Singapore still in 'transition': Lawrence Wong

Singapore

BEFORE Singapore reaches the "new normal" of living with endemic Covid-19, which will require high vaccination rates, the country remains in a transition phase, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said at a dialogue organised by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) on Tuesday.

Responding to calls for the reopening of borders and the resumption of travel with significantly shorter or no stay-home notice (SHN) requirement, Mr Wong said: "Countries that open up too quickly or prematurely, without sufficient protection for the seniors, will not only see high infection rates - another wave, another cluster - but potentially higher hospitalisation and even fatalities, which is what we are trying to avoid."