More could be given first dose in next vaccination phase: Ong
MOH studying if second dose can be delayed so that more can have some level of protection
Singapore is exploring the possibility of giving as many people as possible the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in the next phase of its vaccination exercise, so that more of the population will have some level of protection, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung yesterday.
If this is done, people might need to wait up to six to eight weeks for their second shot, but this would not affect the efficacy of the vaccine, he added, promising that more details will be announced as soon as they are finalised.
Currently, the ministry recommends that the two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine be taken 21 days apart to achieve optimal protection.
For the Moderna vaccines, the time period is 28 days.
Around the world, vaccine shortages have hampered efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and scientists have studied the possibility of delaying the second dose of the vaccine so more is available for use as first doses.
The first dose of the two-shot Covid-19 vaccines primes the immune system to recognise the virus, and the second dose solidifies this memory.
India, which is experiencing a devastating outbreak, accepted earlier this month a recommendation to extend the gap between the two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to 12 to 16 weeks, from six to eight weeks.
Speaking about the strategy for phase two of Singapore's vaccination exercise yesterday, Mr Ong, co-chair of the multi-ministry task force handling Covid-19, noted that experts overseas and in Singapore believe people can wait up to six to eight weeks for the second dose without affecting the vaccine's efficacy.
He also said those who already have an appointment for their second dose of the vaccine will not be affected.
As of May 10, more than 1.8 million people in Singapore have received their first dose of the vaccine, and more than 1.2 million have completed the full vaccination regimen.
BENEFITS
Mr Ong stressed that vaccination provides three benefits: protection against infection; bringing down the severity of the disease if one is infected; and reducing the likelihood of transmission.
He added that all three benefits have been seen in countries that have vaccinated a large proportion of the population, such as Israel.
The first phase of Singapore's vaccination exercise has been focused on those who need the protection most, such as the elderly and those working in hospitals, sea ports, the airport, and schools, said Mr Ong.
"For this group, we want to give them the maximum protection, meaning two doses," he added.
Asked why the vaccination programme cannot be rolled out faster, Mr Ong said the programme "is still pretty much aligned with the arrival of supplies".
While Singapore has a steady stream of supplies for both vaccines, which is enough to cover its entire population, they "come at a certain pace", he added.
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