Efficacy of Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines Compared with Original Boosters

Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health with regard to the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines (a) when will the vaccines be made available; (b) how different is this booster vaccine from the original Moderna and Pfizer booster in terms of efficacy; and (c) when should a person who has recovered from COVID-19 take this vaccine.

Mr Speaker, Sir, my response for Question No 1 will also address the Parliamentary Question for written answer raised by Mr Leon Perera in today’s Order Paper and a similar question raised by Assoc Prof Jamus Lim1 for a future Sitting.

A couple of the questions have been overtaken by events. Nevertheless, I thought it would be useful to answer them and take some supplementary questions.

We have started using the bivalent Moderna/Spikevax vaccine on 14 October 2022, and there is another bivalent vaccine – the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty – which is expected to be available by the end of this year. Bivalent vaccines provide better protection against newer COVID-19 variants compared to the original vaccines and we recommend individuals who are eligible to take it.

We are prioritising persons aged 50 and above for the additional booster dose with the bivalent vaccine as they are at higher risk of severe disease from infection. We are planning to invite those aged between 18 and 49 for vaccination later in the year as we secure more supplies. And I hope we will secure them in a matter of weeks. Those who are eligible and have recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection are recommended to receive the bivalent vaccine three months after the infection. This is a very common question. If you are infected, wait three months and you can take the bivalent vaccine, if you are eligible.

Mr Leon Perera had asked about reopening vaccination centres at community clubs and community centres. He asked specifically for Serangoon community club. Vaccination Centres (VCs) and Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres (JTVCs) are chosen based on their proximity to high population density areas, good accessibility and availability of the venue to support vaccination operations over a sustained period of time.

Currently, we have 11 JTVCs and VCs and, together with our network of 221 participating Public Health Preparedness Clinics and 20 polyclinics, they provide sufficient convenience and access to vaccinations. But as demand changes, we will continue to review the adequacy of this network.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his reply. I have one supplementary question. Residents aged 50 and above who have already taken their second booster are not sure if they can take the bivalent vaccine and when to take it. For those aged 80 and above, many took it in April, that is, more than five months but less than a year after the second booster. For those aged 50 to 79, many took it in June, that is, less than five months of their second booster shot. Can the Minister advise?

I thank the Member for that question. It is a very common question we face on the ground. I meet so many people that I have to repeatedly answer this question. The answer is yes, five months after their second booster, they are recommended to take their bivalent vaccine.

As I had explained earlier, we have moved to a new system where we have stopped counting the number of booster shots we take. We are living with the COVID-19 virus. So, what we are recommending now is: one, please attain your minimum protection, which is, three doses of an mRNA vaccine; and two, beyond that, take an additional latest vaccine five months after your last shot and no longer than 12 months – so, five to 12 months.

Essentially, for most people, it works out to taking a booster shot every year. So, for our residents who are aged 50 and above, please advise them.

I understand there has been some confusion. Some people are mixed up over bivalent and the second booster – which all have the concept of two in it. If you use vernacular languages, some of them are even more confusing.

We are thinking of some simple publicity, simple graphics, which we intend to use advertising space to communicate and communicate clearly to the public in the next few days.

Thank you. I just have one supplementary question. Should a person who has multiple COVID-19 infections still take the boosters?

The answer is yes. Once you reach the booster stage, it is best to ignore your infection. Now that we have hybrid immunity from our vaccination as well as infection, there are many individuals who hardly have any response or symptoms after they are infected. So, I think it is best not to count infections. Take our boosters and take our jabs diligently.