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9 Must-Know Updates from Today’s COVID-19 Press Conference (14 Dec)

2021-12-14 , 6:07 pm

If you’ve been working from home for the last two years or so and are enjoying the laidback life, that might end soon.

Conversely, if you’re in need of a short holiday in JB, that might be a reality soon.

This afternoon (14 December), the multi-ministry task force tackling COVID-19 held another press conference with both good news and bad news.

Here are what you need to know.

50% Of People Who Can Work from Home Will Be Allowed Back to the Office

Let’s start with the bad news first, should we?

In a move that surprises no one, it’s announced that from 1 January 2022, up to 50% of people who can work from home will be allowed back in the office.

Work from home will no longer be the default mode.

If you’d have remembered, you need to be fully vaccinated before you can head back to the office. It’s reported that about 97% of Singapore’s workforce is now fully vaccinated.

Initially, it was mentioned that if you’re unvaccinated but tested negative for COVID-19, you can still head back to the office, but Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said that they might be removing that concession, given that the Omicron variant could cause a bigger outbreak.

And speaking of Omicron…

16 Omicron Cases Reported in Singapore (So Far)

There are currently 16 Omicron cases detected in Singapore, and out of the 16, 14 are imported while two are airport staff.

All the cases are vaccinated with no or mild symptoms, and 13 cases are recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, while 3 cases have been discharged.

And as usual, the authorities believe that it’s just a matter of time before we see more Omicron cases, and advise people to take their vaccines or their booster shots.

You can know more about Omicron by watching this to the end:

Now, with that, we can finally move on to the good news (unless you’re not vaccinated or you like working in the office).

Land VTL between Singapore and Malaysia is Now Open for Everyone

Previously, you need to be a Malaysian or have a long-term pass in Malaysia to use the land VTL to enter Malaysia. The same applies to people coming into Singapore.

From 20 December 2021, anyone can use the land VTL—this means if you’re a Singaporean, you can book a ticket and head to JB for that cheap seafood you’ve been drooling over since last year…although it might not be cheap after you’ve gone through all the COVID-19 tests.

The usual test protocols still apply, which includes daily testing for the first six days if you’re entering Malaysia, and a usual pre-departure test.

While this looks like a grand opening between the two countries, it isn’t: Health Minister Ong Ye Kung highlighted that previously, more than 300,000 people travelled between the two countries daily via land before COVID-19 hit, but the limit is still 2,880 people daily for the Land VTL.

Suffice to say, buying a bus ticket will soon be as difficult as buying a Jay Chou concert ticket.

As for day trips, it’s technically possible, but Trade and Industry Minister Mr Gan added, “I would encourage you to consider very carefully if you want to spend just a day there, bearing in mind that there are testing regimes in place.”

With that, this means we need more test centres, and this means…

More COVID-19 Quick Test Centres in Coming Weeks

With the projected demand in supervised self-administered antigen rapid tests (ARTs), there will be at least 60 more quick test centres in selected sites across the island in the coming weeks, which means we’d have about 120 quick test centres soon.

Each test is priced at $15.

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More Vaccinated-Differentiated Places

I don’t know about you, but with so many places with vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS), I’d have thought that people who chose not to take the vaccine can only go to two places: their room and their living room.

But no; it appears that as of now, they can still head to indoor sports facilities and institutes of higher learning, and join media conferences, work-related events and funerary memorial events.

From 1 February 2022, those will be banned as well.

And if you still choose not to take your vaccine because you’ve just recovered from COVID-19, the next point might convince you to take the jab.

Unvaccinated Recovered COVID-19 Patients’ “Immunity” to VDS Shortened to 180

If you’re unvaccinated but have recovered from COVID-19, you were initially free from the VDS for 270 days.

From 1 January 2022, this will be reduced to 180 days.

As for the reason for the change?

Omicron, of course. What else?

Waiting Time After Taking Vaccine Reduced to 15 Minutes

Do you remember spending 30 minutes taking selfies after you’ve taken your vaccine at the waiting area?

Now, you’d have only 15 minutes to take your perfect selfie when you take your booster shot, because new data shows that there’s a lower risk of allergic reaction from a booster shot.

Booster Shots to be Extended to People Aged 18 to 29 As Well from 14 December 2021

It was mentioned earlier that people aged 18 to 29 would be invited to take their booster jabs, and the date is set: from today onwards, if you’ve taken your second jab more than five months ago, you’d be eligible for the booster jabs.

Watch this video to the end to know more about booster jabs, and whether we need to take booster jabs for the rest of our life:

Healthcare Facilities Ramped Up to Prepare for Omicron

If you’re worried that Omicron might cause our healthcare system to collapse, fret not: the authorities are prepared.

Soon, people infected with the variant can be placed in the home recovery programme as well.

MOH is also prepared to increase the capacity of community treatment facilities (CTFs) to help manage the load in public hospitals, and is concurrently stepping up efforts to augment the manpower required in our hospitals, too.

Simply put, we’re prepared.