Obtaining immunity to fight off the Covid invader.
With the rising cases of Covid-19 cases, and especially the Delta variant type of the virus, in NSW, parts of Queensland and a suspected cluster having reportedly occurred in Victoria lock-downs are being strictly enforced and plans in place for a massive vaccination drive, just as is occurring in New Zealand in order to try and reach a vaccination rate of 80 percent of the population throughout Australia to give the country the best possible chance of combatting the deadly, easily spread, Delta variant of Covid.
Infectious disease experts yesterday were generally optimistic in Singapore that there they would be able to exit the current phase, or heightened alert Phase, as scheduled on August 18.
Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, the vice-dean (global health) at the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said Singapore will likely have 80 per cent of its population fully vaccinated by September.
As it is, 63 per cent of the population have already completed their vaccination regime as of Monday, and the country looks set to meet its target of having two-thirds of the population — or about 66 per cent — fully vaccinated by National Day on August 9.
And the statistics from the Ministry of Health (MoH) about the local cases in the last 28 days by vaccination status and severity of their condition have shown the efficacy of the vaccines.
According to the data, which was last updated on Tuesday, 5.2 per cent of unvaccinated patients
When Singapore finally treats Covid-19 as an endemic disease, the focus should be on monitoring severe cases instead.
“The severe (form of the) disease will be limited to the unvaccinated, and rarely someone vaccinated,”
Assoc Prof Hsu, who is also his school’s programme leader for infectious diseases, has said that mild cases of Covid-19 can then be treated at home, which will similarly free up crucial space in the hospitals.
I believe, judging by statements made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison today it would be my guess that Australian is hoping to get sufficient high numbers of the population vaccinated to deal with Covid in the same way as Singapore would like to one day, as merely an endemic disease and one that would be limited to the unvaccinated.
I can only presume that the health authorities in New Zealand would hope for the same.
The key to achieving such objectives lies in encouraging huge vaccination drives with the highest priority.
At home in the Solomon Islands much must be done to counter false stories about the safety of vaccinations and added efforts made to encourage a high vaccination ratio of the population in order to be safe from the Delta strain of Covid and any other variants that might occur.
Long ago the Solomon Islands fought off and came through an invasion. Think now as the country being a battle ship under fire from all sides. To keep safe from attack the sailors need protection and that protection is by being vaccinated giving immunity from the gun shots.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
