Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 23): Singapore has included the Sinovac vaccine in its vaccination programme to cater for those who are unable to complete the full two-dose regime of the mRNA vaccines.

The Chinese-made vaccine has been given interim authorisation under the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR), said Singapore’s Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination in a statement on Saturday.

“In view of the lower efficacy of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine as compared to the PSAR-authorised mRNA vaccines and the lack of data on the efficacy of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine against the Delta variant, the Expert Committee recommends that persons who are unable to complete the full two-dose regime of the PSAR-authorised mRNA vaccines, due to valid medical reasons, should receive the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine.

“This includes those who have taken their first dose of one of the PSAR-authorised mRNA vaccines and developed myocarditis or allergies to the mRNA vaccines, as well as those who have a past history of allergy to a component in the mRNA vaccines,” the committee said.

It advised those choosing Sinovac to take three doses of the vaccine.

“While Sinovac did not apply to HSA for PSAR authorisation of a three-dose regimen for its Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine, there is evidence that a third dose of the vaccine is needed at three to six months after the second dose to raise antibody levels,” it said.

Edited ByS Kanagaraju
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