Singapore ramps up vaccination drive to give all adults one Covid-19 shot by early August

The move means as many as 4.3 million people could receive their first vaccine dose by the end of July, compared to 3.9 million under the old plan

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the interval between first and second doses would be extended to between six and eight weeks to help free up supplies

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A nurse prepares to administer a dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Gleneagles hospital in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:31pm, 18 May 2021Updated: 9:20pm, 18 May 2021

Singapore is speeding up its Covid-19 vaccine roll-out and aims to inoculate its entire adult population with at least one dose by early August, as it seeks to maximise its available supply of jabs amid a worrying spike in cases.

From Wednesday, the city state will expand its vaccination programme – currently open to those aged over 44 – to include those who are 40 and above. Younger people, including youths older than 12, can also now be vaccinated if a doctor recommends it, but the priority is still for adults to get the jabs first.

To help free up supplies, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the interval between first and second vaccine doses would be extended from 21 or 28 days apart to between six and eight weeks instead.

Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. Photo: EPA

This means that as many as 4.3 million people in the country of 5.7 million could receive their first vaccine dose by the end of July, compared to 3.9 million if the authorities followed their previous approach of fully vaccinating eligible individuals before allowing those in younger age groups to book their vaccinations.

“The difference is that … instead of having a good number of people getting maximum protection, we make sure the maximum number of people who get good protection,” Ong said on Tuesday.