FAQs - Post-vaccination Matters

19 Jan 2022

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Updated 13 Jan 2022

Post-vaccination Matters

Are there any side effects? What should I do if I suffer from any side effects?

The vaccine has been assessed to be safe for use. However, you may experience common side effects, similar to other vaccines. Most side effects are mild or moderate, and usually get better within a few days. The table below lists some common side effects that have been reported with this vaccine, and how to manage them.

Side Effects	How to Manage
Pain, redness, swelling at the injection site	Those with fever are advised to self-isolate at home until the fever subsides. Paracetamol 1 to 2 tablets for the other side effects every 6 hours as needed.
Fever, chills
Headache, muscle pain, joint pain
Tiredness	Rest
Lymph node swelling at neck or arms	Usually gets better by itself in a week or so

See a doctor if:
• The side effects persist or get worse
• The fever persists for more than 48 hours (2 days)
• Respiratory symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or loss of sense of taste and smell develop
• Heart or chest symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or abnormal heart beats develop.

In very rare cases, this vaccine can cause a severe allergic reaction. Signs of a severe allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, throat, eyes or lips, a fast heartbeat, dizziness and weakness, a bad rash all over your body. If you experience a severe allergic reaction, seek medical attention immediately. Call 995 or go to the nearest A&E immediately.

How long do we have to observe and report the side effects from the vaccine? Which side effect takes the longest to manifest?

Most side effects will resolve within 3 days. Though uncommon, lymphadenopathy (lymph node swelling) can be vaccine-related and takes around 7 to 10 days to resolve.

What is myocarditis and pericarditis? Can the vaccine lead to myocarditis and pericarditis?

Myocarditis and pericarditis are inflammatory conditions affecting the heart muscles and the outer lining of the heart, respectively. Patients may present with symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or abnormal heartbeats. Local incidence rates remain low and the cases are usually mild and recover well.

Vaccinated persons who received the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna vaccines, in particular adolescents and young persons, are advised to avoid strenuous physical activities such as running, weightlifting, competitive sports, or playing ball games for two weeks after their first and second vaccination doses, as a precautionary measure.

During this time, they should seek medical attention promptly if they develop chest pain, shortness of breath or palpitations.

Would there be post-vaccination monitoring in place, e.g. will some staff and residents continually be tested for COVID-19 virus antibodies, to determine durability of the vaccination response?

As a condition for the interim authorisation under PSAR, vaccine companies including Sinovac, Pfizer-BioNTech/ Comirnaty and Moderna are required to monitor the longer-term efficacy of the vaccine to determine the duration of protection against COVID-19, as well as follow up on the safety of the vaccine for a longer period of time to determine its full safety profile. Vaccine companies must continue submitting the longer term follow up data to HSA to assure the continued effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. HSA will actively review the data to ensure that the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the known risks. When sufficient data is available for full registration, the companies will be required to file an application to transit the status of the product from PSAR interim authorisation to full registration.

Research studies will be conducted to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination, including the durability and the extent the vaccine is able to prevent transmission. Hence, vaccinated persons may be recruited for such studies.

What happens if I develop an allergic reaction to my first dose?

You should seek medical attention, if you experience a possible allergic reaction to the first dose (e.g. eye or lip swelling, hives, generalised skin rashes, breathlessness). Fever, chills, muscle pain, headaches, injection site pain are not allergic reactions.

You should discuss your suitability for COVID-19 vaccination with your doctor. Persons with an allergic reaction assessed to be caused by the vaccine and who are advised that they should not take the subsequent dose of the vaccine, should cancel the appointment for it.

Nevertheless, persons who had developed the following skin reactions to a previous dose of the mRNA-based vaccine may be able to receive a subsequent dose of the same vaccine:

a.     Non-severe skin reactions occurring more than four hours after vaccination without other symptoms
b.     Non-specific skin symptoms such as itching without a rash, a red patch beyond the injection site or eczema
c.      Flares of underlying skin condition such as psoriasis and eczema

Medical personnel at the vaccination sites will also assess the suitability of individuals to receive the vaccination before they are vaccinated.

