Volume 50, Number 8
© Annals, Academy of Medicine, Singapore
Countries around the world are ramping up vaccination efforts with the hope of transitioning from a COVID-19 pandemic state to endemicity. A desired endemic state is characterised by a baseline prevalence of infections with a generally mild disease profile that can be sustainably managed by the healthcare system, together with the resumption of near normalcy in human activities.
A Singapore study examined evidence for a vaccine-driven COVID-19 exit strategy, and discussed how a transition can be made from a pandemic state to an endemic one. It weighed promising data around vaccine efficacy together with uncertainties posed by emergent variants that may evade vaccine immunity.
One suggested calibrated approach is the lifting of non-pharmaceutical interventions in phases while ramping up vaccination coverage, with less restrictions imposed upon vaccinated individuals. This may help to avoid spikes in COVID-19 infection rates, deaths and strain in healthcare capacity, which can derail progress to endemicity.
Editorial
The treatment conundrum that is idiopathic granulomatous mastitis
Mastitis—inflammation of breast tissue—is a benign, yet potentially debilitating condition that affects women of childbearing age, and its aetiology is usually infectious or autoimmune.
Judging from multiple publications in recent years, there has been increased interest in mastitis of autoimmune origin, of which idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a subset....
Original Article
The therapeutic dilemma of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis
Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare, benign, inflammatory breast condition that can cause repeated abscess or mass formation in bilateral breasts. It has a reported incidence of 2.4 per 100,000 women aged 20–40 years old.1 Its aetiology is unclear, but various theories have been postulated, including autoimmune, inflammatory...
Original Article
A comparison of antenatal prediction models for vaginal birth after caesarean section
INTRODUCTION
Caesarean section is one of the most common surgeries in the world. In Singapore, caesarean section rates have risen from 17.8% in 1999 to 34.0% in 2009.1 With a higher number of caesarean sections, counselling and managing birth after caesarean section have become important.
Compared with elective caesarean section,...
Original Article
Singapore’s COVID-19 “circuit breaker” interventions: A description of individual-level adoptions of precautionary behaviours
INTRODUCTION
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have adopted similar public health measures such as enforced social distancing via lockdowns or universal face mask usage.1-5 However, population compliance with these behavioural interventions varies, likely due to differences in intervention, implementation and country characteristics.1-3,5 The differing compliance levels...
Review Article
Living with COVID-19: The road ahead
The COVID-19 pandemic has made an unprecedented impact on global morbidity, mortality and healthcare measures to contain the infection.1 Multiple waves of infections in 2020 and 2021 have resulted in significant disruptions to healthcare, economies and societies globally, with few countries able to avoid major epidemics. In the initial...
