We’ve come very far in our vaccination progress after a year and a half since the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out, haven’t we?
82% of Singapore’s population have already been fully vaccinated, and most people you ask will tell you that they’ve already gotten their shots.
Yet, there remains a small percentage of people who haven’t.
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And it could make all the difference in survival rates of the virus, especially in nursing homes.
Vaccinations For Those In Nursing Homes Are Now “Life And Death”
Sadly, despite the government and Phua Chu Kang’s efforts to get more seniors to get their vaccinations through catchy songs, some still remain on the fence about it.
However, with the COVID-19 virus quickly closing in on the nation, which saw over 1,000 daily cases in the past week, it seems like there’s no more shunning the importance of vaccination.
It’s no doubt that seniors are one of the most vulnerable groups against the virus, given the recent clusters in nursing homes.
With many seniors living together in close proximity, it only increases the risk of having a cluster form especially as there are also many staff members going in and out, health experts warned.
As a result, it’s now a matter of life and death to get vaccinated, especially for those residing in nursing homes, they concluded.
Family Members & Relatives To Help Persuade Them
Family members and relatives of seniors who remain unvaccinated should review their stance on getting vaccinated and encourage them to do so, said National University Hospital’s (NUH) senior infectious diseases consultant, Professor Dale Fisher.
Seniors are at risk of developing severe illnesses if they get infected, he added.
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Professor Fisher also advised that seniors with co-morbidities should receive their vaccination doses within the month, and encouraged those who are already vaccinated to take a booster shot.
Kenneth Mak, the director of Medical Services in Singapore, also commented on the government’s increased effort to get seniors in nursing homes vaccinated.
While they’ve made “significant inroads” in getting said seniors vaccinated, there are still some who are not vaccinated, either due to the seniors’ own objections, or their families’.
Additionally, there are many ways in which clusters could possibly start at nursing homes – including staff changing shifts, visitors, and communal activities.
While personal safety against the virus is one reason why seniors should get vaccinated, infectious diseases expert Leong Hoe Nam also said that it would assist the healthcare system in allocating resources.
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Unvaccinated individuals require hospital care if they get infected, which could possibly prevent vaccinated individuals with other acute illnesses from getting a much-needed space in the hospital.
“If we say no to vaccines, we must seriously remember the potential hurt we can cause others, especially when healthcare resources are now limited,” Dr Leong added.
Measures For Nursing Homes Stepped Up
While trying to get more seniors vaccinated, the government has since put precautionary measures in place at nursing homes to prevent any spread of infection.
Previously, several nursing homes have reported COVID-19 clusters within their resident and staff body, the first being Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home in April last year.
Widespread testing was conducted in elderly homes all around Singapore during the circuit breaker period to ring-fence infections back then.
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Now that local cases have been rapidly increasing, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has restricted visitors from going to residential care homes, effective from now until 11 October.
Following 15 reported infections in the Jamiyah Nursing Home, the home has since deep cleaned the premises and ensured that staff are in full protective gear to prevent further spread of the virus.
Other homes with reported cases like Windsor Convalescent Home are also working with the authorities to test residents and staff in affected areas.
Read Also:
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Feature Image: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz / Shutterstock.com
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