In Apr, the Ministry of Health (MOH) allowed seniors 80 years old and above to get their second booster shots at vaccination centres.
Later that month, the ministry said those aged 60 to 79 can get their 4th jabs, though they stopped short of recommending it.
Now, however, they’ve opened the second booster shot to those aged 50 and above.
Source: Ong Ye Kung on Facebook
They can get it at any vaccination centre offering mRNA vaccines.
In a press release on Friday (10 Jun), MOH said they’ll open the second booster shot to those in the 50 to 59 age group.
That’s because the risk of severe Covid-19 increases in this age group as well, according to data, MOH noted, adding,
This is also around the age when chronic diseases start to set in.
Thus, those in the 50 to 59 age group may join those 60 and above, and walk in to any vaccination centre that offers mRNA vaccines for their 2nd booster shot.
This should be administered about five months after the first booster shot, MOH said.
Source: Ong Ye Kung on Facebook
This is the same interval for those aged 60 and above.
MOH will also be making it easier for medically vulnerable persons to get their second booster shot.
If they have certain conditions — including diabetes, severe asthma, liver cirrhosis and obesity — they may get their 4th jab by simply self-declaring it at any vaccination centre or clinic/polyclinic that offers vaccinations.
A doctor’s referral will no longer be needed for them to get it.
That’s because these individuals are at higher risk of severe disease from Covid-19 due to medical risk factors, MOH said.
The full list of eligible conditions is here.
For those who haven’t taken their primary series of vaccinations yet (i.e. all 4.1% of the population), MOH now encourages a longer interval between the first two doses.
They should be eight weeks apart, according to recent international data, MOH said.
This wider gap “may provide better vaccine protection for individuals”, they added.
Source: Ong Ye Kung on Facebook
However, the current minimum interval between doses for Pfizer and Novavax will remain at 21 days, and that for Moderna and Sinovac will be 28 days.
This is to help those at risk of exposure or more susceptible to severe disease complete their primary series sooner.
MOH strongly urges those who’re eligible to get their vaccinations and boosters as soon as possible.
This particularly applies to seniors who’re more vulnerable to severe disease from Covid-19.
Almost half of eligible seniors aged 80 and above have heeded this call so far.
According to MOH, 49.3% of them have either gotten their 4th jab or booked an appointment as of 8 Jun.
While Singapore has further eased restrictions from 14 Jun, the risk of severe effects from Covid-19 infection still apparently persists.
The authorities have thus been extending jab No. 4 to younger and younger age groups.
They’ll also be “mounting further efforts” to increase booster rates, so keep your ears peeled for more news down the road.
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Featured image adapted from Ong Ye Kung on Facebook.
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