[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Lee Hsien Loong (68), Prime Minister of Singapore, personally received the COVID-19 vaccine on the 8th, embarking on a campaign to persuade the public to get vaccinated. This was to dispel public concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong receiving the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
According to local media such as The Straits Times on the 8th, Prime Minister Lee was vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
Before Prime Minister Lee, more than 80 health officials received the vaccine, and then he was vaccinated as well. After the 30-minute observation period to monitor for side effects, he told the media, "It is painless, effective, and important," and expressed hope that "Singaporeans will join in when the government starts vaccinations." He emphasized active participation by saying, "Get vaccinated as soon as possible."
Lee, who is 68 years old this year, had previously expressed his intention to be vaccinated early to demonstrate that there is no problem with elderly people receiving the vaccine.
Singapore announced plans to provide free vaccinations to citizens and long-term residents by the third quarter of this year. However, only about 60% have expressed willingness to be vaccinated.
Last year, Singapore experienced a COVID-19 crisis with daily new cases exceeding 1,000 due to a cluster infection among migrant workers.
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