Living with endemic Covid-19 also means Singapore does not completely close its borders: PM Lee

LIVING with endemic Covid-19 means that Singapore does not completely close its borders, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday. 

Food, essential supplies, workers, business and other travellers can keep on flowing, and Singapore has to stay connected to the rest of the world, with effective safeguards and border restrictions in place, he said in a televised address.

"We will not be able to prevent some infected persons from slipping through from time to time. But as long as our population is mostly vaccinated, we should be able to trace, isolate, and treat the cases that pop up, and prevent a severe and disastrous outbreak," he said.

Mr Lee said that in the "new normal", Covid-19 "will not dominate" the lives of Singapore and its people.

More people will be mostly vaccinated, and possibly taking booster shots on an annual basis. Testing will be carried out often, and this will be done in a fast and easy manner, said the prime minister. People will resume many pre-pandemic activities such as participating in religious services and enjoying entertainment and sports events.

"We will re-open our borders safely. Visitors will again come to Singapore. Singaporeans will travel again to countries where the disease is well under control, especially if we have been vaccinated," he said.

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"And eventually we will even go about without masks again, at least outdoors. Right now, we are some ways off from this happy state. But we are heading in the right direction."

He also made the point that countries that are "united, disciplined and put in place sensible safeguards" will be able to reopen their economies and reconnect to the rest of the world.

"Singapore will be among these countries - more confident and resilient than before, and toughened by what we have overcome together as one nation," he said.

In his speech, Mr Lee said that the global pandemic will subside one day, but he does not expect the virus to disappear completely.

"It will remain with humankind, and become endemic. The virus will continue to circulate in pockets of the global population for years to come. This also means we will see small outbreaks of the disease from time to time in Singapore as well," he said.

In this new normal, he said Singaporeans will have to learn to carry on with their lives even with the virus in their midst. The aim, he said, is to keep the community as a whole safe, while accepting that some people may get infected every now and then.

Mr Lee said that vaccinations will not entirely prevent a person from getting infected, but vaccination "makes this much less likely". And if a person does get sick despite being vaccinated, he or she is less likely to become very ill, he added.

Read more: 

• Faster, more extensive testing, contact-tracing and vaccinations will help Singapore tackle Covid-19: PM Lee

• Singapore can ease curbs after June 13, if situation improves and community cases fall: PM Lee