Aug 29, 2021 - Health

Singapore fully vaccinates 80% of population against COVID

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Staff at the food court verify a person's check in status on the TraceTogether app at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore — Staff at the food court verify people's vaccine status at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on Aug. 10. Photo: Lionel Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

80% of Singapore's population of 5.7 million people has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the island city-state's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced Sunday.

Why it matters: Singapore has one of the world's highest coronavirus vaccination rates, and the milestone means the government can continue loosening restrictions and prepare to allow fully vaccinated travelers from some other nations to visit.

The big picture: Singapore welcomed back fully vaccinated diners to restaurants and enabled up to 50% of workers to return to offices earlier this month, per Bloomberg.

Malls and cinemas have also been permitted to increase capacity, and the state has ended a requirement for screening people's temperatures in public places, Bloomberg notes.

Flashback: SARS made Hong Kong and Singapore ready for coronavirus

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Singapore fully vaccinates 80% of population against COVID

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