Singapore Starts Covid-19 Vaccination, Nurse Gets First Jab

A senior staff nurse from Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases was the first person in Singapore to receive a Covid-19 vaccine today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — The first person in Singapore received a Covid-19 vaccine today, as more than 30 health care workers are set to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech jab.

The first Covid-19 vaccine was given to a senior staff nurse, Sarah Lim, who carries out screening for suspected Covid-19 cases, from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Channel News Asia reported.

Dr Kalisvar Marimuthu, a 43-year-old specialist in infectious disease and infection control who manages suspected and confirmed Covid-19 cases, also received his coronavirus vaccine today.

More than 30 staff from across NCID will be vaccinated today, said Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), including clinical, nursing, allied health, ancillary and administration staff.

Upon arrival for vaccination, health care workers will receive a vaccine information sheet and vaccine screening form. They will be asked to fill in their personal particulars, medical information, and declaration and consent on the vaccine screening form.

Before the vaccine is given, the health care worker will also be asked a series of questions related to vaccine eligibility.

If eligible, they will be given the vaccine and will receive a vaccination card. They will then be observed for 30 minutes on site to ensure they have tolerated the vaccine well.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two shots given 21 days apart. Those who have received the first dose of the vaccine today are scheduled to return for their second dose on January 20 next year.

Singapore’s MOH said that public health care institutions, as well as private hospitals, will progressively arrange for staff members to be vaccinated within their respective premises.

Singapore’s MOH aims to vaccinate those aged 70 and above from February next year. Then, other Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible will be vaccinated for free.

Singapore was the first country in Asia to obtain the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine when the first shipment arrived on December 21.

According to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore expects other vaccines to arrive in the coming months and the country will have enough vaccines for everyone by the third quarter of next year.

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