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SINGAPORE: Given that the COVID-19 vaccines in Singapore are voluntary, efforts may be needed to encourage people who are reluctant to take the jab to do so, said the medical experts the CNA spoke with.
Clear information on available vaccines, including their benefits and any downsides, could help persuade some people that getting the vaccine is in their best interest and those of the wider community, they added.
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) has said that while the COVID-19 vaccine will be voluntary, it strongly encourages all medically eligible people to get vaccinated when it is offered.
“While there is certainly a segment of the Singapore population that avoids vaccination, the degree of anti-vaccination sentiment in Singapore is considerably lower than in Europe or North America,” said Professor Teo Yik Ying, Dean of Saw Swee. from the National University of Singapore. Hock School of Public Health.
The spread of anti-vaccination misinformation, including unsubstantiated claims linking the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to an increased risk of autism in children, has been attributed to the rise in measles cases in recent years in many countries, like the United States. and Samoa.
Singaporeans are generally well informed about the benefits and possible side effects of vaccines, Professor Teo said, and the Ministry of Health uses school programs and various forms of media to communicate the importance of vaccination.
“Because we have a smaller fraction of people with deeply ingrained prejudices or dogmas against vaccines, the doubts that people may face when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine is more a matter of misinformation or lack of information.” , said.
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“This is good news, in the sense that transparent, clear and truthful communication can be provided to the population about COVID-19 vaccines, the benefits and disadvantages, what we currently know about vaccines and what are the questions that they were left without answer ”.
“Such clear and frank communication will help improve reception towards the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Professor Teo.
Any hesitation in getting vaccinated could indicate the need for greater investment in public education and communication, he noted.
Professor Paul Tambyah, President of the Asia-Pacific Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said there is no scientific data on the prevalence of anti-vaccination sentiment in Singapore.
The country has a history of taking a “cautious and scientific” approach to vaccination, he said, noting the Health and Science Authority’s position on dengue vaccination, where the vaccine is only given to people when the benefits outweigh the risk.
“If anything, the cautious approach of both the public and regulators will help ensure that accurate data on the side effects of vaccination are communicated and that people can choose for themselves about vaccination based on their own risk assessments. “, said.
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FILE PHOTO: A Walgreens pharmacist prepares a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Crown Heights Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, a nursing home in Brooklyn, New York, USA, 22 December 2020. REUTERS / Yuki Iwamura
SAFETY NOT COMMITTED IN VACCINE DEVELOPMENT
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that COVID-19 vaccination would be free to all Singapore citizens and long-term residents, and the country received its first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines last week.
This occurs less than a year after the first spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By comparison, it took more than two decades to develop an effective polio vaccine.
However, this apparent speed does not indicate that the development of COVID-19 vaccines was rushed or that safety was compromised, Professor Teo said.
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“The reason COVID-19 vaccines can be designed, developed and tested so quickly is because of the large number of research labs that have been repurposed to research the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as paralleling the different phases of clinical trials, ”he said.
Professor Tambyah noted that vaccines that have been approved or are close to being approved so far are based on spike protein, the part of the virus that allows it to enter the body, similar to that of the characterized SARS spike protein. between 2003 and 2004 by researchers in Singapore and elsewhere.
“They studied the structure of the protein and how the human body’s immune system responded to the protein. So this vaccine actually took about 17 years to develop, “he says.
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While there have been reports of allergic reactions among those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine, they are rare, noted Professor Tambyah.
“The most frequent are fever, fatigue and muscle aches. These are relatively common, especially after the second dose of vaccine, ”he said.
“It is important that people are prepared for this so that they know what to expect and are not surprised. The best analogy is with childhood vaccines, where babies are often in a bad mood for a day on the day they get their shots. “
“A very small number of people have reported anaphylactic responses, and this is exactly why there are very clear recommendations for people with a history of adverse responses to certain medications and foods, and the emphasis here is on adverse responses, not only in mild reactions. they should not take the COVID-19 vaccine until further notice ”, said Professor Teo.
“With tens of thousands of people participating in clinical trials, the risk of some of these more serious side effects is estimated to be around 1 in 10,000 or less. This is really a very small risk, when viewed from an individual’s perspective, ”he added.
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A Singapore Airlines cargo pallet containing Singapore’s first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines is unloaded from the plane on December 21, 2020 (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo).
HOW MANY NEED TO BE VACCINATED?
No one knows for sure what percentage of Singapore’s population will need to be vaccinated to ensure the country’s safety, Professor Tambyah said.
“One clue is from gated communities like Diamond Princess or dorm rooms in Singapore, where about half the population was infected symptomatically or asymptomatically,” he said.
The Diamond Princess is a cruise ship that saw hundreds of infected people on board in the early stages of the pandemic.
“The big difference is that Singapore is one of the world’s major travel and trade centers, so we would need half of the world’s population to be immune rather than just half of Singapore’s population, and that’s assuming that the data from bedrooms and Diamond Princess can be extrapolated to the general population, ”he adds.
“Based on current knowledge of the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we are seeking a target of at least 80 percent of the population to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Professor Teo.
“Clearly, if the reports of the mutated variant from the UK are checked, and that strain is much more infectious, we may even have to revise the target to be higher, say 90 percent or more.”
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“Clear, informative and transparent” communication is needed to increase the acceptance of vaccination, said Professor Teo.
“Having a number of platforms for people to post questions about vaccines to certified experts, as well as understanding the social and behavioral sciences of why some people are reluctant to take vaccines, can also help sharpen and improve the way they information about the vaccine is communicated to the public, “he added.
“I think if rates drop dramatically in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom after the vaccine is launched, vaccination rates will increase here as well,” said Professor Tambyah.
Singapore “is not familiar with vaccination during an epidemic,” he added, pointing to the country’s vaccination programs implemented in the mid-20th century.
“Experience with the Sabin vaccine during the polio epidemics of the 1950s shows that if a vaccine works, Singaporeans will take it!” he said.
