Covid-19 crisis Remove the restrictions on the unvaccinated
There is considerable debate over the "fairness" of placing restrictions on the unvaccinated. They are not allowed to dine in restaurants or to visit malls. 

The reasons for the restrictions are:

a) To protect the general community, as the unvaccinated have a higher chance of being infected and spreading the virus.

b) To reduce the demand on hospital services, as the unvaccinated are more likely to become severely sick and need hospital care.

c) To "encourage" the unvaccinated to take the vaccine for their protection.

Some of the unvaccinated have medical reasons to avoid the vaccine. The others have a belief that the vaccine is harmful to them.

They consider the restrictions to be unfair to them and infringe on their right of personal choice on being vaccinated.

I encourage people to be vaccinated, as I believe that the vaccine provides protection against covid and the risk of adverse effects is low.

However, I wish to support the call to remove the restrictions placed on the unvaccinated. 

Here are my reasons:

a) The evidence is quite clear that the vaccinated can also spread the virus. It is not clear if the spread is lower for the vaccinated, but some reports suggest that the spread is similar between the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

b) The vaccinated have a high degree of protection from the virus. If they are infected, the infection is likely to be mild. 

c) The unvaccinated bears the higher risk of falling severely sick from the infection. However, it is their personal choice. When this happens, more will opt to be vaccinated.

d) We have already achieved a high vaccination rate of 80% in the population. 

The virus is now very widespread and endemic. The experts project that everyone will become infected in the near future.

If this is the case, there is no need to place restrictions on the unvaccinated.

It can also be argued that the unvaccinated can be infected at home as well, even if they are not allowed to visit restaurants and malls.

It appears that the restrictions on the unvaccinated are not helpful in reducing the spread of the virus. 

There is still the risk that a higher number of severely ill covid patients will overwhelm the hospital system. 

I will address this issue in a separate post.

Conclusion.
It is unnecessary to place restrictions on the unvaccinated people. There is no need to impose restrictions on their visits to restaurants and shopping malls.

Tan Kin Lian


 

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