COVID-19 patients in Singapore who are unvaccinated "by choice" must henceforth fund their medical expenditures if hospitalized to hospitals or COVID-19 treatment facilities, the Ministry of Health said on December 8.

The new rule will apply to patients who are vaccine-eligible but elect not to get vaccinated.

The Singaporean government is presently covering the entire cost of COVID-19 medical treatment for all Singaporeans, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders, except for individuals who test positive shortly after returning from international travel.

Unvaccinated individuals currently account for a sizable majority of those requiring intense inpatient care and contribute disproportionately to the drain on national healthcare resources, the ministry stated.

From January 1, 2019, only Singaporeans, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders who are fully vaccinated and have not recently been to other countries will have their COVID-19 medical expenditures entirely covered by the government.

To present, 85 percent of the country's 5.45 million-strong population has been wholly immunized against COVID-19. Singapore has recorded a total of around 218,330 illnesses, including approximately 8,000 kid patients.