Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received the first dose of the Coronavirus vaccine today, Friday, and urged others to get vaccinated, in a country that has largely controlled the pandemic.
In contrast to other mass vaccination programs in the United States and Britain, Singapore gives the vaccine to its citizens even though it has largely eliminated the disease and has recorded few cases of local transmission in the past months.
The government said its studies revealed that about 60 percent of the population would like to receive the vaccine. However, the vaccination plans caused some hesitation due to the low chances of infection in the country and concerns about the side effects of vaccines that were developed in a hurry.
“It will make you safer, and your loved ones will be safer as well. Please take it whenever possible,” said 68-year-old Lee after receiving a dose of the vaccine at a local hospital.
Singapore not only approved the Pfizer-Bionic vaccine, but said it had received enough doses for its 5.7 million people, some from other companies such as Moderna and Sinovac.
Although the vaccination is optional, the authorities said they would consider easing some travel restrictions for those who received the protective vaccination against the virus that has killed about 1.9 million people infected with it worldwide.
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