within 14 days of their return to Singapore, can get more help with their hospitalisation bills.
Permitted schemes include bilateral arrangements with Malaysia and China, and any that may be implemented in future.
Since March 27, Singaporeans, permanent residents (PRs) and long-term pass holders who travelled overseas have had to pay for their own inpatient medical bills in full if they developed symptoms within 14 days of their return. They were also unable to claim from MediShield Life or Integrated Shield Plans in public and private hospitals.
But as the Government gradually reopens its borders, permitted Singaporean and PR travellers can now tap government subsidies, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans for treatment.
Likewise, long-term pass holders who travel under permitted arrangements can tap financing arrangements like foreign worker insurance for their treatment.
The travellers will bear any remaining co-payment.
But while certain restrictions are lifted or eased, life will not return to what it was before the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, the task force warned.
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force, said Singapore should not let its guard down even though the number of new COVID-19 cases here is likely to taper down by end-August as dormitories are cleared.
"We have seen the experiences everywhere in the world... So long as there is a lapse in the community or people do not observe the safe management practices carefully, these low levels of infection can suddenly flare up into large clusters anywhere, any time," he said.
Working from home should remain the default for employees. And where possible, events should remain fully virtual, or take on a hybrid physical-virtual form.
This includes large gatherings and festivities surrounding national and community occasions, said task force co-chair and Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The Health Ministry said prayers for the lunar seventh month and post-funeral religious rites will be allowed to take place in places of worship and some external venues like Housing Board common areas, if conducted by religious organisations with a good track record of safe management measures, or by workers endorsed by these organisations.
Mr Gan also urged those who are unwell to see a doctor instead of trying to self-medicate or sleeping it off, so that COVID-19 infections can be detected at an early stage.
"This will prevent one case from becoming many cases," he said.
Working from home to continue as default arrangement amid COVID-19 pandemic: Lawrence Wong
By Clara Chong, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
By Clara Chong, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
Work-from-home arrangements will continue in order to guard against potential Covid-19 transmission.
Employers should continue to keep this as the default arrangement unless employees have a demonstrable need to return to the workplace, such as to use specialised equipment, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong at a virtual multi-ministry press conference yesterday.
He noted that working from home has been beneficial on numerous fronts, such as reducing congestion on public transport and minimising the number of people coming together in the workplace.
This, Mr Wong said, has helped to keep community transmission at bay.
The task force is reviewing the work-from-home arrangement and may modify the rules, following appeals and feedback from employers who have requested more flexibility, said Mr Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
"We've received these appeals, we are still studying the matter and to see if there may be some change or some modification to the work-from-home requirement," Mr Wong explained.
He added that some individuals have said the arrangement has increased their productivity, while others explained that the home environment is not sufficiently conducive for work as being together with their colleagues actually helps to boost productivity.
"But I should say that even if we were to allow some modification or adjustments, we would still like to see, as far as possible, a high degree of people working from home," Mr Wong said.
The majority of employees here have been working from home since the circuit breaker started in early April. A report in May showed that in a survey of 9,000 respondents from almost 90 companies, nine in 10 employees want to continue working from home.
Some of the perks employees have enjoyed include not having to commute to and from work, more flexibility with their time, and greater control over work-life balance, according to the survey.
Most respondents also said they save money on office wear, eating out and transport expenses such as fuel and parking. However, they have to spend more on electricity bills, Wi-Fi boosters and printers.
Almost all foreign workers in dorms tested for COVID-19 by 7 August 2020
About 90% of the 323,000 foreign workers can return to work by the end of August
By Toh Ting Wei, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
Almost all of the 323,000 foreign workers staying in dormitories would have been tested for Covid-19 by today, 7 August, and about 90 per cent of them can go back to work by the end of this month.
This means that many construction activities and projects should be able to resume soon, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong yesterday.
But with a number of workers still in isolation facilities, the daily number of Covid-19 cases will fluctuate in the next two weeks as they are tested.
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the pandemic task force, said the authorities are trying to speed up the process to let workers cleared of Covid-19 return to work quickly.
"We are not only clearing the workers in the dormitories and making sure that they are safe, but we also want them to get back to work as soon as possible," said Mr Wong who, until a recent Cabinet reshuffle, was the Minister for National Development.
"We do expect the vast majority to be able to do so by the end of this month," he added.
He urged employers and contractors to do their part before the workers return by starting preparations to implement the necessary safety measures as soon as possible.
Among other things, employers have to provide dedicated transport between worksites and places of accommodation, with worksites deploying systems such as TraceTogether and SafeEntry to ensure tracking and compliance.
In addition, the housing arrangements are likely to be different.
The task force wants workers from the same employers to be housed together for better management, instead of being dispersed in different blocks.
Mr Wong said the authorities will work with employers and contractors to ensure construction and other high-risk activities will be done in a safe manner.
He also said all workers living in dormitories will undergo Covid-19 tests every 14 days.
"If through routine testing we pick up one case, the intention is to go in very quickly, isolate the workers perhaps within the room or the entire floor even, so that you can pull out the workers who are at risk," he added.
This would help prevent the need for a lockdown of an entire affected block or even dormitory, he said.
Other methods to complement regular testing include monitoring of wastewater for the virus.
"With all these new measures, we hope we can pre-empt, we can identify early, and we can allow construction work, in particular, to resume safely without the risk of large clusters forming," Mr Wong added.
On the final batch of workers in isolation who are waiting to be tested for Covid-19, he had said last month that 28,000 workers will still be isolated in standalone blocks in dormitories that serve as quarantine facilities.
Yesterday, the task force said there is a chance of a high rate of infections among this final batch of workers, which could lead to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The Ministry of Health's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the task force is working with the Manpower Ministry on how to continue supporting the workers, even after the outbreak in dormitories is brought under control.
One way he cited is through telemedicine. "We will be looking towards establishing more long-term medical facilities dedicated to supporting the health of migrant workers," he added.