Persons who are unable to complete the full two-dose regime of the PSAR-authorised mRNA vaccines, due to valid medical reasons, should receive the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine.

Recognising Overseas Vaccinations

	Who can get their overseas COVID-19 vaccination records ingested into the National Immunisation Registry (NIR) and what must they do?
A:	All individuals who have been vaccinated overseas with any vaccines approved under the WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL), including booster shots, can get their overseas vaccination records ingested into the National Immunisation Registry (NIR). This includes Singaporean Citizens (SC), Singapore Permanent Residents (PR), Long-Term Pass Holders (LTPH) (e.g. Long-Term Visitor Pass, Work Permit, Employment Pass, S Pass, Dependent Pass, Student Pass) and Short-Term Pass Holders (STPH). For STPHs, this would only be relevant to those who intend to stay in Singapore for more than 30 days. You may call ahead to any clinic to check if they provide such services. You can also refer to phpc.gov.sg for a listing of clinics who may provide such services; please call ahead to check. The full cost of the service will be borne by the individual. If their overseas vaccination documents are not in English, they will need to get the documents translated by a translation service provider, notary public or embassy of the country that issued the document. Both the original overseas vaccination document and translated document must be brought along when visiting a private healthcare provider in Singapore for serology testing. After arriving in Singapore, the individual will need to visit a healthcare provider who will do the following: 1. Review the individual’s overseas vaccination documentation - either the original hard copy vaccination certificate or digital vaccination certificate (with translated document where applicable). 2. Perform a serology test. (See next question for details.) 3. Update the individual’s overseas COVID-19 vaccination record(s) to NIR as long as the individual (i) has overseas COVID-19 vaccination documentation, and (ii) whose serology test result is positive. 4. Individuals will see their vaccinations status on TraceTogether or HealthHub app within 24 hours after clinic has notified NIR of their overseas COVID-19 vaccination records.
	I had received a mixture of different vaccines overseas (e.g first dose Pfizer and second dose AstraZeneca). Am I considered fully vaccinated?
A:	Yes. You may visit a healthcare provider for your serology test to ingest your records into the NIR.
	What type of COVID-19 serology testing is required?
A:	The serology test used should detect antibodies generated in response to the vaccine. As most COVID-19 vaccines are based on the spike (S) protein of the SAR-CoV-2 virus, a serology test that detects anti-S antibodies should generally be used. An anti-N (nucleocapsid) serology test may be used for persons vaccinated with inactivated virus vaccines (e.g. Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Covaxin). There is no need to distinguish between IgG and IgM, and a qualitative assay of total antibodies can be used.
	I had previously contracted COVID-19. Following my country’s guidelines, I got vaccinated with only one dose of a WHO EUL vaccine and did not take a second dose. Am I considered fully vaccinated?
A:	Yes. You may visit a healthcare provider for your serology test to ingest your records into the NIR. If you received a dose of a non-inactivated virus vaccine (i.e. vaccines except Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Covaxin), you will need to take an anti-N serology test to confirm your past infection in addition to an anti-S serology test to confirm your vaccination. If you received a dose of an inactivated virus vaccine, an anti-N serology test would be unable to ascertain your past infection. You should provide documentary evidence of your past infection to the doctor (e.g. PCR test result, discharge memo).
