10th Aug 2021
Under the Special Access Route (SAR) framework, the Government has allocated 170,000 doses of the Government's stock of Sinovac-CoronaVac (Sinovac) COVID-19 vaccine to 31 approved private healthcare institutions for a total of 85,000 individuals to receive the vaccine free of charge, based on a two-dose regime per individual for full vaccination.
2. The remaining 30,000 doses of the Government's stock of the Sinovac vaccine have been reserved for Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass Holders who had allergic reactions to the mRNA vaccines, and for other purposes. Individuals who are allergic to mRNA vaccines will continue to be able to receive Sinovac vaccination and the Ministry of Health (MOH) will separately contact these individuals to arrange for their vaccination appointments.
3. Based on our estimates, the approved private healthcare institutions would have already administered the first dose of vaccines to the 85,000 individuals by 12 August 2021. After ringfencing sufficient doses for individuals coming for second doses of the Sinovac vaccine, the stock for the 31 approved private healthcare institutions will be depleted.
4. MOH has been facilitating private healthcare institutions to order further Sinovac supplies, and we expect the stocks to arrive in the next four to six weeks.
Applications received from private providers to import WHO EUL COVID-19 vaccines under SAR
5. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has received further applications from private healthcare institutions to import the Sinovac vaccines via the SAR. HSA will continue to evaluate applications to import non-mRNA vaccines under SAR. Under SAR, these vaccines will not be subsidised or covered under the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (VIFAP).
6. Individuals who are not contraindicated to mRNA vaccines are strongly encouraged to take mRNA vaccines where possible, given the higher efficacy rates of the mRNA vaccines under our National Vaccination Programme. Eligible individuals aged 12 years and above can now walk in to any of the vaccination centres administering the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for vaccination, without a prior appointment.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
10 AUGUST 2021