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SINGAPORE: The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German company BioNTech, with the first shipment due to arrive in Singapore by the end of December, Prime Minister Lee Hsien announced Loong on Monday (December 14).
This makes Singapore one of the first countries to get this vaccine, he said.
The HSA has studied the scientific evidence and clinical trial data for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Lee said in a televised address on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore.
Other vaccines are also expected to arrive in Singapore in the coming months, and the country “will have enough vaccines for everyone” by the third quarter of next year if all goes according to plan, he added.
READ: Singapore to begin Phase 3 of COVID-19 reopening on December 28
VACCINES FOR THE WHOLE ADULT POPULATION
The Health Ministry has established a committee of doctors and experts to recommend a vaccination strategy, he said.
“The committee has proposed that our entire adult population should be vaccinated, but for vaccinations to be voluntary,” Mr. Lee said.
Priority will be given to those most at risk, such as frontline and healthcare workers, and the elderly and vulnerable.
“From then on, the committee proposes to progressively vaccinate the rest of the population and cover all those who want to be vaccinated by the end of next year,” he said.
The government has accepted the committee’s recommendations, Mr. Lee said, adding that he has “personal confidence” in the experts.
“My cabinet colleagues and I, including the older ones, will get vaccinated early. This is to show them, especially older people like me, that we believe vaccines are safe, ”he said.
Vaccinations will be free for all Singaporeans as well as long-term residents currently in Singapore, he added.
“I highly recommend that you also get vaccinated when the vaccine is offered. Because when you get vaccinated, you’re not just protecting yourself. You are also doing your part to protect others, especially those you love, ”said Mr. Lee.
“The more we vaccinate, the more difficult it will be for the virus to spread and the safer we will all be as a society.”
The HSA said separately that the provisional authorization was granted after the data submitted by Pfizer-BioNTech was evaluated to show that the vaccine meets the required safety, efficacy and quality standards, and that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. known.
Two doses are required 21 days apart, in persons 16 years of age and older, according to the vaccination regimen presented by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Pfizer Singapore and BioNTech said in a press release late Monday that they will deliver doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Singapore until 2021, following emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration. (FDA) and provisional authorization for the pandemic supply of HSA. .
The dose volume and financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
READ: Data on Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Rigorously and Thoroughly Reviewed,’ HSA Says
READ: Social gatherings of up to 8 people allowed on December 28, additional reopening of community activities in Phase 3
“MULTIPLE BETS”
The government had been “working quietly” behind the scenes since the start of the coronavirus pandemic to ensure access to vaccines, Mr. Lee said.
He added that this “was not a simple exercise” as more than 200 possible vaccines were being developed.
“We started talking to drug companies early on to understand the science and identify promising candidates and vaccines that are likely to go into production sooner,” he said.
The government made “multiple bets” to sign advance purchase agreements and make early down payments for the most promising candidates, including Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac, Lee said, noting that more than S $ 1 billion had been set aside for these efforts.
“We made arrangements with pharmaceutical companies to facilitate their clinical trials and drug development in Singapore, and we attracted some to establish vaccine manufacturing capabilities here,” he said.
Local efforts to develop a vaccine were also supported, he noted.
This not only gave Singaporean scientists and researchers the opportunity to do cutting-edge work, but also acted as insurance, in case the global supply chain was disrupted, Lee said.
“In this way, we created a diversified portfolio of options, to ensure that Singapore would be at the front of the line for vaccines and not last in line,” he said.
Ensuring early access to vaccines was a government-wide effort, with many agencies and public officials involved in this “critical mission,” he said.
“I congratulate you for your good work. They are among the legion of anonymous heroes who have helped us overcome this crisis, ”he added.
READ: In full: PM Lee’s speech on the COVID-19 situation
VACCINES WILL SUPPORT SINGAPORE’S RECOVERY
Lee said in his speech that COVID-19 vaccines will support Singapore’s recovery in more ways than one, noting that, as a global aviation hub, the country plays a crucial role in the transportation of vaccines around the world.
Vaccines require cold chain management, and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, he noted.
“This requires infrastructure, high standards, trained personnel, and good connectivity to many different countries and throughout the supply chain. Fortunately, Singapore has a strong ecosystem for cargo handling, ”he added.
He noted that international logistics companies such as DHL and FedEx are based here, while Singapore Airlines’ ground service partners and Changi Airport are certified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to handle and transport pharmaceutical supplies.
“We are now preparing to handle large volumes of vaccine shipments to and through Singapore, to help win the global fight against COVID-19,” said Mr. Lee.
“We don’t get here overnight. We have always planned ahead, creating opportunities for ourselves in a systematic way. It took us years of investment and planning, to build a business-friendly climate and to expand our air links around the world, he said.
“These long-term investments are now paying dividends,” he said.
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