SAF achieves herd immunity, now lives with Covid-19: Defence Minister
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has already learnt to live with Covid-19 and can minimise disruptions even in the face of infections.
It has reached herd immunity through vaccination, and activities involving national servicemen need not be affected by Covid-19, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
It will not have to close its training institutes on account of infections and can also ease restrictions to allow units to operate at maximum effectiveness, he said.
ENDEMIC
Singapore has said that it plans to treat Covid-19 as an endemic disease and to live with it, once enough people have been vaccinated.
The SAF has moved ahead of the national curve.
More than 90 per cent of the individuals in SAF and the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) have received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose, said Dr Ng.
By the second week of this month, 92 per cent will be fully vaccinated with both doses.
This means the disease would be milder if any individuals in SAF or Mindef were to be infected.
Speaking on Monday at Mandai Hill Camp ahead of SAF Day today, Dr Ng outlined how SAF will deal with a "new normal" where Covid-19 is endemic.
"Living with an endemic disease means that, fundamentally, we carry out our activities with the risk of infection always there. We reduce the risk because we can't eliminate it. So it's quite a different mindset," he said.
While vaccination will be the "mainstay" in living with Covid-19, testing and surveillance will also be strengthened, he said.
Cohorting, or having split-team arrangements, will continue so that the smallest group possible can be shut down in case of infections, without affecting the rest of the unit.
When infections arise, training schools such as the Basic Military Training Centre, Officer Cadet School and Specialist Cadet School need not be closed.
"We can avoid disruption to national service activities. Certainly, we can't shut down and we won't shut down critical operations units," he added.
Critical operations units continue to operate throughout the pandemic. However, basic military training was suspended from April to May last year during the nationwide circuit breaker.
This time around, pre-enlistment vaccination has been rolled out for military recruits before they enter the Basic Military Training Centre.
High-end overseas training has also continued, Dr Ng said.
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