Implementation of Workforce Vaccination Measures
As of 17 October 2021, 96% of our workforce has been vaccinated and 70% of firms have attained 100% vaccination coverage for their employees. Nevertheless, there remain around 113,000 unvaccinated employees, of which around 14,000 are above the age of 60, who are at high risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 infection. Only a small proportion of these 113,000 employees are medically ineligible for vaccination.
Only Vaccinated Employees Can Return to Workplaces
2 To keep our workforce safe, the Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) has decided that from 1 January 2022, only employees who are fully vaccinated1 or have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 270 days, can return to the workplace.
3 Unvaccinated employees will not be allowed to return to the workplace unless they have tested negative for COVID-19. The test should be a Pre-Event Test at an MOH-approved COVID-19 test provider, and must be valid2 for the duration that the employees are required to be present at the workplace.
Employees Who Are Medically Ineligible for Vaccination
4 There is a small minority of unvaccinated employees who are doctor-certified to be medically ineligible for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. With the announcement that Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine (“Sinovac”) will be included in the National Vaccination Programme (NVP), following HSA’s authorisation under the Pandemic Special Access Route, most of these employees can get vaccinated with Sinovac and are strongly encouraged to visit an approved private clinic to do so as soon as possible. Employees who are medically ineligible for all the vaccines under NVP, including Sinovac, are exempted from the workforce vaccination measures if they need to work on-site.
Pregnant Employees Are at High Risk of Severe COVID-19 and Should Get Vaccinated
5 Pregnant employees are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated with the vaccines under the National Vaccination Programme as soon as possible. Unvaccinated pregnant women are at higher risk of complications and severe illness should they contract COVID-19. As of end-September 2021, among unvaccinated pregnant women hospitalised with COVID-19 in Singapore, 20 percent required oxygen supplementation and 10 percent needed the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or high dependency care. In contrast, not a single vaccinated pregnant woman who contracted COVID-19 has needed oxygen or was sent to ICU. Pregnant women may wish to consult their obstetrician to discuss benefits and risks.
Tripartite Consensus on Work Arrangement for Unvaccinated Employees
6 The tripartite partners3 support the move to better protect the workforce and have issued an advisory on COVID-19 vaccination at the workplace. The advisory provides guidance to employers and employees on the work arrangement employers can take to manage unvaccinated employees who are unable to be physically present at the workplace.
Vaccination Rate Checker for Employers
7 The tripartite partners also call upon employers who have not attained 100% vaccine coverage for their employees, to encourage them to do so. Employers may check their company’s vaccination rate at https://go.gov.sg/percentvaccinated (CorpPass login required), from 9am on Monday 25 October.
Current Workplace Safe Management Measures Remain
8 During the Stabilisation Phase (27 September – 21 November 2021), work-from-home (WFH) remains the default working arrangement, including for vaccinated employees. Employers must continue to ensure that all employees who are able to WFH continue to do so. Vaccinated employees who need to return to the workplace for ad-hoc reasons are strongly encouraged to take an ART and test negative before returning onsite.
9 MOM would also like to remind employers and employees to continue to exercise social responsibility, and ensure Safe Management Measures are properly implemented at the workplace.