MOH Urges People Not to Hoard ART Kits As We Have Enough Stocks

MOH Assures Ample ART Kit Supply Amidst Rising COVID-19 Cases

The surge of COVID-19 cases has prompted an increase in demand for ART kits. If you happen to be one of the kiasu people who have been stocking up on ART kits, there’s no need to panic or exacerbate the situation, as MOH assures that there are sufficient supplies.

On 11 December, the Ministry of Health (MOH) issued a statement, urging the people not to hoard ART kits. Instead, they advised citizens to purchase it in quantities that are sufficient for immediate needs.

Rise in Local COVID-19 Cases Results in Reduction of Available ART Kits

On 8 December, MOH disclosed that during the week spanning from 26 November to 2 December, the number of COVID-19 cases surged to 32,035 cases, marking an increase from the previous count of 22,094 cases. Furthermore, hospitalisations increased to 225.

According to MOH, the increase in cases can be attributed to multiple factors including heightened travel and community interactions during the year-end holiday season, as well as a decrease in population immunity.

60% of these cases were linked to the JN.1, a sub-lineage of the BA.2.86 variant. It is understandable that the presence of, yet another variant might be worrying to some. However, it’s worth noting that there are currently no indications that JN.1 or BA.2.86 are more transmissible or likely to cause more severe diseases than other variants.

The rise in cases has undoubtedly incited panic amongst the public as some stores had reportedly run out of ART kits. A check done by the Straits Times on 6 December found that several pharmacists and stores ran out of ART kits.

The demand for ART kits in NTUC FairPrice supermarkets and Unity pharmacies more than doubled from October to November. Even a Guardian outlet in Junction 8 experienced a shortage of ART kits for a brief period in December.

However, Guardian has reassured the public that they have scheduled regular restocks to ensure a steady supply of ART kits.

In their statement, MOH emphasised that retailers and pharmacists currently have sufficient supply and have already placed new orders to meet the increasing demand. MOH further reiterated that they have a stockpile of ART kits and will release it to aid retailers when necessary.

DPM Lawrence Wong Dismisses Debunks Rumours on Possible Reinstatement of Circuit Breaker

It appears that COVID-19 is not the only thing making the rounds these days. There have been swirling rumors suggesting that the government is contemplating the reimplementation of a circuit breaker.

However, Deputy Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, swiftly dismissed these rumours in a Facebook post on 11 December, clarifying that they are based on misinformation. He also pointed out that certain posts and messages portraying him endorsing commercial products were nothing more than deepfakes.

He took the opportunity to encourage the public to exercise vigilance and discernment online, in order to shield themselves from falling victim to false information circulating on the internet.