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Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received his first injection of a COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, urging others to take the hits in a country that has largely controlled the pandemic.
The 68-year-old man shared a video of himself on his official Facebook page being injected in the arm at a local hospital.
So far, Singapore has only approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, but has ensured that it has obtained enough doses for its population of 5.7 million, including from other vaccine manufacturers such as Moderna and Sinovac.
“We get vaccinated early to show Singaporeans that we are confident the vaccine is safe and effective,” Lee said in a post accompanying the video, adding that he had been vaccinated together with the country’s top health official, Kenneth Mak. .
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Receives Covid-19 Vaccine As Singapore Kicks Off Nationwide Vaccination Campaign – The Straits Times https://t.co/6VCAYB6bqo
– Sense Hofstede (@sehof) January 8, 2021
The wealthy island nation conducted some initial vaccinations of healthcare workers in late December. But Lee said the most comprehensive vaccinations for staff at public health institutions would begin on Friday, followed by the elderly next month.
Government studies show that nearly 60 percent of people are willing to get vaccinated, the Health Ministry said. But the plans have raised rare doubts among some because of the low risk of infection in Singapore and concerns about possible side effects from rapidly developed vaccines.
Unlike other countries that have embarked on mass vaccination programs such as the United States and Britain, the Southeast Asian island has largely eradicated the disease and has only reported a handful of local cases in recent months.
“The vaccinations are voluntary, but I hope that when it’s your turn, you will,” Lee said, adding that he had been monitored for 30 minutes after the jab for possible side effects and that “it felt good.”
Authorities have said they will consider relaxing travel restrictions for people who have been vaccinated against the disease that has killed an estimated 1.9 million people worldwide.
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