Sorry anti-vaxxers, but if the Ministry of Health (MOH) passes its latest proposal, you and your unvaccinated children may not be allowed to visit Singapore.
The ministry is proposing a multi-purpose amendment to the Infectious Diseases Act — a move it says will enable it to protect citizens from infectious diseases, TODAY reports.
While the proposed changes do not target only vaccine-shirkers, the change would enable authorities to return any non-citizens to their point of embarkation immediately.
“This discretion will be exercised judiciously, in scenarios where it is impractical to offer vaccination, isolation or surveillance,” the MOH said.
Under current law, unvaccinated arrivals can be quarantined and offered a vaccine, but cannot be deported unless they refuse to comply.
Who would refuse to comply? We are guessing that it’s mostly not people with medical reasons preventing them from getting immunizations and that it is mostly anti-vaxxers who have refused to get their children inoculated based on any number of debunked conspiracy theories.
For those of you who need a little reminder of how the scientific fields of public health and microbiology have developed over the past few centuries, we refer you to this old classic about how vaccines work by our friend Maki Naro.
In case we’re being vague, intentionally skipping out on vaccinations is downright irresponsible, dangerous and will only expose oneself to potentially life-threatening infections. Sorry for being so harsh, but so are deadly pandemics.
In addition, the ministry said that the proposed amendment does not mean that authorities would deport unwell travelers arriving in Singapore. Rather, those in need of medical attention would continue to receive medical attention, as they are under current law.
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