24th Sep 2021
The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) has been closely reviewing the data regarding the need for additional vaccine dose, and recommends that persons aged between 50 and 59 years should receive a booster dose of a Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) mRNA vaccine from six months after the completion of vaccination with two doses
2. EC19V had earlier recommended that persons 60 years of age and above, and residents of aged care facilities should receive a booster dose of a PSAR mRNA vaccine. Data from Israel’s nationwide booster vaccination rollout shows that a vaccine booster in persons aged 50-59 years maintains strong protection against COVID-19 without additional safety concerns, similar to that for persons age 60 years and older.
3. COVID-19 cases in Singapore are continuing to rise, and we can expect transmission to persist as we transition to COVID-19 resilience. Adults aged 50-59 years have a higher risk of severe disease compared to younger persons, and the current levels of protection could decrease over time. Therefore, persons between 50 and 59 years of age are now also recommended to receive a booster dose of a PSAR mRNA vaccine from six months after their primary vaccine course to maintain a high level of protection against severe disease.
DOSING FOR MODERNA VACCINE
4. While there are no significant safety concerns on the use of the Moderna vaccine for the recommended population groups, recent data has shown that a 50 mcg dose of the Moderna vaccine, as compared to the 100 mcg dose used for the primary series vaccination, is sufficient to boost the immune response significantly.
5. EC19V therefore recommends that for persons receiving the Moderna vaccine as a booster, the 50 mcg dose should be used. Persons receiving the Moderna vaccine for their primary vaccination (first two doses) and severely immunocompromised persons who require a three-dose enhanced primary vaccination, should continue to receive the 100 mcg dose of the Moderna vaccine.
6. For the Pfizer vaccine, the dose for primary vaccination and boosters remains the same, at 30 mcg per dose, as there is no data yet to recommend any changes.
7. EC19V will continue to monitor the data and developments around COVID-19 vaccination and will update its recommendations based on the latest scientific and clinical evidence.
EXPERT COMMITTEE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION
24 SEPTEMBER 2021