"These may include a combination of medical posts or medical centres either on site or close to the dormitories."
About 90% of the 323,000 foreign workers can return to work by the end of August
By Toh Ting Wei, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
Almost all of the 323,000 foreign workers staying in dormitories would have been tested for Covid-19 by today, 7 August, and about 90 per cent of them can go back to work by the end of this month.
This means that many construction activities and projects should be able to resume soon, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong yesterday.
But with a number of workers still in isolation facilities, the daily number of Covid-19 cases will fluctuate in the next two weeks as they are tested.
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the pandemic task force, said the authorities are trying to speed up the process to let workers cleared of Covid-19 return to work quickly.
"We are not only clearing the workers in the dormitories and making sure that they are safe, but we also want them to get back to work as soon as possible," said Mr Wong who, until a recent Cabinet reshuffle, was the Minister for National Development.
"We do expect the vast majority to be able to do so by the end of this month," he added.
He urged employers and contractors to do their part before the workers return by starting preparations to implement the necessary safety measures as soon as possible.
Among other things, employers have to provide dedicated transport between worksites and places of accommodation, with worksites deploying systems such as TraceTogether and SafeEntry to ensure tracking and compliance.
In addition, the housing arrangements are likely to be different.
The task force wants workers from the same employers to be housed together for better management, instead of being dispersed in different blocks.
Mr Wong said the authorities will work with employers and contractors to ensure construction and other high-risk activities will be done in a safe manner.
He also said all workers living in dormitories will undergo Covid-19 tests every 14 days.
"If through routine testing we pick up one case, the intention is to go in very quickly, isolate the workers perhaps within the room or the entire floor even, so that you can pull out the workers who are at risk," he added.
This would help prevent the need for a lockdown of an entire affected block or even dormitory, he said.
Other methods to complement regular testing include monitoring of wastewater for the virus.
"With all these new measures, we hope we can pre-empt, we can identify early, and we can allow construction work, in particular, to resume safely without the risk of large clusters forming," Mr Wong added.
On the final batch of workers in isolation who are waiting to be tested for Covid-19, he had said last month that 28,000 workers will still be isolated in standalone blocks in dormitories that serve as quarantine facilities.
Yesterday, the task force said there is a chance of a high rate of infections among this final batch of workers, which could lead to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The Ministry of Health's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the task force is working with the Manpower Ministry on how to continue supporting the workers, even after the outbreak in dormitories is brought under control.
One way he cited is through telemedicine. "We will be looking towards establishing more long-term medical facilities dedicated to supporting the health of migrant workers," he added.
"These may include a combination of medical posts or medical centres either on site or close to the dormitories."
Steps to better support migrant workers' mental, physical health
By Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
The authorities are looking into better supporting the mental and physical health needs of migrant workers here in the long run, said the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 yesterday.
This includes assessing whether workers will be allowed to leave their dormitories on their rest days, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong who co-chairs the task force.
Migrant workers staying in dormitories have spent the last few months confined to their quarters.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has said it is aware of the recent suicides and attempted suicides involving migrant workers staying in dorms.
The task force is concerned about the workers' situation, said the Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak at a virtual press conference yesterday.
"They've not been allowed to come out of the dormitories into the community freely. And that prolonged period of isolation will obviously have potential adverse effects on any individual, not just migrant workers, but anyone who, in fact, has to be cooped up in isolation with very limited opportunities for social interaction," he said.
Associate Professor Mak added that the inter-agency task force, together with MOM and private stakeholders, has been working to support the welfare of these workers in various ways, such as helping them celebrate holidays and providing avenues for help and counselling.
He added that a work group is looking at the mental health issues faced by the workers to see how to better support them.
"This continues to be a work in progress so I do not pretend that the work is completed (or) that we have a very comprehensive system of support," he said.
But the task force is committed to making sure there is a "sustainable framework" to support the mental health of migrant workers, even after the outbreak ends, he added.
Mr Wong said measures will also be taken to ensure workers' physical health, including routine testing every 14 days.
If a case is detected, the aim is to quickly isolate the workers in the same room or on the same floor, in order to avoid having to lock down the entire block or dormitory.
In addition to this, Prof Mak said, many measures such as telemedicine and telemonitoring using telekiosks and various other monitoring devices that were deployed in the dorms are likely to continue.
The task force is also looking to establish more long-term medical facilities, such as medical centres within or near dorms to provide care for both acute and chronic conditions.
Asked whether the task force would consider loosening some of the restrictions on migrant workers, Mr Wong said the situation is being monitored "very carefully".
He noted that workers who are currently confined to their dorms are already given the opportunity to leave their rooms.
However, he added that given the high viral load in the dorms, residual cases can linger for weeks.
So there is a need to conduct regular tests on the workers for a while more, in order to ensure that all of them are free from the virus.
Mr Wong said: "At some point... as we have assurance that the testing process is done and the workers are free from the virus, we will also look at expanding the provision for them to go out, be it to recreational centres or to the community at large on their rest days."
By Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
The authorities are looking into better supporting the mental and physical health needs of migrant workers here in the long run, said the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 yesterday.
This includes assessing whether workers will be allowed to leave their dormitories on their rest days, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong who co-chairs the task force.
Migrant workers staying in dormitories have spent the last few months confined to their quarters.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has said it is aware of the recent suicides and attempted suicides involving migrant workers staying in dorms.
The task force is concerned about the workers' situation, said the Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak at a virtual press conference yesterday.
"They've not been allowed to come out of the dormitories into the community freely. And that prolonged period of isolation will obviously have potential adverse effects on any individual, not just migrant workers, but anyone who, in fact, has to be cooped up in isolation with very limited opportunities for social interaction," he said.
Associate Professor Mak added that the inter-agency task force, together with MOM and private stakeholders, has been working to support the welfare of these workers in various ways, such as helping them celebrate holidays and providing avenues for help and counselling.
