Singapore has now recorded the most vaccinations in a country as the country fully inoculates 80% of its 5.7 million people against COVID-19, according to officials, becoming the world’s most vaccinated country and setting the stage for further easing of curbs.
In a post on Facebook, Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung made the statement, saying “We have crossed another milestone, where 80% of our population has received their full regimen of two doses.
“It means Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to COVID-19.”
Singapore, which began its vaccination campaign in January, relied mostly on the jabs developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Earlier this month, the health minister said if Singapore can continue to keep the number of severe cases and illnesses under control and our healthcare capacity is not overly stretched, then the country will further open up its economy and allow social activities and quarantine-free travel to resume.
In his words, “Our lives will be more normal, livelihoods will be better protected,” he said.
The minister, along with two other cabinet ministers, describing what the new normal would look like in an article in the Straits Times in June, said that large gatherings such as the New Year Countdown will resume and businesses will have certainty that their operations will not be disrupted.
Singaporeans will also be allowed to travel again to countries that have also controlled the virus.
“We will recognise each other’s vaccination certificates. Travellers, especially those vaccinated, can get themselves tested before departure and be exempted from quarantine with a negative test upon arrival,” they said.
Singapore has logged a total of 67,171 cases and 55 deaths since the pandemic began. It reported 113 new infections on Saturday.
According to a tracker by the Reuters news agency, the development gives the tiny city-state the world’s highest rate of complete vaccinations.
Other countries that have high vaccination rates include the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Chile, which have fully inoculated more than 70% of their populations.
