The much-anticipated COVID-19 vaccination scheme in Singapore kicked off in January 2021, with about 115,000 Singapore residents vaccinated against the virus by the end of the month.

According to Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), the scheme seeks to protect Singaporean residents against COVID-19, as well as to protect businesses and jobs through the progressive re-opening of Singapore.

The Singapore government aims to vaccinate most of the population by the end of 2021 and achieve as high a level of population coverage as possible.

A population with high vaccination coverage against COVID-19 will indirectly protect those who are unable to receive COVID-19 vaccination (e.g. severely immunocompromised individuals, subgroups such as children where safety data is not available), as the risk of transmission of the disease will be greatly reduced. 

So what do you need to know about the vaccine before you receive it?

What are the COVID-19 vaccines authorised for use in Singapore?

In January, when the vaccination scheme kicked off in Singapore, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was authorised for pandemic use by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

However, as of 3 February 2021, HSA has also granted interim authorisation for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to be used in Singapore.

This is because HSA’s review of the available clinical data found that the benefits of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the known risks.

Who is eligible for vaccination in Singapore?

Singaporeans, Singapore Permanent Residents, those on Long Term Visitor Pass, Employment Pass, S Pass, Work permit, and dependent pass holders will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations.

However, as the vaccines will only arrive in Singapore in batches as they are being manufactured, priority will be given to more vulnerable groups of residents.

Priority has been given to healthcare workers, COVID-19 frontline workers and vulnerable groups at greater risk of severe disease from COVID-19 infection, such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.

Who should currently not be vaccinated?

Pregnant women and those who are severely immunocompromised ae currently advised against getting vaccinated as there have not been enough studies conducted to conclude the safety of administering the vaccine to these groups.

Women who are planning a pregnancy are advised to consider deferring conception for 1 month after completing the second dose, out of an abundance of caution.

Women who become pregnant after the first dose and before the second dose should not receive the second dose of vaccine, but should postpone it until after delivery.

Can you choose which type of vaccine you wish to receive?

The Singapore government currently has only authorised two types of vaccines for use – the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said in Parliament that people will not be able to choose which vaccine they want. This is to reduce unnecessary delays in vaccination of the population and move towards the greater goal of maximum coverage among Singaporeans.

How many doses of the vaccine should you get?

This vaccine consists of 2 doses, with the second dose due in 21 days. You need both doses to have the full vaccine protection, and for the protection to last as long as possible.

How is the vaccine administered?

The vaccine is given as an injection into the muscle of your upper arm. A healthcare professional will administer it to those who have signed up for the vaccination.

How effective is the vaccine?

The Pfizer vaccine has an efficacy of 96 per cent whereas the Moderna vaccine has an efficacy of 94 per cent. This data was gleaned from a phase three clinical trial of 30,000 people aged between 18 and 95.

It means the vaccines led to a 96 or 94 per cent reduction (depending on brad of vaccine) of symptomatic Covid-19 infections in a vaccinated group of people, as compared with a similarly sized group that was not vaccinated.

Will there be any side effects after vaccination?

For both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, mild to moderate side effects may present after vaccination. These include pain, swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle ache, fever, chills, vomiting, and joint pain after vaccination.

However, the HSA has announced that symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches and muscle and joint aches may be more severe in a small number of people.

The HSA said a small proportion of people will suffer severe allergic reactions upon vaccination, as is the case for all vaccines. They could include people with a history of anaphylaxis, as well as those with severe or multiple allergies to medicines and food. 

What will happen if I happen to suffer from severe side effects after vaccination?

In the rare event of serious side effects that are assessed to be related to the COVID-19 vaccines administered in Singapore, MOH has introduced a vaccine injury financial assistance programme for COVID-19 vaccination (VIFAP) to provide financial assistance for affected persons. VIFAP is intended to give a greater peace of mind for those taking the vaccination.  

To qualify for the VIFAP, individuals must be a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident or long-term pass holder who had received the COVID-19 vaccination in Singapore and experienced a serious side effect that is potentially life-threatening or fatal that required inpatient hospitalisation or caused persistent incapacity or disability. A doctor must assess if the serious side effects are linked to the COVID-19 vaccination received by the individual. 

As the severity of serious side effects can be broad-ranging and the clinical assessment by doctors may vary, all VIFAP applications will be assessed and adjudicated by a MOH-appointed independent clinical panel comprising experts in relevant fields such as neurology, immunology and infectious diseases.