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Test kits fly off the shelves as Covid-19 infection cases spike in Singapore
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Watsons has seen demand for Covid-19 test kits surge by more than 150 per cent in the past week
A Guardian spokeswoman said the chain has seen an increase in demand for Covid-19-related items, such as masks, test kits and cough and cold medicine, in line with the recent wave.
A couple in their 70s, who wanted to be known as Mr and Mrs Lim, were also receiving their shots – their sixth – as they were worried about the new strain.
“The problem is that people treat Covid-19 too lightly and do not go for annual Covid-19 jabs like they would for other things such as flu jabs,” Mr Lim said, adding that they had Covid-19 once and the symptoms were quite mild, “only slightly worse than the flu”.
Eighty per cent of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, but have not received a dose within the last year, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on May 18 urged people at greatest risk of severe illness, including those aged 60 and above, to receive another dose of the Covid-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months.
He said Singapore has seen rising cases of infection in the past two weeks, with the wave expected to peak in the next two to four weeks.
The estimated number of Covid-19 cases in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily Covid-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250, from 181 the week before.
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