He added that a work group is looking at the mental health issues faced by the workers to see how to better support them.
"This continues to be a work in progress so I do not pretend that the work is completed (or) that we have a very comprehensive system of support," he said.
But the task force is committed to making sure there is a "sustainable framework" to support the mental health of migrant workers, even after the outbreak ends, he added.
Mr Wong said measures will also be taken to ensure workers' physical health, including routine testing every 14 days.
If a case is detected, the aim is to quickly isolate the workers in the same room or on the same floor, in order to avoid having to lock down the entire block or dormitory.
In addition to this, Prof Mak said, many measures such as telemedicine and telemonitoring using telekiosks and various other monitoring devices that were deployed in the dorms are likely to continue.
The task force is also looking to establish more long-term medical facilities, such as medical centres within or near dorms to provide care for both acute and chronic conditions.
Asked whether the task force would consider loosening some of the restrictions on migrant workers, Mr Wong said the situation is being monitored "very carefully".
He noted that workers who are currently confined to their dorms are already given the opportunity to leave their rooms.
However, he added that given the high viral load in the dorms, residual cases can linger for weeks.
So there is a need to conduct regular tests on the workers for a while more, in order to ensure that all of them are free from the virus.
Mr Wong said: "At some point... as we have assurance that the testing process is done and the workers are free from the virus, we will also look at expanding the provision for them to go out, be it to recreational centres or to the community at large on their rest days."
Shorter 7-day stay-home notice period for Malaysian workers in Singapore decided based on risk assessment
By Hariz Baharudin, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
Malaysians with Singapore work passes will serve a seven-day stay-home notice (SHN) instead of 14 days as Covid-19 prevalence rates in Malaysia are similar to Singapore's, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday.
The decision on a shorter SHN is based on risk assessments and will include Malaysians who are permanent residents here who also hold a local work pass.
"Malaysia's prevalence rates are significantly similar to Singapore's and, in some cases, lower than Singapore's prevalence rates.
"Therefore the risk of infection is quite similar to a fellow Singaporean," said Mr Gan.
The Ministry of Health's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the policy on how Singapore handles incoming travellers is constantly being reviewed.
He noted, for example, that the Government had adjusted its policy to include testing of visitors to Singapore, due to a concern that some would arrive here asymptomatic and infect others.
Associate Professor Mak added that Singapore's original approach was to isolate travellers for 14 days, based on the maximum incubation period for the coronavirus.
But after several reviews, the authorities found that most visitors who were symptomatic had displayed symptoms within five or six days upon entering Singapore.
"That allowed us then to think about considering shortening the duration of SHN for countries where the original prevalence (of Covid-19) in that country was low," said Prof Mak.
Under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement, Singapore and Malaysia residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country can enter that country for work.
They have to remain in the destination country for at least 90 days before returning for home leave, and travellers under this arrangement can enter or exit only via the two land checkpoints - at Woodlands or Tuas.
Travellers who are entering Singapore under this scheme are required to serve an SHN of at least seven days and undertake a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction swab test.
Singapore and Malaysia also have a separate reciprocal green lane scheme that allows short-term travel for essential business or official purposes between the two countries for up to 14 days.
Those under the scheme must travel via airports in Singapore and Malaysia which have available non-stop flight routes or through the land checkpoints.
Before the trip, they must get approval from the authorities of the country they intend to visit.
All other travellers entering Singapore must serve a 14-day SHN.
By Hariz Baharudin, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
Malaysians with Singapore work passes will serve a seven-day stay-home notice (SHN) instead of 14 days as Covid-19 prevalence rates in Malaysia are similar to Singapore's, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday.
The decision on a shorter SHN is based on risk assessments and will include Malaysians who are permanent residents here who also hold a local work pass.
"Malaysia's prevalence rates are significantly similar to Singapore's and, in some cases, lower than Singapore's prevalence rates.
"Therefore the risk of infection is quite similar to a fellow Singaporean," said Mr Gan.
The Ministry of Health's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the policy on how Singapore handles incoming travellers is constantly being reviewed.
He noted, for example, that the Government had adjusted its policy to include testing of visitors to Singapore, due to a concern that some would arrive here asymptomatic and infect others.
Associate Professor Mak added that Singapore's original approach was to isolate travellers for 14 days, based on the maximum incubation period for the coronavirus.
But after several reviews, the authorities found that most visitors who were symptomatic had displayed symptoms within five or six days upon entering Singapore.
"That allowed us then to think about considering shortening the duration of SHN for countries where the original prevalence (of Covid-19) in that country was low," said Prof Mak.
Under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement, Singapore and Malaysia residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country can enter that country for work.
They have to remain in the destination country for at least 90 days before returning for home leave, and travellers under this arrangement can enter or exit only via the two land checkpoints - at Woodlands or Tuas.
Travellers who are entering Singapore under this scheme are required to serve an SHN of at least seven days and undertake a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction swab test.
Singapore and Malaysia also have a separate reciprocal green lane scheme that allows short-term travel for essential business or official purposes between the two countries for up to 14 days.
Those under the scheme must travel via airports in Singapore and Malaysia which have available non-stop flight routes or through the land checkpoints.
Before the trip, they must get approval from the authorities of the country they intend to visit.
All other travellers entering Singapore must serve a 14-day SHN.
Bilateral arrangement travellers can tap subsidies, insurance for COVID-19 treatment
By Audrey Tan, Science and Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
From today, 7 August, Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) who are allowed to travel overseas under permitted arrangements and subsequently develop Covid-19 can tap government subsidies, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) for their hospital treatment.
These travellers can turn to these schemes should symptoms appear within 14 days of their return to Singapore.
But they have to pay out of their own pocket any remaining co-payment amounts.
Likewise, long-term pass holders who travel under permitted arrangements can tap schemes like foreign worker insurance for their treatment.
