Deaths may rise, but booster shots cut risk of severe infections: PM

He urges seniors to get their jabs and also to take extra precautions

- Justin Ong, Political Correspondent

The number of Covid-19-related deaths is likely to continue to go up over the next few weeks and months, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday, as he urged seniors to get their jabs if they have not had them.

Those who have had their shots should get their booster shots to reduce their risk of severe infection, he added.

“If you are a vaccinated senior, taking the booster reduces your risk of severe infection by more than 10 times,” he said. “Or to put it in another way, to the virus, the booster shot makes a vaccinated 80-yearold look like a much younger vaccinated 50-plus-year-old.”

A disproportionate number of the 142 deaths as at Friday were unvaccinated seniors, who account for 1.5 per cent of the population, but made up two-thirds of those who needed intensive care unit care or died, he said.

In his speech to the nation on the coronavirus situation, PM Lee expressed his condolences to the families of those who have died.

“We feel every single loss keenly. My deepest sympathies and condolences to all the families,” he said.