	Which are the healthcare providers that can provide this service?
A:	Most clinics will be able to provide serology testing to confirm whether the individual has undergone the vaccinations. phpc.gov.sg provides the list of some clinics’ addresses and contact details (not exhaustive). Please call in advance to check that the clinic is able to support serology testing for persons vaccinated overseas and update their record on the National Immunisation Registry. The polyclinics do not provide serology testing for verification of overseas vaccination.
	What will the charges be?
A:	The charges will be determined by the private healthcare providers providing the service. Please contact the clinics directly about the charges.
	Will the charges be subsidised?
A:	No, the charges will not be subsidised.
	Why is serology testing required before overseas COVID-19 vaccination records of SCs/PRs/LTPHs can be accepted into Singapore’s IT systems?
A:	The serology test is an additional means, on top of vaccination documentation, to confirm that a person has undergone effective vaccination.
	I have taken 2 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna or Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccines overseas. These vaccines are approved by Singapore. Why do I still need to do serology test?
A:	Serology testing provides a means for MOH / HPB to verify your vaccination status prior to data ingestion.
	Will the results of serology testing done overseas be accepted in Singapore?
A:	No, serology testing needs to be done in Singapore.
	Will serology testing be required for those who have received partial or complete COVID-19 vaccination overseas?
A:	The serology test requirement would apply across board to those who have received either partial or complete COVID-19 vaccination overseas, including booster shots.
	How soon can an individual know his / her serology test result?
A:	This will depend on the clinic and the laboratory running the test. You can ask the clinic when you can expect the result.
	What should an individual do if he/she receives a negative serology test result?
A:	A negative serology result implies that the individual’s overseas vaccination was not effective and may not protect from COVID-19 infection. You may wish to re-take your vaccination in Singapore if you are eligible. More details can be found at https://vaccine.gov.sg or the MOH COVID-19 hotline at 1800-333-9999.
	Is it safe for an individual to re-take the COVID-19 vaccination if the serology test result is negative?
A:	There are no known safety issues with re-taking the COVID-19 vaccination. However, some may experience more noticeable side effects such as injection site pain, muscle aches and fever.
	Can an individual take a different brand of COVID-19 vaccine if he / she needs to re-take the vaccination?
A:	Such individuals should complete a vaccine series with a vaccine under the National Vaccination Programme. The vaccine series need not be of the same brand as that reported to have been taken previously.
	Does an individual need to pay for the vaccination if he /she needs to re-take the vaccination?
A:	Under the National Vaccination Programme, COVID-19 vaccination is free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore.
	Can Singapore residents who were vaccinated here request for a serology test at GP clinics to confirm that their vaccination was effective? Why not?
A:	There is no need to request for serology testing after receiving their COVID-19 vaccination locally, as serology testing is not required to verify your vaccination status.

