​Which vaccine is approved for use in Singapore?

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has assessed that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine meets safety and efficacy standards. HSA has authorised its use locally under the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) which facilitates early access to vaccines and medicines during a pandemic, such as COVID-19. 

​How effective is the vaccine? How long does the protection last? 

For the vaccines for which Phase 3 trial data is available (i.e. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), analyses showed that efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease after completion of the vaccine regimen is about 95%. The extent and duration of immunity provided by the vaccines are still being studied.

​Can vaccinated persons get infected with COVID-19? Are they less able to transmit the disease?

Vaccination was shown to be around 95% effective in preventing symptomatic disease. That means that some vaccinated persons may still be vulnerable to infection.

​What other information is not yet available for the COVID-19 vaccination at this stage?

We are conducting further review and monitoring of long-term data from ongoing vaccine trials with regard to the following uncertainties:

a. Duration of protection and long-term persistence of efficacy
b. Vaccine efficacy against asymptomatic infection and severe disease, and the extent the vaccine is able to prevent transmission
c. Vaccine safety and efficacy for specific subgroups which have not been adequately studied. This includes children under 16 years old, pregnant and lactating women, and immunocompromised individuals
d. Very rare serious adverse events (e.g. vaccine-associated disease enhancement risk), which may only be picked up in the longer-term

For more information on Singapore's COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, please visit https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19 and/or https://vaccine.gov.sg.

​Are there any side effects? What should I do if i suffer from any side effects?

See a doctor if:

• The side effects persist or get worse
• The fever persists for more than 48 hours (2 days)
  

​Would there be post-vaccination monitoring in place, e.g. will some staff and residents continually be tested for COVID-19 virus antibodies, to determine durability of the vaccination response?

As a condition for the interim authorisation under PSAR, vaccine companies including Pfizer-BioNTech are required to monitor the longer term efficacy of the vaccine to determine the duration of protection against COVID-19, as well as follow up on the safety of the vaccine for a longer period of time to determine its full safety profile. Vaccine companies must continue submitting the longer term follow up data to HSA to assure the continued effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. HSA will actively review the data to ensure that the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the known risks. When sufficient data is available for full registration, the companies will be required to file an application to transit the status of the product from PSAR interim authorisation to full registration.

Research studies will be conducted to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination, including the durability and the extent the vaccine is able to prevent transmission. Hence, vaccinated persons may be recruited for such studies.

​With COVID-19 vaccines deployed, is there still a need to practise safe-distancing, mask wearing and good hand hygiene if I am vaccinated?

Clinical data on the duration of the vaccine’s protection and its effectiveness in preventing transmission is still being monitored. Until a significant proportion of the population is vaccinated, you will need to continue to practise public health measures, such as safe distancing, mask wearing and good hand hygiene, so that we can continue to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

​Can I use the proof of vaccination for travel purposes? Will it be recognised by other countries?