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Seniors who don't take boosters 3 times more likely to die from COVID: Ong Ye Kung

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung urges seniors to get their COVID-19 booster shots in a TikTok video uploaded on 20 June, 2022. (SCREENCAPS: @ongyekung/TikTok)
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung urges seniors to get their COVID-19 booster shots in a TikTok video uploaded on 20 June, 2022. (SCREENCAPS: @ongyekung/TikTok)

SINGAPORE — Seniors who have not taken their COVID-19 booster shots are three times more likely to die from the disease, compared with those in the same age group who had all three shots.

In a TikTok video on Monday (20 June) urging seniors to get boosted ahead of the upcoming COVID-19 wave, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said those aged 60 and above with only two shots have a 10 in 1,000 chance of death or severe illness from the coronavirus disease.

In comparison, those who have received all three shots – two shots from the primary vaccination series and one booster shot – have a three in 1,000 chance of such negative outcomes.

Those who remain completely unvaccinated are the most vulnerable with a 40 in 1,000 chance, said Ong.

"It makes a difference whether you have taken zero, one, two or three shots," he noted, adding that 80,000 such seniors have yet to have their boosters.

"Don't delay anymore – go get your booster shot," Ong urged.

Seniors currently can walk into any vaccination centre to get their shots, while the Ministry of Health will be deploying mobile vaccination teams.

Earlier this month, Ong said Singapore will face its next wave of COVID-19 Omicron infections as early as July or August.

The country confirmed its first three cases of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, which have been driving South Africa's fifth COVID wave, in May.

To date, 1,367,761 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Singapore, with 1,403 deaths due to the disease.

As of Sunday, 92 per cent of the city-state's total population have completed their full COVID-19 vaccine regimen, while 77 per cent have received their booster shots.

Last Friday, the Ministry of Health announced that Singapore residents who are aged 50 and above can get a second booster, in line with the latest recommendations from the COVID-19 vaccination expert committee.

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