Vaccination Statuses and Records

	[New] Are all persons required to receive a booster vaccination in order to be considered fully vaccinated?
A:	There are currently no recommendations for the following groups of persons who had completed their primary vaccination series to receive booster vaccination: Individuals under 18 years old Recovered individuals* who have completed their primary vaccination series such as, Those who were fully vaccinated when they were infected with COVID-19 Those who received a valid dose of an mRNA vaccine or, two valid doses of a Sinovac-CoronaVac^ after they were infected with COVID-19 These persons will be considered fully vaccinated. The 270-day vaccination validity period after the primary vaccination series does not apply to these individuals. MOH will continue to monitor the emerging evidence to assess the need for the above groups to receive booster vaccination. *The following persons are recognised as having recovered from COVID-19: Persons who had COVID-19 symptoms, was seen by a medical doctor for them and tested positive on a documented ART ordered by him/her, from 6 Jan 2022 onwards Persons who had a positive COVID-19 PCR test result Persons who had a positive COVID-19 serology test result given past infection ^Recommendations for Sinovac-Coronavac should similarly apply to Sinopharm For recommended COVID-19 vaccination for recovered persons, please go to Booster Doses FAQs page.
	[New] I am fully vaccinated. How will the booster dose requirement affect my vaccination status?
A:	Fully vaccinated persons who are recommended to receive a booster dose, are considered “fully vaccinated” for the purpose of vaccine-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) for 270 days after the last dose of their primary vaccination series. They should receive their booster vaccination* to maintain the fully vaccinated status beyond the 270 days. If your vaccination status is not accurately reflected, you may raise your query at https://go.gov.sg/vds-query-form. *Based on the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination recommendations, the booster vaccination should be received at around five months after the last dose in their primary vaccination series (or three months for those who received the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine as their third vaccine dose as part of a three-dose primary vaccination series).
	[New] Do I need to restart my primary vaccination series if I did not receive my booster within 270 days after the last dose in my primary series?
A:	No, you do not need to restart your primary vaccination series. You should receive the booster dose as soon as possible for optimal protection. Upon receiving your booster, you will be considered as fully vaccinated.
	[New] I had departed from the National Vaccination Programme vaccination recommendations (I.e. 2 mRNA vaccine or 3 Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccines, followed by a mRNA booster about 5 months after primary vaccination series) and taken WHO EUL vaccines instead for my booster, will I be considered to be boosted and therefore fully vaccinated?
A:	Persons who have completed their primary vaccination series and received a WHO-EUL vaccine at least 90 days from their last dose of a complete primary vaccination series would be considered boosted, and will retain their fully vaccinated status.
	[New] I am a recovered person who was unvaccinated/partially vaccinated before infection. I had received one dose of mRNA vaccine three months after infection and am considered fully vaccinated. I am not recommended to receive a booster at this point in time, but am I allowed to do so for extra protection? Do I need to take the booster dose to maintain my vaccination status?
A:	As you are not recommended to receive the booster dose at this point in time, you do not need to receive the booster dose to maintain your vaccination status.
	[New] I am turning 18 years old soon and would need to receive the booster dose to maintain the vaccination status as my primary series has been more than 270 days. Is there a grace period for me to receive the booster dose?
A:	You will be given a grace period of two months to receive the booster dose. During this period, the fully vaccinated status would be maintained.
	Where can I see my vaccination records?
A:	Individuals who are vaccinated in Singapore or vaccinated overseas with WHO EUL vaccines and had their vaccination records ingested in the National Immunisation Registry (NIR) will be able to see their vaccination records on HealthHub application or NIR at www.nir.hpb.gov.sg/nirp/eservices/login. Individuals who are not HealthHub users are encouraged to keep the physical vaccination card issued by the vaccination providers for your own safekeeping.
	Where can I view my vaccination status?
A:	Individuals who are vaccinated in Singapore or vaccinated overseas with WHO EUL vaccines and had their vaccination records ingested in National Immunisation Registry (NIR) will be able to see their vaccination status on TraceTogether and HealthHub applications.
	When will my vaccination status be reflected as “Vaccinated”?