Permitted travel arrangements include the bilateral ones with Malaysia and China, and any other that may be implemented in the future. Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced the change at a virtual press conference yesterday.
The Government has been footing the inpatient medical bills for Singaporeans, PRs and long-term pass holders who are treated for Covid-19 at public healthcare institutions. It does not do so for individuals who breach travel advisories.
Since March 27, Singaporeans, PRs and long-term pass holders who travel overseas have had to pay for their own inpatient medical bills in full if they have symptoms within 14 days of returning here.
They also could not claim from MediShield Life or IPs in public and private hospitals.
But as the Government gradually reopens its borders, it will let Singaporeans, PRs and long-term pass holders travelling under permitted arrangements to tap existing financial schemes from today.
Mr Gan added: "Those who are not under permitted travel arrangements and instead travel in breach of the travel advisories will continue to pay for their Covid-19 inpatient medical bills in full."
He also said short-term pass holders entering Singapore under the permitted travel arrangements will have to bear the cost of their medical bills, should they test positive for the coronavirus within 14 days of arrival here.
By Audrey Tan, Science and Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
From today, 7 August, Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) who are allowed to travel overseas under permitted arrangements and subsequently develop Covid-19 can tap government subsidies, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) for their hospital treatment.
These travellers can turn to these schemes should symptoms appear within 14 days of their return to Singapore.
But they have to pay out of their own pocket any remaining co-payment amounts.
Likewise, long-term pass holders who travel under permitted arrangements can tap schemes like foreign worker insurance for their treatment.
Permitted travel arrangements include the bilateral ones with Malaysia and China, and any other that may be implemented in the future. Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced the change at a virtual press conference yesterday.
The Government has been footing the inpatient medical bills for Singaporeans, PRs and long-term pass holders who are treated for Covid-19 at public healthcare institutions. It does not do so for individuals who breach travel advisories.
Since March 27, Singaporeans, PRs and long-term pass holders who travel overseas have had to pay for their own inpatient medical bills in full if they have symptoms within 14 days of returning here.
They also could not claim from MediShield Life or IPs in public and private hospitals.
But as the Government gradually reopens its borders, it will let Singaporeans, PRs and long-term pass holders travelling under permitted arrangements to tap existing financial schemes from today.
Mr Gan added: "Those who are not under permitted travel arrangements and instead travel in breach of the travel advisories will continue to pay for their Covid-19 inpatient medical bills in full."
He also said short-term pass holders entering Singapore under the permitted travel arrangements will have to bear the cost of their medical bills, should they test positive for the coronavirus within 14 days of arrival here.
Seventh month prayers and post-funeral rites allowed
They must be conducted by religious bodies with good record of COVID-19 safety measures
By Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
As Singapore enters a new normal with the gradual easing of various restrictions, large gatherings and festivities, such as National Day community concerts and seventh lunar month events, will by and large continue to remain virtual, the Health Ministry (MOH) said yesterday.
But there will be exceptions.
The ministry said seventh lunar month prayers and post-funeral religious rites, conducted by religious organisations with a good track record of implementing safe management measures, will be allowed in places of worship and some external venues such as Housing Board common areas.
Details on how many people will be allowed to attend are expected to be released soon.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said at a virtual press conference earlier yesterday that many Singaporeans have expressed their eagerness to resume regular activities.
Hence, curbs were eased recently on weddings, wakes and funerals.
"We recognise that these are key milestones in life that Singaporeans hope to commemorate, and that memories of these events will stay precious long after the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
"We will continue to assess the situation and allow the gradual resumption of other events, including wedding receptions and some religious rites," he said.
But most other events should remain virtual for the time being, he added.
"This does not mean that we can no longer celebrate these occasions, but that we will need to find new ways to do so," he said.
Citing this year's National Day celebrations, the minister said: "Singaporeans are a resourceful people, and many have found new and creative ways to commemorate our nation's independence while adhering to the safe management measures.
"With a right mindset and attitude, we can adapt and make the best of the situation, even if we need to continue with safe distancing measures."
The authorities have taken active steps to move Singapore into a "new normal" within the pandemic environment.
MOH's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the costs of polymerase chain reaction tests for Covid-19 will decrease in the future as protocols get optimised and tests become more available, benefiting all visitors and travellers who will require testing when they enter or leave Singapore.
More travellers are expected as Singapore gradually reopens its borders, with testing being a necessary step to ensure they do not bring the coronavirus infection with them.
Currently, the cost is around $200 per test.
But even as Singapore moves towards the new normal, Covid-19 task force co-chair Lawrence Wong said the country is unlikely to ever be completely free of the virus.
Despite Singapore's recent streak of low community cases, it must be wary of a resurgence in infections.
He said: "We still think today that there is some underlying rate of infection. It's very, very low, but it is there.
"And it's quite likely that this was the case in many other countries where you saw a resurgence of cases... places where you saw very low case counts on a daily basis for many, many days or even weeks... and then suddenly things spike up."
The key is to learn how to live with the virus, to find new safe ways for people to carry on with their lives.
"As long as we are able to put in place the necessary measures, as long as Singaporeans and residents of Singapore comply with the safe distancing measures, we think we can progressively resume more activities while keeping the infection under control."
Long and hard battle to clear foreign worker dorms of COVID-19
No mean feat at Sungei Tengah Lodge, one of the largest ex-clusters that are now virus-free
By Tee Zhuo, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2020
Construction worker Ajith Kumar, 24, who resides in Singapore's largest foreign worker dormitory, says conditions have changed in recent months.
His 8m by 6m room at Sungei Tengah Lodge (STL), which he shares with 11 others, is cleaner, with cleaning supplies provided.
He uses an app on his mobile phone to scan a QR code near the room's entrance, to report his location to the authorities twice daily.
He hopes to be back at work soon, after a lapse of four months.
These are just a few changes among many made in the battle against Covid-19 in the dorms since early April, when the first dorms were gazetted as isolation areas.
