Singapore Parliament Q&A: COVID-19 Vaccinations and Protection

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve in Singapore, the country's Parliament has been engaged in discussions regarding the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. In a recent Q&A session, the Minister for Health addressed key concerns and provided updates on vaccination strategies and outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

The current COVID-19 infection wave has peaked, with approximately 3,000 infection cases per day, compared to 4,000 cases at its peak.
The most common strains circulating in Singapore are XBB.1.9, XBB.1.16, and XBB.2.3, with XBB.1.16 recently re-designated as a Variant of Interest by the World Health Organization (WHO).
There are currently over 300 patients infected with COVID-19 in hospitals, a fraction of the 1,800 patients during the Delta wave.
The incidence of severe illnesses among seniors aged 60 and above is significantly lower among those who have received minimum protection through vaccination.
The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) recommend that individuals in vulnerable segments of the population maintain their vaccination status updated to minimize the risk of severe illnesses.
The risk of severe adverse reactions from COVID-19 vaccines is extremely low, with an incidence of about seven in 100,000 doses in Singapore.
As of 27 April 2023, there were 160 reports of myocarditis and pericarditis linked to COVID-19 vaccines, with 32% of cases reporting initial symptoms within one day of vaccination.
The COVID-19 vaccines are not known to be causally associated with any other cardiac conditions other than myocarditis.

Statistics:

3,000 infection cases per day during the current wave, down from 4,000 cases at peak.
300 patients infected with COVID-19 in hospitals, down from 1,800 during the Delta wave.
7.5% of unvaccinated seniors aged 60 and above develop severe illnesses.
4% of seniors with minimum protection (three doses of mRNA or Novavax vaccines or four doses of Sinovac) develop severe illnesses.
3.4% of seniors with updated vaccination status (boosted and last shot within 12 months) develop severe illnesses.
One in 100,000 doses reported locally, and 0.1 in 100,000 doses with the latest bivalent mRNA formulations, for vaccine-related myocarditis.
160 reports of myocarditis and pericarditis linked to COVID-19 vaccines as of 27 April 2023.
81 VIFAP applications approved for cardiology-related cases, with financial assistance extended to applicants.

Sources:

Ministry of Health, Government of Singapore
World Health Organization (WHO)
Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V)
Health Sciences Authority (HSA)
Category: Regulatory and Legal