A:	Individuals will be considered as fully vaccinated if they meet the conditions in the has received the appropriate regimen of World Health Organisation Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) including their respective duration post-vaccination for the vaccine to be fully effective. Please visit https://go.gov.sg/vdsmminfo for the most updated information on the vaccination regimens and approved vaccines recognised for eligibility for vaccination-differentiated SMMs. Travellers may be granted a temporary “Vaccinated” status on arrival in Singapore. VTL travellers who submitted a digital vaccination certificate as part of their VTP may be granted a 180-day temporary status. All other travellers may be granted a 30-day temporary status by either uploading their digitally-verifiable vaccination certificate in their SG Arrival Card or presenting their vaccination certificate to the ICA officer at immigration clearance. For these travellers be permanently recognised as vaccinated in Singapore, they should ingest their overseas vaccination records in the NIR. Please see section on “Recognising Overseas Vaccinations” for more information. Travellers should note that the temporary “Vaccinated” status will only be granted on their first time arriving in Singapore. The status will not be renewed after exiting Singapore and entering again.
	I had received 2 doses of the Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccine. Am I considered fully vaccinated?
A:	If you had received the Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccine, you are recommended to receive three doses of the vaccine as your primary vaccination series. Is it recommended that the third dose be administered three months after the second dose. All who have taken two doses of Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm will be regarded as fully vaccinated for 4 months after the second dose, or until 31 December 2021, whichever is later.
	I am a traveller who had received 2 doses of the Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccine overseas. What will my vaccination status be?
A:	You may have been granted a temporary “Vaccinated” status on arrival in Singapore. After this temporary status expires and you have ingested your overseas vaccination records in the NIR, your vaccination status may change according to local rules: You will be regarded as fully vaccinated for 4 months after the second dose, or until 31 December 2021, whichever is later.
	Will all overseas COVID-19 vaccination records be accepted for ingestion into Singapore’s IT systems?
A:	Only COVID-19 vaccines authorised by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) under the Pandemic Special Assess Route (PSAR) [Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna and Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccines] and COVID-19 vaccines on the World Health Organisation Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) will be accepted for ingestion into Singapore’s IT systems. Please refer to above section on “Recognising Overseas Vaccinations” for more information.
	Where can I view my overseas COVID-19 vaccination records/ status?
A:	If you took a WHO-EUL vaccine overseas and tested serology positive, your medical provider will submit the details of your overseas vaccination data into NIR and your vaccination records/status can be viewed on HealthHub (HH) and TraceTogether (TT) app within 2 days.
	[Updated 11-Jan-22] I have been vaccinated locally. Why is my status still reflected as "Not Vaccinated" or "In progress" or "Waiting to take effect"?
A:	If your vaccination status is reflected as "Not Vaccinated" or "In Progress" or "Waiting to take effect", it may be due to the following reasons: You have not completed all doses of the vaccination. The interval between your vaccination doses is outside of the recommended minimal interval for the vaccine. Please refer to www.vaccine.gov.sg for more information on the recommended interval between doses. It has been less than 14 days since you received the final dose of the vaccine. The vaccine will only fully take effect 14 days after your last dose. For avoidance of doubt, Day 0 is taken as the day of the final dose of the vaccination and Day 14 is taken as the day the vaccination is effective. To check if your vaccination status is accurately reflected, please visit https://go.gov.sg/vds-query-form.
	[Updated 11-Jan-22] I have been partially/completely vaccinated overseas. Why is my status still showing “not vaccinated”?
A:	It may be due to the following reasons: You have not completed all doses of the vaccination. The interval between your vaccination doses is outside of the recommended minimal interval for the vaccine. The result of your serology test conducted in the local private clinics providing the service is negative. The local private clinic providing the service is waiting for your serology test result. Your local serology result is positive, and pending submission of your vaccination data into NIR by your medical provider. Once submitted, it should be reflected as “Vaccinated” within 24 hours. You have taken an additional dose in Singapore and it has been less than 14 days since you received it. The vaccine will only fully take effect 14 days after your additional dose. For avoidance of doubt, Day 0 is taken as the day of the final dose of the vaccination and Day 14 is taken as the day the vaccination is effective. Alternatively, you may visit https://go.gov.sg/vds-query-form to check if your vaccination status is accurately reflected.
	What are the vaccination requirements for persons to be considered fully vaccinated if they: (a) have received a mixed vaccine combination incorporating Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccines, or, (b) have recovered from COVID-19 and took the Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccines?
A:	Individuals who have had one dose of the Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccines, as part of a two-dose combination of different WHO-EUL vaccine, require three vaccine doses to be considered fully vaccinated. Further details on the requirements for persons who have received a mixed vaccine combination incorporating Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm vaccines, as well as recovered persons who took these vaccines, can be found here.