FOUR-MONTH BATTLE
Yesterday, Singapore finished testing all 323,000 workers in dorms for Covid-19.
A "massive undertaking", as Education Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the multi-ministry virus task force, said in a Facebook post.
And as of Monday, some nine in 10 of these workers - or 273,000 - have recovered or been tested to be free of Covid-19.
The journey to the current stage has taken four long and arduous months of many policies and measures implemented to meet a fast-evolving situation.
A microcosm of what has happened can be found in STL, which went from being one of the largest clusters to being Covid-19-free last month.
It was no mean feat to manage the then 23,000 workers when the dorm was first gazetted as an isolation area in early April, said Mr Simon Lee, chief operating officer of TG25, which runs STL.
"During that period, I was having only two hours of sleep (a night) for easily two weeks," he said, adding that it was a "mad rush" to get all the workers to return and stay in their rooms.
An especially challenging task was catering meals for everyone and maintaining hygiene and sanitation, he added, recalling "a lot of media attention" on the matter.
By this time, unsanitary conditions in some dorms had been placed in the spotlight. A Straits Times report on April 6 on conditions at S11 Dormitory @ Punggol described crowded rooms with cockroaches and overflowing toilets.
To improve conditions and manage the situation, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo announced the deployment of Forward Assurance and Support Teams (Fast) - comprising Ministry of Manpower (MOM), police and military officers.
Rigorous hygiene and sanitation measures were put in place, caterers were roped in to provide workers with three meals a day, and medical posts were set up to test and treat those who felt unwell.
Healthy workers in essential services were transferred to alternative sites like floating hotels and vacant Housing Board blocks, to separate them from infected workers and reduce work disruption.
In mid-May, Mr Wong announced plans to test all 323,000 workers in dorms for Covid-19.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Shu Su Yen, who leads the 36-person Fast team at STL, said it worked with the dorm's operator to keep track of each worker's status.
A team from the National University Hospital was on site for medical clearance.
"Working hand in hand with these two partners on site helped us ensure that no workers were left out of the testing," she said.
This paved the way for the dorm to be de-gazetted and cleared, block by block, of the coronavirus.
A SAFE RETURN TO WORK
Although Mr Ajith and his roommates have not been able to work for the last four months, they are the minority in STL. Close to 12,000 of about 19,000 workers now housed there - more than three in five - have gone back to work.
Islandwide, about 265,000 workers in the construction, marine and process sectors have been able to head back to work as of Thursday.
Yesterday, Mr Wong said that the vast majority of migrant workers in the dorms would be able to resume work by the end of the month.
"But our fight against the virus is not over. Just because we have Covid-cleared dorms today doesn't mean that we will automatically have Covid-safe dorms in the future," he warned.
In its latest update last night, the Health Ministry announced that four previous cases had been linked to form a new cluster at a dormitory at 66 Tech Park Crescent.
Many measures are in place to ensure that workers resuming work do not spark new Covid-19 cases.
Workers, for example, have to use the FWMOMCare app, released on May 18 by MOM, to report their health status and location daily.
Before they can return to work, employers have to obtain the relevant approvals from agencies, such as the Building and Construction Authority.
Only when all conditions, including measures such as staggered transport arrangements, are met, will the worker be given a green AccessCode - meaning he is cleared to return to work.
Employers were generally supportive of the measures.
Mr Nixon Loh, 48, general manager of Loh & Loh Construction, said he has always provided transport for his workers, who are also issued protective equipment and hand sanitiser when needed.
"Obviously now, there will be an increase in cost, which is unavoidable. The important thing is that we get to resume our projects," said Mr Loh, who has about 250 workers staying in STL.
Seven in 10 of his workers have the green AccessCode.
TG25's Mr Lee said his dorm implements checks at both the block and the exit to the dorm, where workers have to flash the green status on their phones' SGWorkPass app before they can leave.
In the last three weeks, he has also been helping to cohort workers, a measure introduced to prevent cross-transmissions by housing workers according to their work sites. He has helped 87 firms cohort more than 4,000 workers so far.
Mr Tan Fang Qun, deputy commander of the joint task force on dorms, said safe living measures are key to the safe resumption of work.
"Dorm operators have been working very closely with employers, Fast teams and workers to put in place proper segregation measures," he said, adding that these help to minimise mixing between workers of different floors or blocks and reduce potential transmissions.
Still, there will always be the risk of infections, especially since some who get Covid-19 do not display symptoms.
Mr Tan, who is director of planning and organisation development at MOM's foreign manpower management division, said a 14-day routine testing of all workers begins once a dorm is cleared.
"So when we do discover any infection, we are able to move in quite quickly and contain and arrest the spread of the virus," he said.
If a case pops up, the authorities will act by assessing the ground situation. If the dorm has proper enforcement of safe living measures, fewer workers will need to be isolated.
WHAT'S NEXT
The work is not done and the goal is to further improve living conditions of migrant workers, with a further reduction of the density of workers in the dorms.
MOM has been holding consultations with both operators and health experts on quick-build dorms, to be ready by the end of the year. New specifications will ensure each worker gets more living space, with less sharing of facilities.
Other arrangements include fitting out former schools and vacant factories to house workers.
Mr Tan said more information on plans to reduce worker density in the dorms will be announced in the coming weeks.
Another area of focus is the emotional well-being of workers.
Mr Tan outlined efforts to step up communication with workers and to work with non-governmental organisations and worker ambassadors.
Since the start of the crisis, the welfare of workers and how to help them had been a top priority.
Plans to possibly have staggered rest days when workers can leave their dorms for recreational purposes, and for more mental health support, were revealed to ST on Wednesday.
At STL, Mr Lee is already working with the Salvation Army to provide counselling services for the workers, which started this month.
DAC Shu also said that the medical post at STL looks out for any signs of depression or insomnia, and the team works with migrant workers' help group HealthServe to provide mental health support.
