Health Minister Ong Ye Kung addresses COVID-19 measures in Parliament
SINGAPORE: Although the COVID-19 situation in Singapore has stabilised, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has urged the public not to remove their TraceTogether apps or discard their tokens. He stated that the government may reintroduce vaccinated-differentiated safe management measures if the situation warrants it.
Ong Ye Kung emphasised the government’s cautious approach, adopting a “step down but not dismantle” strategy for public health measures. He clarified that if necessary, the country will reactivate TraceTogether and SafeEntry depending on the severity of the pandemic. Decisions on this will take into account factors such as the emergence of new variants, their severity or infectiousness compared to Omicron, and the effectiveness of vaccines in offering protection.
He acknowledged that some members of the public seek clear and transparent guidelines for when measures would be reintroduced, but explained that such clarity is challenging during a pandemic, where the situation can change rapidly. The government’s priority, according to Ong, is to protect lives during critical moments, while scaling back measures once they are no longer deemed necessary.
Responding to a question from Member of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan (PAP-Mountbatten) about non-fully vaccinated individuals entering malls or dining at F&B outlets, Ong confirmed that such individuals could still enter malls, as many restrictions have been lifted for them. However, given the potential for a future wave of infections and the threat of new variants, he advised continued caution.
Ong highlighted that vaccinated-differentiated measures remain in place for high-risk settings such as nightlife venues, large events, and F&B outlets where there is continuous mask-off interaction. However, for F&B venues, TraceTogether and SafeEntry will not be used; instead, it will be up to customers to ensure they are fully vaccinated before entering.
Additionally, Ong discussed the future of Singapore’s Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) framework. He mentioned that while the DORSCON level is likely still relevant, it requires review within the broader context of emergency preparedness and public communication strategies. He pointed out how initial announcements of the DORSCON level during the early stages of the pandemic caused panic-buying, an issue the government plans to address in future revisions.
From a public communication perspective, Ong observed that the public now focuses more on understanding specific health measures rather than reacting to changes in the DORSCON level. He expressed confidence that Singaporeans are now better equipped to respond to a worsening pandemic.
