Covid-19 vaccines: Singaporeans travelling can't jump queue due to limited supply

SINGAPOREANS who are travelling overseas would not be able to receive early vaccination as the Covid-19 vaccines are now prioritised for healthcare and frontline workers as well as seniors, Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said on Monday.

"We understand the anxiety of some Singaporeans who wish to travel overseas for personal reasons and would like to get vaccinated early. At this point when vaccine supplies are limited, we need to prioritise our healthcare and frontline workers, and seniors, for vaccination," Dr Janil said in Parliament.

"When there is greater certainty in our vaccine supply, we will consider allowing these individuals to receive early vaccination," he added.

Dr Janil was responding to a slew of questions from MPs covering various aspects of Covid-19 vaccines, with several focused on whether Singaporeans who need to travel for work, study or compassionate reasons could be prioritised.

"It is something to be considered. We will be opening up the registration process, and we will be looking for an indication of interest from members of the public who are eligible in this phase as well as in the future," he said in response to a question from Yio Chu Kang MP Yip Hon Weng.

Singapore received its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Dec 21 and its vaccination programme was rolled out shortly after.

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As at Jan 31, more than 155,000 individuals have received their first dose of the vaccine, Dr Janil said.

More vaccination centres will be set up over the next few weeks, he added, with a total of 40 such centres with a capacity of 2,000 vaccinations per day on average being planned.

Besides vaccination centres, polyclinics and selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) will also serve as vaccination centres. All 20 polyclinics in Singapore will begin offering vaccinations from Monday.

Dr Janil said the safety and well-being of Singaporeans remain the government's top priority for the vaccination programme, and only vaccines that meet strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness will be used in the Republic.

The Ministry of Health (MOH), Health Sciences Authority and the Expert Committee on Covid-19 have been monitoring international reports on vaccine-related adverse events and deaths in elderly recipients, he said.

The Norwegian health authorities and the World Health Organization's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety have found no evidence that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine contributes to an increased risk of death in the elderly, Dr Janil said.

"Thus, we continue to offer Covid-19 vaccination for seniors. It is important to vaccinate and protect seniors, as Covid-19 infection in the elderly has been observed to result in severe or fatal illness," he said.

Nevertheless, the ministry has urged doctors to review the medical history of seniors carefully to confirm they are indeed suitable for vaccination, he added.

Among those who have received the vaccine, there were four individuals in their 20s and 30s who developed anaphylaxis, which is the rapid onset of severe allergic reactions, he said, adding that three of the individuals had a history of allergies, but none had a history of anaphylaxis which would have precluded them from receiving the vaccine.

All four individuals were promptly treated and have recovered from the episode.

"Currently, the benefits of getting vaccinated to protect oneself from the effects of severe Covid-19 disease and its complications far outweigh the risk of any potential adverse events known to be associated with vaccination," Dr Janil noted.

While there will be some delays to the shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines due to the upgrading of Pfizer's manufacturing plant, Dr Janil said the government will continue to monitor its supplies closely to meet its target of vaccinating all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore by end-2021.

He added that while the government has signed advance purchase agreements with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Sinovac and is in discussions with a few other pharmaceutical companies, it is not able to disclose the specific quantity of vaccines ordered or the delivery schedules due to commercial sensitivities and confidentiality undertakings in the agreements.

Meanwhile, vaccinations will also be made available to migrant workers, and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is working out the schedule and details with MOH, depending on the delivery schedule for the vaccines, said Second Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng.

"The vaccination effort will be accompanied by a comprehensive communication campaign to inform migrant workers of the safety and benefits of the vaccine. The common side effects and risks of allergic reactions will also be explained," said Dr Tan, adding that this will be done through videos, pamphlets and booklets in their native languages.