The pandemic might be over, but Covid-19 is still with us and infecting people.
To that end, an additional dose of a Covid-19 vaccine is being encouraged for those aged six months and above.
Source: Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
Updated vaccines will be available progressively from 30 Oct.
In a news release from the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (28 Oct), updated vaccine recommendations were issued by the Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination (EC19V).
They advised all individuals to receive an additional Covid-19 vaccine dose in 2023 or 2024.
This should be around one year after their last dose and no earlier than five months.
While previously this advisory was for seniors and the medically vulnerable, it has now been extended to all aged six months old and above.
They’re encouraged to get the dose, especially if they’re healthcare workers and household members/caregivers of medically vulnerable individuals.
For those at greatest risk of severe disease, i.e. those aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, the additional dose is “recommended”, EC19V said.
Source: Ong Ye Kung on Facebook
In another news release, the committee said that persons at greatest risk of severe disease will benefit most from an enhanced level of protection with an additional dose, adding,
While Covid-19 is generally mild in healthy individuals who have been vaccinated previously, an additional dose further enhances protection against severe disease in the medically vulnerable and elderly and has comparable safety as previous doses.
EC19V also recommended that the two primary mRNA vaccines used in Singapore, Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna/Spikevax, be updated to their latest versions based on the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant.
They assessed, based on a review of the scientific data, that the updated vaccines “can provide a stronger immune response” compared with the older versions.
Therefore, they “may confer better protection against Covid-19”, the committee said, adding,
The safety profiles of the updated vaccines are expected to be comparable to that of previous versions.
Noting that the updated vaccines were developed based on international recommendations, the EC19V also recognised that the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had approved them for use in Singapore.
Source: Spencer Davis on Unsplash
MOH has accepted the latest updated recommendations of EC19V.
Thus, the ministry will roll out the updated vaccines progressively from Monday (30 Oct) according to the following schedule:
Eventually, the updated vaccines will replace all existing formulations of vaccines by 20 Nov.
As higher demand is anticipated for the updated vaccines, the operating hours of all Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres (JTVCs) will be extended, MOH said.
They will be open on Saturdays from 9am to 7pm instead of closing at 1pm. Longer waiting times may be experienced on Fridays and Saturdays.
Members of the public may get jabbed by walking into any JTVC, or can choose to visit a Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC) or polyclinic. Do check the location of your nearest centre that offers your choice of vaccine at Vaccinegowhere.
The operating hours of JTVCs can be found here. If a Sunday vaccination slot is preferred, members of the public can check with this list of PHPCs if they open on Sundays for vaccination.
MOH noted that with Covid-19 now endemic, Covid-19 vaccines will no longer be approved under the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR).
The vaccines will have to be fully registered, and Pfizer and Moderna have obtained full registration successfully.
The Sinovac vaccine, however, won’t be included under the National Vaccination Programme (NVP) from 30 Sep 2024 unless it applies for full registration. Till then, it’ll be included in the NVP.
Private clinics will continue to offer Sinovac as well as Sinopharm under the Special Access Route (SAR).
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Featured image adapted from Mika Baumeister on Unsplash.
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