Some clinics have been reporting an uptick in the number of people getting vaccinated against influenza, continuing a trend observed during the Covid-19 pandemic. - The Straits Times/ANN
SINGAPORE, April 23 (The Straits Times/ANN): Some clinics have been reporting an uptick in the number of people getting vaccinated against influenza, continuing a trend observed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Edwin Chng, a medical director at Parkway Shenton, which has about 30 general practitioner (GP) clinics in Singapore, said the group saw the number of people who got the flu jab in 2022 double from that in 2021.
“There has been a 20 to 30 per cent increase in the number of people getting flu vaccinations in the past year,” said Dr Lim Lee Wei, a GP with Northeast Medical Group.
Raffles Medical, which has more than 50 clinics across the island, also reported an increase of between 20 per cent and 30 per cent in the number of people having flu jabs in the same period.
At the height of the pandemic in 2020, demand for flu vaccines in Singapore spiked even though infections were low and Covid-19 restrictions were in place.
The Ministry of Health’s (MOH) National Population Health Survey 2021, which was released in December, showed that 18.7 per cent of people aged between 18 and 74 said they had a flu injection in the past 12 months, when the survey was taken. This is up from 13.1 per cent in 2017.
The survey, which is conducted annually, tracked the health and risk factors, and lifestyle practices of more than 8,000 Singapore residents between July 2020 and June 2021.
It also found that the proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 who reported getting a flu shot rose from 24.2 per cent in 2019 to 32.4 per cent in 2021.
“There has been an increase across all age groups, but particularly more in seniors aged 65 and above,” said Raffles Medical family physician Michael Wong.
MOH suggested that this could be due to greater awareness about the importance of vaccination, following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Lim also pointed to “generous government subsidies” for those getting a flu jab.
Under the National Adult Immunisation Schedule, eligible Singapore citizens aged 65 years and above can receive subsidised flu vaccinations at Community Health Assist Scheme GP clinics.
Since November 2022, people can book an appointment for an influenza vaccination with more than 580 GPs through a government health appointment system.
The number of flu cases in 2023 has been increasing, from 96 in January to 421 in March, according to MOH’s monitoring of polyclinic cases.
Among those who got a flu jab recently is Ms Kareena Natasha. She got her jab in December 2022 as she was travelling to a country with a cold climate.
“I wanted to keep myself protected and safe enough for travelling,” the 20-year-old student said.
With many people unmasking after pandemic restrictions were eased in 2022, she also wanted to keep herself healthy, having caught Covid-19 earlier last year.
Ms Kareena said her mother, a nurse, regularly reminds her to get her jabs. “So I’m waiting to take my next shot this coming June,” she said.
Dr Chng noted that vaccination lowers the risk of influenza infection, and also reduces the severity of infection if one falls sick.
“Studies also show that it is linked to a lower heart attack and stroke risk.
“In pregnant women, flu vaccination helps to protect them from falling ill and helps protect their infants from flu in their first few months of life,” he said.
More public awareness is needed on the importance of the flu jab, said Dr Wong.
“Increased public awareness of influenza illness, its risks, the benefits of flu vaccination, and its safety record should continue to be aired through official media channels in the same way that the community was encouraged to undergo Covid-19 vaccination,” he added. - Among those who got a flu jab recently is Ms Kareena Natasha. She got her jab in December 2022 as she was travelling to a country with a cold climate.
“I wanted to keep myself protected and safe enough for travelling,” the 20-year-old student said.
With many people unmasking after pandemic restrictions were eased in 2022, she also wanted to keep herself healthy, having caught Covid-19 earlier last year.
Ms Kareena said her mother, a nurse, regularly reminds her to get her jabs. “So I’m waiting to take my next shot this coming June,” she said.
Dr Chng noted that vaccination lowers the risk of influenza infection, and also reduces the severity of infection if one falls sick.
“Studies also show that it is linked to a lower heart attack and stroke risk.
“In pregnant women, flu vaccination helps to protect them from falling ill and helps protect their infants from flu in their first few months of life,” he said.
More public awareness is needed on the importance of the flu jab, said Dr Wong.
“Increased public awareness of influenza illness, its risks, the benefits of flu vaccination, and its safety record should continue to be aired through official media channels in the same way that the community was encouraged to undergo Covid-19 vaccination,” he added. - The Straits Times/ANN
