Singapore population immunity likely before year-end: report

Deutsche Bank has estimated Singapore is 132 days away from population immunity from COVID-19.

Singapore is expected to achieve population immunity, or protection for 70% of its population from COVID-19, before the year ends, Deutsche Bank said in a report.

Other advanced Asia Pacific economies, including China, are lagging behind Singapore in terms of acquired immunity. The lag is concerning in China's case, given that it started its vaccination program last year.

China started vaccinating last year, whilst Indonesia and Sri Lanka started also in late January. Hong Kong, India and South Korea started in February.

“If we calculate the time to population immunity in emerging Asia, only China, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea appear to be on track to achieve that milestone in the next 12 months,” the report read.

It estimated that Singapore is about 132 days away from population immunity, whilst China is about 153 days away. Hong Kong and South Korea are further away.

“The time to immunity can be shortened by ramping up vaccination efforts, as we are are seeing today in South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam,” the bank said.

“But the time to immunity is still much longer in the poorer economies than the advanced economies.”

The bank noted that the steps taken in calculating the time to immunity are still uncertain as information about the virus continue to emerge.

“Each step of this calculation is uncertain as the medical and scientific communities still have much to learn about this virus.”