Less than a year after the coronavirus arrived on our shores, Singapore is inoculating its residents against the deadly disease that has claimed nearly 2 million lives.
It’s a stunning achievement for the scientists who raced against the clock to develop a safe and effective vaccine.
But since the development process was accelerated to an unprecedented degree, some people are understandably concerned.
To assuage their fears, some government officials said they would get the vaccine first, to show Singaporeans it’s safe.
And who better than our Prime Minister?
PM Took COVID-19 Vaccine; Nurse Who Gave Jab Was ‘A Bit Nervous’
Nurses administer injections all the time, so much so that it has become second nature to them.
But what if you had to stick a needle into the arm of your Prime Minister?
That’s exactly what Fatimah Mohd Shah, a senior staff nurse at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), had to do when she administered a Covid-19 vaccine to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The 41-year-old felt honoured by the task given to her, but it was certainly a daunting one.
“I felt happy and honoured to administer the vaccine for PM (Lee),” she said. “Of course, I was a bit nervous, yes.”
PM Lee was immunised on Friday morning (8 Jan), along with Health Ministry’s director of medical services Kenneth Mak and 88 healthcare workers from SGH.
“It’s painless, it’s effective and it’s important,” PM Lee said. “I hope that Singaporeans will take it up as we roll it out.”
The vaccine given to PM Lee requires two doses, so the prime minister will have to return in three weeks for another injection.
“The needle was very fine,” he said in Mandarin. “You can hardly feel it when it goes in.”
Urged All Singapore Residents to Get Vaccine
PM Lee’s vaccination marks the start of a nationwide drive to inoculate staff across various public healthcare institutions.
He assured the public that there are more than enough vaccines to go around.
“We’ve got ample vaccines coming in. We ordered them early, we have enough for everybody in Singapore – all the residents, all the citizens and even the non-citizens who are staying here,” he said.
The Covid-19 vaccine will be free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents who are currently in the country.
While getting a vaccine is not mandatory, experts say at least 80% of the population will need to get vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.
This is why PM Lee urged all residents in Singapore to get immunised.
“It will make us safer, and it will make you and your loved ones safer too, so please take it when you get it.”
Safety Concerns
After reading reports of some vaccine recipients abroad suffering allergic reactions, some residents might understandably be concerned.
But what should be noted is that most of the recipients have not had any serious reactions to the various vaccines currently in use.
Moreover, the first batch of Covid-19 vaccine recipients in Singapore have not reported any serious side effects so far.
Still, every single vaccine recipient will undergo a 30-minute observation period following the inoculation in case an allergic reaction occurs.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong also announced recently that a new programme will be introduced to provide support for those who experience serious side effects after receiving Covid-19 vaccines administered here.
As the government has said, the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known risks.
The First 24 Hours
So, what can of side effects can you expect in the first 24 hours?
The most common side effects are ailments such as fever, fatigue, swelling, headache, or joint pain, according to CNA.
But these are all signs that the vaccine has induced an immune response.
This will prepare your body to mount a similar response if you ever encounter the real virus.
Featured Image: Ministry of Communications and Information
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