Singapore’s Covid cases are on the rise, but most young children aren’t fully protected by jabs
- Only 28 per cent of children aged five to 11 in Singapore have ‘minimum protection’ against the disease, according to the city state’s Health Ministry
- Weekly Covid case numbers topped an estimated 27,000 last month, amid a steady increase in the average daily number of hospitalised cases
It said in response to queries on Covid booster take-up rates that just 28 per cent of children aged five to 11 had received the number of doses required to achieve minimum protection – compared to 81 per cent of the total population; 87 per cent of people aged 12 to 59; and 89 per cent of those aged 60 and above – as of April 23.
Singapore began offering children aged five to 11 booster shots, five months after their second vaccine dose, in October last year. The ministry does not recommend that children in that age group receive more than three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax vaccines.
The city state’s health ministry also said on Saturday that most Covid-19 patients who were hospitalised or required oxygen supplementation had not received a booster dose within the last year.
A “substantial number” had not received the number of vaccine doses required for minimum protection, it added.
There has been a steady increase in the average daily number of hospitalised cases since the week starting March 5, the ministry’s statistics show. As of the week starting April 16, the figure was above 300.
It comes amid a rise in the weekly number of Covid-19 infections, with more than 27,000 cases estimated in the week starting April 16.
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The number of Covid-19 infections in Singapore is estimated based on its national acute respiratory infection surveillance programme.
“Minimum protection from Covid-19 vaccination provides sustained and effective protection against severe disease and hospitalisation due to Covid-19,” the ministry said.
“Achieving minimum protection is important as the risk of hospitalisation is highest amongst those who have not achieved minimum protection.”
It also urged people from vulnerable groups to receive an additional booster dose at an interval of about one year after their last booster.
“Individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable persons and residents of aged care facilities are particularly vulnerable to any changes in the Covid-19 situation, given their underlying susceptibility to develop severe disease, as well as Covid-19 destabilising their other medical conditions,” it said.
“Due to the transmissibility of the Omicron variants, seniors who avoid leaving their home may still be infected, as family members are interacting in the community.”
Healthy people aged 12 to 59 may also receive an additional booster if they choose to, the ministry said.
As of April 23, about 544,000 people aged 60 and older in Singapore had received their last booster dose within the last year.
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The ministry said it has been monitoring areas with a higher number of older people who are eligible for additional booster vaccinations. It has deployed mobile vaccination teams to locations nearer to them, including nursing homes.
For people with mobility issues, it has also been sending out home vaccination teams.
Vaccines are also offered to members of the public at walk-in joint testing and vaccination centre. Polyclinics and some public health preparedness clinics also offer the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna bivalent vaccines.
“Vaccination remains our first line of defence against Covid-19, and we urge everyone to keep up to date with their vaccinations,” the ministry said.
“Studies have shown that a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine enhances protection and provides a high level of protection against severe Covid-19 illnesses, including that caused by the circulating variants.”
