After reading the article “Covid-19 wave probably peaked, but slight surge possible: Ong Ye Kung” (Dec 23), I felt a sense of worry for the community in Singapore, especially the medically vulnerable.

In my time working in a doctor’s clinic, I came across many patients who were not up to date with their vaccinations, with some still refusing to get vaccinated. I learnt that some had misconceptions about vaccines and, while I understand that we should respect their autonomy, I feel that more can be done to educate people about vaccines.

I applaud the Government for making vaccinations easily available and free.

I have also seen advertisements on television that urge people to keep up to date with their vaccination and educate those who may be unaware.

Perhaps if we know of anyone who is still against vaccination, we can inform them of the benefits compared with the risks.

While it is true that vaccination can bring side-effects, most of them are mild. The chances of a person suffering from more serious complications are quite low; only around 0.007 per cent of people in Singapore do. The probability of an unvaccinated elderly person being afflicted with severe illness from Covid-19, however, is about 7 per cent.

I hope that those who may be sick can be socially responsible and wear a mask and stay at home. We all have a part to play to protect not only our loved ones but society as well. We should all remain vigilant as the number of cases may increase.

Dovan Koh Sheng Dong