Vaccination and Travel

	I have been fully-vaccinated in Singapore and I want to travel overseas. Do I need to show proof of vaccination?
A:	Whether proof of vaccination is needed and the type/format of proof accepted will depend on the travel restrictions and requirements of your destination country/region. As countries/regions have different travel restrictions and requirements, please check your destination’s requirements before you travel. Travelers can refer to the MFA website for the latest travel advisories to other countries/ regions, as well as the immigration authority or embassy of the destination country/ region on the relevant health requirements imposed on travellers from Singapore. Travellers should also take note of the latest travel advisory for Singaporeans and residents of Singapore published by MOH (https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19). For entry into Singapore, proof of vaccination is required for travel via for the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL). Please refer to the ‘VTL Overview’ (https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/vtl/requirements-and-process) for more information.
	What should I use overseas to show that I am vaccinated for travel purposes?
A:	The type/format of proof accepted depends on the travel restrictions and requirements of the destination country/region. However, we recommend that travellers obtain a digital vaccination certificate (‘Vaccination HealthCert’) from Notαrise before their journey. Foreign authorities will be able to scan the QR codes on the certificate to digitally verify that the certificate is secure and has not been tampered with. If you are unable to get your Vaccination HealthCert issued on the Notαrise portal, and urgently require your vaccination record for travel, you may wish to check with your destination country if your vaccination card/slip can be used as proof of vaccination. If you have misplaced your vaccination card/slip, you may approach the Medical Service Provider for your Vaccination Centre for assistance. For further assistance, please contact the MOH COVID-19 hotline at 1800-333-9999.
	Who can obtain the digital vaccination certificate (‘Vaccination HealthCert’) for travel overseas?
A:	Individuals who are fully-vaccinated in Singapore may obtain a digital vaccination certificate (‘Vaccination HealthCert’). The requirements to be considered fully-vaccinated can be found at this link (http://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/health/vtsg). Digital vaccination certificates are not issued for vaccinations done overseas. For Singpass users Singpass users can obtain their Vaccination HealthCerts by logging in to the Notαrise portal using their Singpass app or Singpass credentials. Upon successful application, the digital vaccination certificate will be sent to the user’s email and Singpass app in approximately 15 minutes. Those eligible for a Singpass account can register for a Singpass account here. Users will be able to access the relevant vaccination records the day after creation of your Singpass account. For Long-term Pass holders Long-term Pass holders will need a valid pass to obtain their Vaccination HealthCert using their Singpass app or Singpass credentials. Long-term pass holders are recommended to obtain their Vaccination HealthCert early, as they will lose access to Singpass upon expiry or cancellation of their pass. For people who are not eligible for Singpass People who are not eligible for a Singpass account, or whose pass has expired, may obtain their Vaccination HealthCert from Notαrise using their passport number and dates of vaccination recorded in MOH databases. They may need to first update their immunisation record by checking their vaccination status and submitting a request to associate their vaccination records to their passport number at https://go.gov.sg/health-cert-query. Processing time for the query is about 2 – 4 weeks.
	Can I use my physical vaccination card/ HealthHub/ TraceTogether app to show that I am vaccinated overseas?
A:	All hardcopy vaccination cards/slips issued in Singapore, as well as vaccination records found on mobile applications such as TraceTogether and HealthHub may not be accepted for use overseas, where a secure and tamper-proof record of vaccination may be required by the country/region.

Other Matters

	Will existing measures such as Rostered Routine Testing, ARI testing and donning of PPE by staff still be required for those who are vaccinated?
A:	Public health measures, such as safe distancing, mask wearing and good hand hygiene, should continue to be practised. MOH will continue to assess the local situation in the review of the various public measures. Amongst others, this will take into account considerations such as the take-up of vaccine in the population, the availability of data on the vaccine’s duration of protection and the extent of its ability to prevent transmission.
	With COVID-19 vaccines deployed, is there still a need for public health measures such as donning of full PPE among healthcare workers?
A:	Vaccination reduces the risk of infection and severe disease but does not offer perfect protection. As such, we will need to continue to practice public health measures, such as safe distancing, mask wearing and good hand hygiene, so that we can continue to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
	What sorts of activities will be vaccinated persons be allowed to do (e.g. karaoke)? Will they be exempted from measures such as pre-event and/or pre-departure/ entry to Singapore testing? What about public health measures such as quarantine?
A:	While there is evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing symptomatic disease, the extent of their ability in preventing transmission to others is still being studied. Individuals who are fully vaccinated should still continue to adhere to public health and general safe management measures. Individuals who are fully vaccinated are eligible for vaccination-differentiated safe management measures and exempted from Pre-Event Testing. For more information on vaccination-differentiated safe management measures, please visit https://go.gov.sg/moh-smm. For more information on Pre-Event Testing, please visit https://go.gov.sg/pet.

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