Singapore has implemented a new policy aimed at encouraging vaccination by no longer covering the treatment costs for unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Singaporean government had covered the cost of treating COVID-19 patients free of charge since the beginning of the pandemic to avoid adding financial burdens on its citizens. However, Singapore, one of the wealthy Asian countries, already has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with 96% of eligible residents vaccinated, according to government data. These high rates followed restrictions placed by Singapore on entry to public places, including restaurants and shopping malls.
This move by Singapore comes as governments tighten restrictions on unvaccinated individuals by limiting their movement and prohibiting them from entering many public spaces. Starting in February, Austria will require all adults to be vaccinated, with penalties for those missing appointments exceeding $4,000. Greece has made COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for those over 60 years old. In Germany, politicians are discussing similar measures to mandate vaccinations due to a significant rise in infection rates.
A spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Health stated, "Due to their choice, unvaccinated individuals account for the majority of hospital isolation beds and intensive care unit usage, disproportionately contributing to the strain on our healthcare resources." The spokesperson added that unvaccinated individuals infected with the coronavirus will receive government support for treatment costs, but the government will not cover the full medical bills as it did before. Hospital bills for COVID-19 patients in intensive care can reach $18,000, but government assistance may reduce this cost to around $3,000 or less, according to the spokesperson.
There are still 44,000 unvaccinated seniors in Singapore. In early November, the Singapore government reported that about 95% of deaths in the past six months occurred among individuals aged 60 and older, with the unvaccinated accounting for 72% of total deaths. COVID-19 cases have sharply declined in Singapore since late October, with a seven-day rolling average peaking at nearly 4,000 cases per day, now averaging just under 1,000 new cases daily in the 5.5 million population, according to Our World in Data.
While some support Singapore's decision, others criticize it as "unethical." Arthur Caplan, founding head of the medical ethics department at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, believes it is ethical to threaten not to cover COVID-19 costs as a means to encourage vaccination. In contrast, Paul Tambyah, president of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party, stated, "The fundamental public health principle is to provide free treatment." He added that free treatment encourages people to seek diagnoses, but the decision "may end up spreading the disease to more people."
