Recent decision not to recommend those aged 60 to 75 years from taking the second COVID-19 booster shot

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1992 
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 4 JULY 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament 
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim
MP for Sengkang GRC

Question No. 4730

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the recent decision not to recommend those aged 60 to 75 years from taking the second COVID-19 booster shot is due to documented adverse effects; and (b) if so, what is the incidence of adverse effects from the second COVID-19 booster shot as compared to earlier rounds of the vaccine.

NOTICE PAPER. 1941
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 3 JULY 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Joan Pereira 
MP For Tanjong Pagar GRC

Question No. 3012

To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is obtaining more updated COVID-19 vaccines to cope with evolving SARS-CoV-2 virus variants. 

Answer

1         Mr Speaker Sir, my response will also cover the matters raised in the question by Ms Joan Pereira. 

2         Associate Professor Jamus Lim asked about the recent decision not to recommend those aged 60 to 75 from taking the second COVID-19 booster dose.  His understanding is incorrect.  The current recommendation for COVID-19 vaccination is for seniors aged 60 years and above, and medically vulnerable persons, to achieve minimum protection and receive the updated bivalent booster around one year after their last booster dose.  

3         This will naturally include the second booster shot.  Instead of counting doses, the current phrasing better communicates the recommendation for the longer term to have regular doses and maintain immunity. 

4         COVID-19 vaccines offered under the National Vaccination Programme have been assessed to be safe for use, and the benefits of such vaccines continue to outweigh the associated risks. As of 31 May 2023, based on Health Sciences Authority surveillance, the serious adverse event rate of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Singapore was 2 in 100,000 doses for the second booster dose - lower than 9 in 100,000 and 4 in 100,000 for primary and first booster doses respectively.   

5         Ms Joan Pereira asked about the supply of updated COVID-19 vaccines. The bivalent mRNA vaccines against the Omicron strain currently offered under the National Vaccination Programme are the most updated formulations.  In June 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee noted that current vaccines, which includes those adopted by Singapore, continue to offer good protection against severe COVID-19 infections and death.  The same Committee also recommended manufacturers to produce updated vaccines targeting the XBB sublineage of the Omicron variant ahead of the Northern Hemisphere fall season. Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax have indicated that they would do so, and the updated vaccines may become available in the US later this year. 
 
6         The Ministry of Health will monitor these developments closely.  Our contracts enable us to procure the latest vaccines, should they be assessed to be appropriate for our local situation.