More Covid-19 Vaccines To Arrive, Individuals Will Be Given Vaccine Based On Suitability
Lately, Singapore has been abuzz with discussions over the Covid-19 vaccine.
HSA Approves Pfizer Vaccine In S’pore, They’ll Be Free For S’poreans & Long-Term Residents
In parliament on Monday (4 Jan), Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said that more vaccines are slated to arrive in Singapore soon.
However, individuals will not get to choose which vaccines they want. Instead, this will be dependent on availability and suitability of each group.
Moderna & Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines to arrive soon
Singapore received its first shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine back in December.
Now, according to The Straits Times (ST), more Covid-19 vaccines from Moderna and Sinovac are expected to arrive on our shores in the months to come.
As these vaccines are on the brink of approval, a question of whether Singaporeans would have a choice in the vaccine being administered to them was raised in Parliament.
To this point, Health Minister Mr Gan clarified that individuals will not be allowed to choose which vaccine they want to take, reported ST.
Covid-19 vaccine given based on individual suitability
Mr Gan added that granting individuals the choice will only complicate an already complex vaccination programme.
Instead, the various vaccines will be assessed based on their medical indications.
According to ST, individuals will then be given the vaccine that is most suited to their population’s sub-group, subject to the vaccine’s availability.
As of now, the only approved vaccine is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Physcial vaccination cards will be given
Individuals who choose to take the free Covid-19 vaccine will be given a physical vaccination card, reported ST.
The card will show the vaccine given and the appointment date for the 2nd dose — the latter is applicable for cases where more than 1 dose is needed such as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Post-vaccination advice will also be available on the card.
Besides the card, individuals can keep track of their vaccinations online. All vaccine records will be kept in the National Immunisation Registry.
Continue to abide by safety measures
Over 60% of people in Singapore have indicated their interest in getting the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it is available.
But whether you are keen or still on the fence about the vaccine, the Ministry for Health (MOH) has emphasised that it is not a silver bullet that will end the pandemic.
It’s important that we continue abiding by Covid-19 safety measures and do our part to keep Singapore safe.
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