SINGAPORE: Singapore will begin transiting towards the next phase of its National Vaccination Programme by commencing a booster programme this month for two identified subgroups, according to the republic’s Ministry of Health (MOH) today.
The subgroups are persons moderately to severely immunocompromised; and persons aged 60 years and above, as well as residents of aged care facilities.
MOH said with advice from the Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination (EC19V) it has reviewed its strategies to achieve protection against Covid-19 through vaccination, especially in light of the more transmissible variants that have emerged globally.
“With the more transmissible Delta variant, it is not likely that countries can achieve herd protection without a very high population vaccination rate of well over 90 per cent,” it said in a statement here.
The ministry added there has also been emerging data on the waning of vaccine efficacy against infection with time.
“Although evidence globally and locally continues to show that vaccines are very effective in reducing severe illness and death, some countries have also decided to proceed with booster doses,” it said.
Having reviewed the available evidence, as well as scrutinised the safety and efficacy of booster doses administered globally, MOH agreed to the recommendations by EC19V to commence a booster programme for the two subgroups.
MOH said the first batch of seniors aged 60 years and above completed their second doses around March this year, hence they will be eligible for the third dose within this month.
As of Sept 2, 80 per cent of the Singapore total population have completed their full regimen and 83 per cent have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccines.- Bernama
