“Test yourself, isolate yourself when you’re not feeling well, wear your mask if you don’t feel well or if you’re living with the elderly, to protect the elderly, wear your mask,” he said. “If you’re infected, Protocol 1, 2, 3 is still relevant.”
Another precaution that hospitals have taken is to restrict visitors, he said. During the press conference on Saturday morning, Mr Ong and Director of Medical Services Kenneth Mak said that hospital capacity is being ramped up, and should be able to cope with the current wave.
Mr Ong also reminded people to go for vaccinations if they are eligible. He said that on Friday, Singapore started administering bivalent vaccine jabs, and completed about 4,200 vaccinations.
“If you’re above 50 and have not received your three shots or if you’re above 50, and your last shot is more than five months ago, consider walking into a joint testing and vaccination centre to receive your Moderna bivalent vaccine,” he said.
“I’ve gotten mine … this time round – hardly any side effects at all.”
These are the measures that the Government has in place now, and if the situation should worsen, there could be more measures “in a way that doesn’t disrupt our lives”.
“I think the obvious one is number one, maybe we put back our masks, say indoor or indoor and outdoor, if the situation requires it,” he said.
Another possibility is the return of vaccine-differentiated measures, Mr Ong added.
All such measures, like the requirement for one to be vaccinated in order to dine in at hawker centres and other food establishments, were lifted on Oct 10.
“We are monitoring the XBB rate closely and the impact on the healthcare system to see if some of these measures are necessary. As of now, no decision has to be taken.”