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SINGAPORE – Monday’s press conference by the multi-ministerial working group on Covid-19 saw a series of questions about Singapore’s planned vaccination launch. Clara Chong reports on some of the highlights.
Q: Why is the vaccination program voluntary and not mandatory? How does the government hope to encourage greater public acceptance of vaccination in addition to getting it free?
ANSWER: Very few vaccines are mandatory, because the government wants to respect the people’s choice, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong. But the task force hopes to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, as the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Covid-19 vaccination expert committee have concluded that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is effective and safe.
The task force hopes that all Singaporeans can be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the end of 2021.
However, the government will not force everyone to accept the vaccine, which is still new. The task force is still learning more about the disease and the vaccine, such as how effective it is and what its side effects are. Long-term data is still being collected, and as the task force studies the profile of the vaccine and its side effects, it is prudent that it make recommendations, but do not insist that all Singaporeans adopt it.
Singaporeans may also have a variety of different medical conditions that may require the task force to specifically combine certain types of vaccines with those to ensure safety is maintained, Gan said.
To provide more information for people to make an informed decision, the task force will continue to engage them to clarify the status of vaccines, their benefits, and possible experiences that people may have as they come forward for vaccination.
“And we hope that this part of the educational process enables all of us to make an informed decision and have confidence that vaccines are effective and safe,” Gan said.
Q: What if the vaccination rate is low? Is there a target acceptance rate?
A: There is no specific goal at the moment. The goal is as high an adoption rate as possible, Gan said. The Government will seek to reach all eligible Singaporean and local residents to encourage them to get vaccinated and will improve public education and outreach to encourage as many enrollments as possible.
Q: How will long-term pass holders be encouraged to receive the jab?
A: Access will be very convenient, said Second Minister for Human Resources Tan See Leng.
To do so, the Government will enlist the help of medical centers and health care providers that provide services in dormitories, medical centers located in some recreation centers, as well as community medical clinics that provide examinations and tests to migrant workers.
The vaccines will be offered to all migrant workers in a phased approach to be released in the coming weeks. The calibrated approach will also consider the needs of the general population and the community.
Q: Will everyone get the Pfizer vaccine? Or will some people get the Sinovac vaccine from China with which Singapore also signed advance purchase agreements? How do you decide who gets which?
A: Currently, HSA has only licensed the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. When more vaccines are licensed, they will be used.
Some vaccines may have certain limitations or criteria and the task force will have to evaluate them individually to determine which one is best suited for which segment of the population, Gan said.
The current recommendation is to offer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with priority to healthcare workers, first-line and vulnerable patients who do not have any medical contraindications.
Q: Migrant workers account for the vast majority of cases in Singapore. Are they currently considered a priority or vulnerable group for the vaccine?
A: Based on the migrant worker population of around 300,000, about 100,000 of them are not immune. Therefore, the task force will prioritize this group of workers over their colleagues and incoming new workers as restrictions are relaxed to allow more migrant workers.
Q: With allergy problems that have occurred in Great Britain, Great Britain has issued an anaphylactic warning on the Pfizer vaccine. Are there similar concerns here?
A: The task force is concerned about allergic reactions, said Health Ministry director of medical services Kenneth Mak.
“And this is also a similar concern for any other vaccine that is available today for a variety of different conditions,” said Associate Professor Mak.
The most serious allergic reaction would be anaphylaxis, which can lead to breathing difficulties. In Great Britain, at least two people showed characteristics of a severe anaphylactic reaction.
With this in mind, the HSA and the expert committee’s recommendation is not to vaccinate people who have a history of severe allergic reactions or anaphylactic reactions.
Also, all people who receive the vaccine should be observed for a short time afterward to make sure they do not have the immediate signs of an allergic reaction.
If a person has an allergic reaction after the first dose, the recommendation is not to give the second dose. “We erred on the safety side,” added Professor Mak.
Q: If the vaccine acceptance rate is high, will certain safe distancing measures change for people who have been vaccinated?
A: Although the vaccine will protect the person who has received it, there is still no clear evidence that it can protect against transmitting the virus to another person, Gan said.
“Therefore, we cannot assume that once you are vaccinated, you are not likely to transmit the virus to anyone else and you can take off your mask and do whatever you want,” Gan said.
Therefore, despite vaccination, all safe distancing measures should still be observed. The task force will monitor development in this area and adjust measures progressively over time.
“Please understand that a vaccine is not a ticket to the freedom to do whatever you want,” added Education Minister Lawrence Wong.
Q: Once the vaccination plan is implemented, will there be any changes to Singapore’s testing strategy?
ANSWER: The working group should take into account that more people will be vaccinated next year, analyze the general set of measures and make the necessary adjustments, Wong said.
“For example, with vaccines in place and if travelers can show proof and certification of vaccination, then the type of test that we administer could vary, because then we would want to test to make sure the person has antibodies in response to the vaccine. ,” He noticed.
Given that more and more people will be vaccinated, Singapore will continue to need the full suite of other safety measures, but the types of tests to be administered will have to vary. The testing regime and protocols at borders and for events, for example, will need to be adjusted accordingly. The task force is working in all these different environments now.
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