As Mr Ajith and the over 300,000 others staying in dorms return to work in the coming weeks, these plans offer hope that, after a long day of labour, they can return to a more supportive and comfortable living environment.
They must be conducted by religious bodies with good record of COVID-19 safety measures
By Timothy Goh, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2020
As Singapore enters a new normal with the gradual easing of various restrictions, large gatherings and festivities, such as National Day community concerts and seventh lunar month events, will by and large continue to remain virtual, the Health Ministry (MOH) said yesterday.
But there will be exceptions.
The ministry said seventh lunar month prayers and post-funeral religious rites, conducted by religious organisations with a good track record of implementing safe management measures, will be allowed in places of worship and some external venues such as Housing Board common areas.
Details on how many people will be allowed to attend are expected to be released soon.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said at a virtual press conference earlier yesterday that many Singaporeans have expressed their eagerness to resume regular activities.
Hence, curbs were eased recently on weddings, wakes and funerals.
"We recognise that these are key milestones in life that Singaporeans hope to commemorate, and that memories of these events will stay precious long after the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
"We will continue to assess the situation and allow the gradual resumption of other events, including wedding receptions and some religious rites," he said.
But most other events should remain virtual for the time being, he added.
"This does not mean that we can no longer celebrate these occasions, but that we will need to find new ways to do so," he said.
Citing this year's National Day celebrations, the minister said: "Singaporeans are a resourceful people, and many have found new and creative ways to commemorate our nation's independence while adhering to the safe management measures.
"With a right mindset and attitude, we can adapt and make the best of the situation, even if we need to continue with safe distancing measures."
The authorities have taken active steps to move Singapore into a "new normal" within the pandemic environment.
MOH's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the costs of polymerase chain reaction tests for Covid-19 will decrease in the future as protocols get optimised and tests become more available, benefiting all visitors and travellers who will require testing when they enter or leave Singapore.
More travellers are expected as Singapore gradually reopens its borders, with testing being a necessary step to ensure they do not bring the coronavirus infection with them.
Currently, the cost is around $200 per test.
But even as Singapore moves towards the new normal, Covid-19 task force co-chair Lawrence Wong said the country is unlikely to ever be completely free of the virus.
Despite Singapore's recent streak of low community cases, it must be wary of a resurgence in infections.
He said: "We still think today that there is some underlying rate of infection. It's very, very low, but it is there.
"And it's quite likely that this was the case in many other countries where you saw a resurgence of cases... places where you saw very low case counts on a daily basis for many, many days or even weeks... and then suddenly things spike up."
The key is to learn how to live with the virus, to find new safe ways for people to carry on with their lives.
"As long as we are able to put in place the necessary measures, as long as Singaporeans and residents of Singapore comply with the safe distancing measures, we think we can progressively resume more activities while keeping the infection under control."
Long and hard battle to clear foreign worker dorms of COVID-19
No mean feat at Sungei Tengah Lodge, one of the largest ex-clusters that are now virus-free
By Tee Zhuo, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2020
His 8m by 6m room at Sungei Tengah Lodge (STL), which he shares with 11 others, is cleaner, with cleaning supplies provided.
He uses an app on his mobile phone to scan a QR code near the room's entrance, to report his location to the authorities twice daily.
He hopes to be back at work soon, after a lapse of four months.
These are just a few changes among many made in the battle against Covid-19 in the dorms since early April, when the first dorms were gazetted as isolation areas.
FOUR-MONTH BATTLE
Yesterday, Singapore finished testing all 323,000 workers in dorms for Covid-19.
A "massive undertaking", as Education Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the multi-ministry virus task force, said in a Facebook post.
And as of Monday, some nine in 10 of these workers - or 273,000 - have recovered or been tested to be free of Covid-19.
The journey to the current stage has taken four long and arduous months of many policies and measures implemented to meet a fast-evolving situation.
A microcosm of what has happened can be found in STL, which went from being one of the largest clusters to being Covid-19-free last month.
It was no mean feat to manage the then 23,000 workers when the dorm was first gazetted as an isolation area in early April, said Mr Simon Lee, chief operating officer of TG25, which runs STL.
"During that period, I was having only two hours of sleep (a night) for easily two weeks," he said, adding that it was a "mad rush" to get all the workers to return and stay in their rooms.
An especially challenging task was catering meals for everyone and maintaining hygiene and sanitation, he added, recalling "a lot of media attention" on the matter.
By this time, unsanitary conditions in some dorms had been placed in the spotlight. A Straits Times report on April 6 on conditions at S11 Dormitory @ Punggol described crowded rooms with cockroaches and overflowing toilets.
To improve conditions and manage the situation, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo announced the deployment of Forward Assurance and Support Teams (Fast) - comprising Ministry of Manpower (MOM), police and military officers.
Rigorous hygiene and sanitation measures were put in place, caterers were roped in to provide workers with three meals a day, and medical posts were set up to test and treat those who felt unwell.
Healthy workers in essential services were transferred to alternative sites like floating hotels and vacant Housing Board blocks, to separate them from infected workers and reduce work disruption.
In mid-May, Mr Wong announced plans to test all 323,000 workers in dorms for Covid-19.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Shu Su Yen, who leads the 36-person Fast team at STL, said it worked with the dorm's operator to keep track of each worker's status.
A team from the National University Hospital was on site for medical clearance.
"Working hand in hand with these two partners on site helped us ensure that no workers were left out of the testing," she said.
This paved the way for the dorm to be de-gazetted and cleared, block by block, of the coronavirus.
A SAFE RETURN TO WORK
Although Mr Ajith and his roommates have not been able to work for the last four months, they are the minority in STL. Close to 12,000 of about 19,000 workers now housed there - more than three in five - have gone back to work.
Islandwide, about 265,000 workers in the construction, marine and process sectors have been able to head back to work as of Thursday.
Yesterday, Mr Wong said that the vast majority of migrant workers in the dorms would be able to resume work by the end of the month.
