Additional COVID Vaccines- Too early to tell

In SINGAPORE, the Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on January 7th 2022 Friday said that it was "too early" to determine if further doses of the COVID-19 vaccine would be required.

Minister Ong Ye Kung was answering one of the queries: "Now that we must get a third dose to get our vaccination status extended, does that mean there will be a fourth, fifth, sixth dose?"

This is a concern to many Singaporeans and people working in Singapore. Singaporeans took up the 2 doses of mRna vaccines in 2021 when they were made available. However with the COVID variants from Delta and Omicron, studies showed that vaccines grew weaker over time or offered less protection overtime and hence people agreed to having a third dose or a booster shot. Now people are wondering if they need a fourth shooter or a fifth or will the boosters never seem to end.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that Israel is the only country so far to administer a fourth dose for people who are not immunocompromised. He also added that it was too early to answer if Singapore would need additional COVID-19 booster shots. He related how endemic diseases like Influenza, vaccines are taken on a annual basis to keep people protected. He explained that with diseases or viruses like Influenza, the Influenza virus keeps mutating so a new vaccine dose is necessary every year.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung then add that if we need future COVID-19 vaccine doses, it would depend on how fast the protection from three doses wanes, and whether the virus keeps mutating

In his facebook post, Minister Ong Ye Kung also detailed the recommendation for booster shots for those who have recovered from COVID-19.

However we the people should do our part too. From taking responsibilities of our own health and well being. Too taking Safe Management Measures seriously not just as individuals but also as employees or customers. Keeping our masks on. Maintaining social distancing. Avoiding crowds when possible. Ensuring that our offices, workplaces, shops have Safe Management Measures in place and these Safe Management Measures are maintained.

Having some of your teams to attend the Safe Management Officer course or the SMO Course

Typically the Safe Management Officer course would be as follows

At the end of the Safe Management Officer Course or the SMO Course, participants will be able to:

• Establish and implement a system of Safe Management Measures or SMMs to provide a safe working environment and minimise risks of further outbreaks.

• Perform duties of a Safe Management Officer or SMO that include:

– To coordinate the implementation of Safe Management Measures or SMMs, which includes identifying relevant risks, recommending and assisting in implementing measures to mitigate the risks, and communicating the measures to all personnel working in the workplace

– To conduct inspections and checks to ensure compliance at all times and to report and document any non-compliance found during the inspections

– To take immediate action to remedy any non-compliance found during the inspections and checks

The course outline for the Safe Management Officer or SMO course are as follows

-Legislation on COVID-19: COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020

-Establishing SMMs through Risk Assessment

-Duties of SMOs

– Coordinate Implementation of SMMs

– Conduct Inspection and Checks by SMOs

– Remedying non-compliance found during Inspection and Checks

– Keeping records for Inspection and Checks

Certificate Obtained and Conferred for the Safe Management Officer Course or SMO will generally be an e-certificate of completion issues by the training provider