Singapore’s Workforce Corps: The Great Vaccine Countdown
Starting out the holiday season with about 52,000 Singapore employees still standing on the fence regarding their Covid shots, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) gave the official numbers on Monday, 27 Dec. 2023.
- Age Factor: 6,700 of those vaccine‑late workers are 60 years or older—a group that’s “at very high risk of severe illness or death” if they catch the virus.
- Medical Exceptions: Only a tiny sliver of that 52,000 are sick‑eligible; the rest are basically on the “take a jab, soon” list.
- Vaccination Streak: Roughly 98 % of the workforce (excluding the self‑employed) already has their shots, and 80 % of firms have hit full coverage for their teams.
- Progress: This marks a drop from the 75,000 unvaccinated counted on 5 Dec, so it’s a good sign that the nation is grinding toward a fully protected mass.
New Ministry of Health Rules Coming Into Force
On Sunday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) threw down a sharp line: from 15 Jan 2024, employees who aren’t fully vaccinated won’t be allowed back into the workplace—even if they test negative just 24 hours before. Only those who are medically ineligible or had Covid in the last 180 days get the green light.
If you’re only 50‑percent vaccinated:
- You can still go to work until 31 Jan, but you’ll need a clean 24‑hour pre‑event test.
- After that sweet spot, you’ll have to wrap up the full jab schedule.
Work‑From‑Home Rules: Just a Few Steps Away from the Office
By 1 Jan, 50 % of those who can comfortably work from home will get a safety net to return to their desks. This shift is a carry‑over of the “remote‑by‑default” policy that kicked off back in September when Covid bouts were on the rise again.
Why It Matters: The Omicron Surge & Healthcare Tipping Point
MOM’s latest report highlights the more transmissible Omicron variant, paired with the ever‑persistent Delta. “Unvaccinated, especially the older cohort, will seriously strain our healthcare capacity in the coming months if they get sick,” the ministry warned. In short, one missed jab could be a one‑hundred‑visits doctor’s bill.
So if you’re on that big “52,000” list, time to press that “vaccinate” button before the new rules turn the office into an exclusive club. And hey, remember – a second dose today might just keep you out of the door for a while longer.
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