Bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be available to people aged 12 and above from Dec 12

SINGAPORE: The bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to people aged 12 and above from Dec 12, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Tuesday (Dec 6). 

Currently, the only bivalent COVID-19 vaccine available in Singapore is the one from Moderna, which is for people aged 18 and above.

Pfizer-BioNTech's bivalent vaccine was granted interim authorisation in Singapore on Oct 25. 

Those who already made a booking to receive the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine may choose to reschedule their appointments to a new date on or after Dec 12, to receive the updated bivalent vaccine, said MOH.

It will be available at all locations that currently offer the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine. Those who are eligible will receive an SMS with a personalised booking link to make an appointment.

"With the extension of the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine to 12 years and above, persons aged 12 to 17 years should also receive an additional bivalent vaccine dose around five months after their last booster dose," said the ministry. 

PFIZER-BIONTECH VACCINE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

The Health Ministry also announced that children aged six months to four years will soon be able to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty jab for their primary vaccination series.

It consists of three doses of 3 micrograms. They are given eight weeks apart, meaning children will complete the primary series over a period of 16 weeks.

More details on the rollout will be announced later, said the ministry. 

Currently, only the Moderna/Spikevax vaccine is available to children aged six months to four years old - given in two separate doses over eight weeks.

A trial of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine in children aged six months to four years showed that three doses generate antibody levels comparable to that achieved in young adults vaccinated with two doses of the adult dosage, noted the expert committee on COVID-19 vaccination in a separate media release.

It urged parents not to delay vaccination for their young children. 

"While the risk of severe COVID-19 in young children is low, severe disease can still occur and they have had a higher risk of hospitalisation compared to older children who have been able to get vaccinated," the expert committee added.

 MOBILE VACCINATION TEAMS IN THE HEARTLANDS

To make it more convenient for the elderly to get vaccinated and boosted, mobile vaccination teams will be deployed to several locations from Dec 12. 

About nine in 10 seniors aged 60 and above have achieved minimum protection against COVID-19, said MOH, adding that six in 10 are up to date with their vaccination.

There are still close to 40,000 eligible seniors who have not yet achieved minimum protection. 

The mobile vaccination teams will be at:

• Bukit Panjang Zone 3 RC
• Chua Chu Kang CC
• Hong Kah North CC
• Kampong Chai Chee CC
• Leng Kee CC
• Potong Pasir Zone 3 RC
• Teck Ghee CC
• Toa Payoh Central CC

They will be deployed at each site for three days before moving on to the next location. Members of the public can visit gowhere.gov.sg for the deployment schedule of the mobile vaccination teams.