Budget 2021: 55,000 people have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine

They are among the 250,000 people here, including healthcare workers and other front-liners, who have been vaccinated so far. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - A total of 55,000 people here have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

This should provide them with up to 95 per cent protection - five weeks from their first jab - against severe illness should they be infected by the coronavirus.

They are among the 250,000 people here, including healthcare workers and other front-liners, who have been vaccinated so far.

Announcing these numbers in Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat strongly encouraged those who are eligible to take the vaccine when their turn comes.

At the same time, he said, "we must continue to contain the spread of the virus, by keeping up our precautionary measures and our multi-layered defence system of contact tracing, testing, and safe distancing".

About $1 billion of the $11 billion set aside for public health will be used for the vaccination programme, as well as for medicines to treat those who get infected.

Covid-19 isolation facilities will take up another $800 million.

SPH Brightcove Video
On Tuesday, Feb 16, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat delivered his Budget statement. Our panel of experts breaks down what Budget 2021 means to Singaporeans.
This show is jointly hosted by The Straits Times and Money FM 89.3.

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