Covid-19 booster shots to be expanded to 50-59 age group from Oct 4

FULLY vaccinated individuals aged 50 to 59 will be progressively invited to receive booster jabs from Oct 4, Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Friday.

Those eligible will receive a text message with a personalised booking link on the mobile numbers provided when they received their first two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. The booster will be available to those who have completed their vaccination regimen at least six months ago.

The expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination has recommended this age group also receive boosters as data shows those aged 50 to 59 have a higher risk of underlying comorbidities, and thus a risk of severe illness, compared to younger persons. They would also have completed their primary course of vaccination earlier in the year, which means their levels of protection could have decreased over time.

The committee has also recommended halving the dosage for the Moderna vaccine booster to 50mcg. The reduced dosage is "sufficient to boost immune response significantly", MOH said, and will also ensure efficient use of vaccines.

The ministry assured that there are no safety concerns for those who have already received 100mcg of the Moderna vaccine for their booster dose.

The 100mcg dose of the Moderna vaccine will continue to be used for the two-dose primary vaccination regime, and the three-dose enhanced series for immunocompromised people.

Singapore's booster programme started on Sept 15 for those aged 60 and above, as well as residents at aged care facilities. As of Sept 23, almost 91,500 seniors have received their booster dose. MOH said 56 per cent of those who have been invited for a booster shot have either received their shots or have booked an appointment for one.

Vaccination centres will be open for walk-ins when most of those invited have booked their appointments and the crowd is "sufficiently spread out", Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said at a press conference by the multi-ministry task force on Friday.

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