"But our fight against the virus is not over. Just because we have Covid-cleared dorms today doesn't mean that we will automatically have Covid-safe dorms in the future," he warned.
In its latest update last night, the Health Ministry announced that four previous cases had been linked to form a new cluster at a dormitory at 66 Tech Park Crescent.
Many measures are in place to ensure that workers resuming work do not spark new Covid-19 cases.
Workers, for example, have to use the FWMOMCare app, released on May 18 by MOM, to report their health status and location daily.
Before they can return to work, employers have to obtain the relevant approvals from agencies, such as the Building and Construction Authority.
Only when all conditions, including measures such as staggered transport arrangements, are met, will the worker be given a green AccessCode - meaning he is cleared to return to work.
Employers were generally supportive of the measures.
Mr Nixon Loh, 48, general manager of Loh & Loh Construction, said he has always provided transport for his workers, who are also issued protective equipment and hand sanitiser when needed.
"Obviously now, there will be an increase in cost, which is unavoidable. The important thing is that we get to resume our projects," said Mr Loh, who has about 250 workers staying in STL.
Seven in 10 of his workers have the green AccessCode.
TG25's Mr Lee said his dorm implements checks at both the block and the exit to the dorm, where workers have to flash the green status on their phones' SGWorkPass app before they can leave.
In the last three weeks, he has also been helping to cohort workers, a measure introduced to prevent cross-transmissions by housing workers according to their work sites. He has helped 87 firms cohort more than 4,000 workers so far.
Mr Tan Fang Qun, deputy commander of the joint task force on dorms, said safe living measures are key to the safe resumption of work.
"Dorm operators have been working very closely with employers, Fast teams and workers to put in place proper segregation measures," he said, adding that these help to minimise mixing between workers of different floors or blocks and reduce potential transmissions.
Still, there will always be the risk of infections, especially since some who get Covid-19 do not display symptoms.
Mr Tan, who is director of planning and organisation development at MOM's foreign manpower management division, said a 14-day routine testing of all workers begins once a dorm is cleared.
"So when we do discover any infection, we are able to move in quite quickly and contain and arrest the spread of the virus," he said.
If a case pops up, the authorities will act by assessing the ground situation. If the dorm has proper enforcement of safe living measures, fewer workers will need to be isolated.
WHAT'S NEXT
The work is not done and the goal is to further improve living conditions of migrant workers, with a further reduction of the density of workers in the dorms.
MOM has been holding consultations with both operators and health experts on quick-build dorms, to be ready by the end of the year. New specifications will ensure each worker gets more living space, with less sharing of facilities.
Other arrangements include fitting out former schools and vacant factories to house workers.
Mr Tan said more information on plans to reduce worker density in the dorms will be announced in the coming weeks.
Another area of focus is the emotional well-being of workers.
Mr Tan outlined efforts to step up communication with workers and to work with non-governmental organisations and worker ambassadors.
Since the start of the crisis, the welfare of workers and how to help them had been a top priority.
Plans to possibly have staggered rest days when workers can leave their dorms for recreational purposes, and for more mental health support, were revealed to ST on Wednesday.
At STL, Mr Lee is already working with the Salvation Army to provide counselling services for the workers, which started this month.
DAC Shu also said that the medical post at STL looks out for any signs of depression or insomnia, and the team works with migrant workers' help group HealthServe to provide mental health support.
As Mr Ajith and the over 300,000 others staying in dorms return to work in the coming weeks, these plans offer hope that, after a long day of labour, they can return to a more supportive and comfortable living environment.
Early-stage coronavirus vaccine trial begins in Singapore
Volunteers being screened for Lunar-Cov19's early-stage clinical trial that is set to last till October 2020
By Audrey Tan, Science Correspondent, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2020
The early-stage clinical trial for a Covid-19 vaccine has started in Singapore, with the first vaccinations expected to be given to volunteers next week.
Clinicians and researchers are now screening those who have stepped forward to ensure they are suitable for the trial, which is expected to last until October.
The SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit is administering the trial for the vaccine.
Called Lunar-Cov19, the vaccine is developed by Duke-NUS Medical School and United States pharmaceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics.
Associate Professor Jenny Low, deputy clinical and scientific director at the SingHealth unit, told The Straits Times yesterday that more than 250 volunteers have stepped forward for the trial.
Around 100 people will take part in the trial. The volunteers are in their 20s to 50s.
"As the trial is open to volunteers from 21 to 80 years old, we continue to be on the lookout for more participants, especially those in the older age group," she added.
Prof Low said the volunteer response for the vaccine trial has been encouraging.
"It shows that people are willing to contribute towards the advancement of science, even if the trial may not benefit them directly."
A vaccine works by "showing" the immune system an important part of the virus and "training" it to recognise and remember a pathogen without exposing the patient to the risk of disease.
Traditional vaccines do this by injecting a killed or weakened form of the virus into the human body so that the immune system recognises the invader and begins summoning its "soldiers" - antibodies and T-cells - to get rid of it.
However, the Lunar-Cov19 vaccine involves a newer type of biotechnology.
The vaccine contains only fragments of the virus' genetic material, instead of the whole virus.
When these viral genetic fragments enter the human cell after injection, the genome fragments commandeer the cell to begin producing the signature spike protein of the coronavirus.
This trains the body to recognise a key part of the virus - the spike protein - without exposing it to the whole virus.
Prof Low said the vaccine had shown promising pre-clinical results, and the next step would be to ensure it is safe, and that it can elicit a robust antibody and T-cell immunity in vaccinated individuals to confer long-lasting protection against Covid-19.
The early-stage clinical trial for the Lunar-Cov19 being conducted here is known in medical circles as a phase I/II trial.
Typically, a phase I vaccine trial involves a small number of subjects, usually fewer than 100.
They are recruited to evaluate the different doses of a vaccine for potential toxicity, and to understand how drugs are removed from the body. The body's immune response will also be measured.
