The minister for health Ong Ye Kung shared some good news about Covid-19 in a Facebook post on June 19.

Ong wrote that 50 per cent of Singapore's population have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, with 36 per cent completing both shots.

The next step, he reiterated, is to get more people vaccinated overall.

Ong said: "Let’s all push it up further."

Covid-19 will be endemic

Ong also said expert consensus on Covid-19 is that it is likely to be endemic, which means the virus will "mutate and circulate in the community", the way influenza has done so, making it a disease people can live with.

This is an improvement from a pandemic, as people can live and adapt to Covid-19 with the vaccination, testing, and contact tracing capabilities developed.

It would also put an end to imposing hard breaks in economic and daily lives, such as what has been done with circuit breakers.

Ong wrote: "With these defences in place, I believe we are able to put the circuit breaker as a response behind us, and able to keep most businesses open, carry on with our daily lives."

Go for your vaccination shots

The health minister urged those who can be vaccinated in Singapore to do so en masse.

He wrote: "But to go further, to help keep F&B and gyms open, and even resume travel, our vaccination rate has to be higher. We can then be better protected, even if the virus is circulating in the community."

However, he also acknowledged the constraints imposed by a shortfall in vaccine supply.

He wrote: "We are vaccinating as fast as we can but we are constrained by supplies, due to the high global demand. We will do our best to confirm the delivery of more vaccine to open up more slots, as early as possible."

"So when it is your turn to go for the jab, please do so, and encourage your friends or family members to do likewise."

Top photo via Ong Ye Kung Facebook