SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is expanding the age range for individuals recommended to receive a second COVID-19 booster chance to include those old 60 and above, the ministry introduced on Wednesday (Aug 24).
The previous recommendation was for those aged 80 years plus older.
In a multi-ministry task drive press conference, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said about 80 per cent of the population has had the booster shot.
“This is a key reason why we could ride through the current HANDBAG. 5 variant without tightening SMMs (safe distancing measures), without having many severe cases and without having our hospitals being confused, ” he said.
“So to get ready for a possible year-end wave, we will need to expand our vaccination coverage. ”
BETTER PROTECTION
The first booster provides good protection towards hospitalisation and serious COVID-19 in individuals aged 60 to 79 years, MOH said.
Nevertheless , the ministry expects the protection in order to gradually wane, given that it has been more than a calendar year since the first booster was administered to this age group.
“We need to keep our vaccinations up-to-date, to get ready for possible upcoming infection waves. ”
MOH added that the latest proof indicates that a 2nd booster increased vaccine effectiveness against severe diseases from 94 per cent to ninety-seven per cent for those elderly 70 to seventy nine.
For those older 60 to 69, this effectiveness went up from 97 per cent to 98 per cent.
Depending on this, MOH said it agreed with the recommendation by the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) for those people aged sixty and above to get a second booster a minimum of five months after their first enhancer.
People who are clinically vulnerable are also motivated to receive their 2nd booster, MOH said, adding that it will certainly continue to offer the second booster to all people aged 50 in order to 59.
Those eligible for their major series vaccination, 1st booster or 2nd booster may receive their doses simply by walking into any of the ten Joint Examining and Vaccination Centers located across Singapore.
Appointments may also be booked at these centres, participating Open public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs), or polyclinics via SMS invitations.