Expand your knowledge of COVID-19
Whatever your age or health status, preventing severe COVID-19 is a priority. Learning all you can about COVID-19 can help protect you and those around you. Protecting yourself and those around you starts with understanding COVID-19. Speak to your doctor about COVID-19 protection and to see how updated vaccination can fit into your health routine, helping you maintain your lifestyle and lower the risk of severe illness or long COVID.
Frequently asked questions
COVID-19 spreads primarily through small respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. It can also spread by direct contact, such as touching or shaking hands, and by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching your face without washing your hands first. (CDC) (World Health Organization (WHO)).
There are several treatments available for COVID-19. Treatment can include supportive care with rest, fluids, and pain relief, as well as antiviral medications, monoclonal antibodies, and other therapies for those with more severe symptoms. Individuals should speak to their healthcare professional for advice and management tailored to their specific condition. (CDC) (CDPH Home).
Yes, you can get COVID-19 more than once. Immunity to COVID-19 can decrease over time, leading to the possibility of reinfection at different stages in life. Reinfections can occur with or without symptoms. For older adults and individuals with underlying health conditions, reinfections can lead to more serious illness due to natural changes in the immune system and overall health as we age. (CDC) (Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)).
Generally, individuals with COVID-19 are contagious for up to 10 days after they show symptoms. However, those with ongoing symptoms or weakened immune systems may remain infectious for longer. It’s important to follow public health guidelines and consult with healthcare professionals to determine the appropriate isolation period. (CDC).
Although COVID-19 often presents with mild symptoms, it can also be serious, particularly in older adults, immunocompromised individuals, or those with chronic conditions. Severe cases can lead to hospitalisation, intensive care admission, or death. (World Health Organization (WHO)) (CDPH Home).
- mRNA vaccines: Directs the body to produce a protein that triggers a protective immune response.
- Inactivated or weakened virus vaccines: Contains sections of the virus that have been inactivated or weakened so it cannot cause disease but still triggers an immune response.
- Protein-based vaccines: Contains harmless protein fragments taken from the virus and triggers an immune response.
mRNA: Messenger Ribonucleic Acid
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Last year’s COVID-19 vaccines were designed to protect against the virus strains common at that time. This year’s vaccines are updated to better match against the new variant of the virus that has appeared since then. This helps improve your immunity and gives better protection against getting sick from the new strain. (Yale Medicine) (Mayo Clinic News Network).
COVID-19 vaccines have shown protection against severe illnesses, hospitalisation and death. The effectiveness can vary depending on the vaccine type and new virus variants, but most vaccines significantly reduce the risk of getting severely sick from COVID-19. Even if you do catch the virus after being vaccinated, you are likely to have milder symptoms (CDC) (Johns Hopkins).
Symptoms of COVID-19 and flu are similar, but these infections are caused by different viruses. Specific testing is required to identify the virus and to tell them apart. Please consult your healthcare provider for more information. (CDC).
No, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines cannot enter into the DNA and change it. The mRNA from the vaccine is broken down and removed from the human body within 48 hours. (CDC).
While one's primary doses need to be of the same brand, it is possible to take a different brand and vaccine composition for subsequent doses. (Ministry of Health, Singapore (MOH)).
Resources
WHO COVID-19 Information
External Link to World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 info: global perspectives, situation reports, technical guidance, and public advice.
Ministry of Health
External Link to Singapore's Ministry of Health's Update on the COVID-19 situation
- Ajufo E, Rao S, Navar AM, Pandey A, Ayers CR, Khera A. U.S. population at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Am J Preventative Cardiol. 2021;6: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpc.2021.100156
- Bowe B, Xie Y, Al-Aly Z. Acute and postacute sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. Nature medicine. 2022 Nov;28(11):2398-405.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of COVID-19. October 26, 2022. Accessed July 15, 2024. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html [archived].
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Underlying Conditions and the Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19. Updated July 30, 2024. Accessed on September 11, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/clinical-care/underlying-conditions.html
- Data.gov.sg. COVID-19. Updated June 2023. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://data.gov.sg/collections/522/view
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Coronavirus diagnosis: what should I expect. January 24, 2022. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/diagnosed-with-covid-19-what-to-expect
- Low et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(11):e1915245. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.15245
- Ministry of Finance, Singapore. Assessment of the impact of COVID-19 Budget Measures.
- Ministry of Health. Update on COVID-19 situation. Updated May 18, 2024. Accessed September 03, 2024. https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/update-on-covid-19-situation
- Ministry of Health. Recommendations on the use of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna/Spikevax vaccines by the expert committee on COVID-19 vaccination. Updated October 28, 2023. Accessed September 03, 2024. https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/recommendationsonthe-use-of-the-updated-pfizer-biontech-comirnaty-and-moderna-spikevax-vaccines-by-the-expert-committee-on-covid-19-vaccination
- Ministry of Health. FAQs on General Vaccine Recommendations. Updated October 2, 2023. Accessed September 03, 2024. https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/vaccination/faqs-on-general-vaccine-recommendations
- Ministry of Health. Status of Covid-19 Vaccination Among Singaporeans and Reasons for Not Taking Additional Booster Shots. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/status-of-covid-19-vaccination-among-singaporeans-and-reasons-for-not-takingadditionalbooster-shots
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