COVID-19 vaccine booster shots available for those aged 18-29 from Dec 14

From Dec 14, Singaporeans between 18 years old and 29 years old will be eligible to get their booster shots. 

The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) has determined that current vaccinations wane in efficacy over time, but more slowly in younger people. 

Hence, they have determined that the benefits outweigh the risks in having those in that age group to receive their boosters. 

Eligible Singaporeans will get an invitation via SMS from MOH. They can also walk into any Moderna Vaccination Centre to get their booster shot without booking an appointment. 

The booster shot is only eligible for those who have taken their second COVID-19 dose at least five months before. 

Children aged five to 11 will also be able to get their first dose by the end of the year, as soon as the shipment arrives in Singapore. The EC19V determined that children will get doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine that are a third of the adult dosage, spaced at least 21 days apart. 

The EC19V also recommends that children with moderate to severe chronic illnesses get priority access to the vaccine. 

As of Dec 12, 87 per cent of Singaporeans are fully vaccinated, and 30 per cent have taken their booster shots. 

The Ministry of Health said that while these numbers are encouraging, it is strongly urging more Singaporeans to get the vaccine or boosters. This is because of the Omicron variant and its highly contagious nature.