SINGAPORE: Ho Ching, wife of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, recently urged Singapore’s senior citizens to focus on protection against bacterial infe
SINGAPORE: Ho Ching, wife of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, recently urged Singapore’s senior citizens to focus on protection against bacterial infections, such as through pneumococcal vaccination, rather than being overly concerned about a new COVID-19 variant. In a Facebook post, Ho shared an article from the UK’s Daily Mail on a COVID variant linked to the JN.1 strain, which accounts for a significant percentage of new cases in the UK and US. While the variant’s severity remains under observation, Ho noted that current immunity levels from vaccines and past infections still offer substantial protection.
Ho pointed out that symptoms of the new variant are similar to previous ones, such as a runny nose, but emphasized the importance of pneumococcal vaccines in protecting seniors from potentially severe bacterial infections. She added that these vaccines cover numerous bacterial strains that can lead to serious lung infections in the elderly.
Pneumococcal vaccination is included in Singapore’s National Adult Immunisation Schedule, and uptake among those aged 65 to 74 has increased from 10.3% in 2019 to 26.5% in 2022. The Health Ministry recommends one dose of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for adults over 65.
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