The focus of phase II is similar, except the number of subjects is usually increased to several hundreds.
Prof Low said that combining phases I and II for this trial will allow for greater flexibility and help to speed up the trial without any gaps in time after phase I.
She added: "This is important during a pandemic such as Covid-19, where the search for a vaccine is critical to saving lives and should be accelerated where possible without compromising on safety."
Before a clinical trial is allowed to take place, many measures have to be in place to ensure the safety of a vaccine.
This includes having experts conduct extensive pre-clinical tests, such as laboratory tests, animal studies and safety tests.
A vaccine can move into the clinical trial stage only when promising pre-clinical results are shown, Prof Low said.
The trials are also tightly regulated by both ethics and regulatory boards, and close safety monitoring takes place at every phase.
The Lunar-Cov19 vaccine is one of 26 vaccine candidates worldwide that either have been tested on humans or have received approval to do so.
Some 139 others are still at a pre-clinical phase.
"As one of the vaccine candidates in the world that has reached the clinical evaluation stage, this trial is definitely significant for Singapore," said Prof Low, who is also a senior consultant at the department of infectious diseases at the Singapore General Hospital.
"If the vaccine is efficacious, Singapore would have played a key role in the global search for a Covid-19 vaccine, and hopefully be able to help find a solution to the current pandemic."
Singapore will also have priority access to the vaccine for its population, Prof Low added.
The next phase of the trial - phase III - will look into finding out if the vaccine reduces the occurrence of a particular disease.
ST had earlier reported that phase III of the clinical development process involves inoculating a much larger pool of thousands of volunteers in Singapore and abroad, and that this could start before the end of the year.
Those interested in taking part in the trial can contact the SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit at imu@singhealth.com.sg or call 6323-7544/8318-0685.
Volunteers being screened for Lunar-Cov19's early-stage clinical trial that is set to last till October 2020
By Audrey Tan, Science Correspondent, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2020
The early-stage clinical trial for a Covid-19 vaccine has started in Singapore, with the first vaccinations expected to be given to volunteers next week.
Clinicians and researchers are now screening those who have stepped forward to ensure they are suitable for the trial, which is expected to last until October.
The SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit is administering the trial for the vaccine.
Called Lunar-Cov19, the vaccine is developed by Duke-NUS Medical School and United States pharmaceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics.
Associate Professor Jenny Low, deputy clinical and scientific director at the SingHealth unit, told The Straits Times yesterday that more than 250 volunteers have stepped forward for the trial.
Around 100 people will take part in the trial. The volunteers are in their 20s to 50s.
"As the trial is open to volunteers from 21 to 80 years old, we continue to be on the lookout for more participants, especially those in the older age group," she added.
Prof Low said the volunteer response for the vaccine trial has been encouraging.
"It shows that people are willing to contribute towards the advancement of science, even if the trial may not benefit them directly."
A vaccine works by "showing" the immune system an important part of the virus and "training" it to recognise and remember a pathogen without exposing the patient to the risk of disease.
Traditional vaccines do this by injecting a killed or weakened form of the virus into the human body so that the immune system recognises the invader and begins summoning its "soldiers" - antibodies and T-cells - to get rid of it.
However, the Lunar-Cov19 vaccine involves a newer type of biotechnology.
The vaccine contains only fragments of the virus' genetic material, instead of the whole virus.
When these viral genetic fragments enter the human cell after injection, the genome fragments commandeer the cell to begin producing the signature spike protein of the coronavirus.
This trains the body to recognise a key part of the virus - the spike protein - without exposing it to the whole virus.
Prof Low said the vaccine had shown promising pre-clinical results, and the next step would be to ensure it is safe, and that it can elicit a robust antibody and T-cell immunity in vaccinated individuals to confer long-lasting protection against Covid-19.
The early-stage clinical trial for the Lunar-Cov19 being conducted here is known in medical circles as a phase I/II trial.
Typically, a phase I vaccine trial involves a small number of subjects, usually fewer than 100.
They are recruited to evaluate the different doses of a vaccine for potential toxicity, and to understand how drugs are removed from the body. The body's immune response will also be measured.
The focus of phase II is similar, except the number of subjects is usually increased to several hundreds.
Prof Low said that combining phases I and II for this trial will allow for greater flexibility and help to speed up the trial without any gaps in time after phase I.
She added: "This is important during a pandemic such as Covid-19, where the search for a vaccine is critical to saving lives and should be accelerated where possible without compromising on safety."
Before a clinical trial is allowed to take place, many measures have to be in place to ensure the safety of a vaccine.
This includes having experts conduct extensive pre-clinical tests, such as laboratory tests, animal studies and safety tests.
A vaccine can move into the clinical trial stage only when promising pre-clinical results are shown, Prof Low said.
The trials are also tightly regulated by both ethics and regulatory boards, and close safety monitoring takes place at every phase.
The Lunar-Cov19 vaccine is one of 26 vaccine candidates worldwide that either have been tested on humans or have received approval to do so.
Some 139 others are still at a pre-clinical phase.
"As one of the vaccine candidates in the world that has reached the clinical evaluation stage, this trial is definitely significant for Singapore," said Prof Low, who is also a senior consultant at the department of infectious diseases at the Singapore General Hospital.
"If the vaccine is efficacious, Singapore would have played a key role in the global search for a Covid-19 vaccine, and hopefully be able to help find a solution to the current pandemic."
Singapore will also have priority access to the vaccine for its population, Prof Low added.
The next phase of the trial - phase III - will look into finding out if the vaccine reduces the occurrence of a particular disease.
ST had earlier reported that phase III of the clinical development process involves inoculating a much larger pool of thousands of volunteers in Singapore and abroad, and that this could start before the end of the year.
Those interested in taking part in the trial can contact the SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit at imu@singhealth.com.sg or call 6323-7544/8318-0685.
No comments:
Post a Comment