Pfizer Vaccine to Be Administered as Part of National Vaccination Programme
The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), will expand Singapore’s national vaccination programme to include over 300,000 children aged five to 11. This initiative follows the Health Sciences Authority’s (HSA) approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty Covid-19 vaccine for children in this age group.
The vaccination process will begin on December 22, with registration opening in stages based on age groups for Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders. According to the MOE and ECDA, Phase 3 of the vaccine’s clinical trial has confirmed its safety and efficacy for younger children, and the Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination believes the benefits far outweigh the risks, making it the only approved vaccine for children aged five to 11 in Singapore.
To streamline the vaccination process, 15 paediatric vaccination centres will be set up across the island. The first seven centres will begin operations on December 27, including locations such as Senja-Cashew Community Club and Nanyang Community Club. Additional centres will open in early January 2022, with the final one to commence on January 11.
The vaccination programme will be rolled out progressively, starting with children born between 2009 and 2012, followed by those born between 2013 and 2017. Parents and guardians of eligible children will receive an SMS invitation with a unique link to book a vaccination appointment. Primary school students in MOE schools will receive invitations based on their primary school cohorts, beginning with Primary 4 to Primary 6 students from December 22.
For children aged five to eight, vaccination bookings will open from January 10, with a special arrangement for children in Special Education schools and Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) centres starting January 12. Mobile vaccination teams will be deployed to these institutions, with parents having the option to choose the vaccination centre or the mobile team.
Parental consent is mandatory, and only one parent or guardian may accompany the child to the vaccination centre. Children must also present identification, such as a student ID, birth certificate, passport, or SingPass, during the appointment. After registering their interest on the National Appointment System (NAS), parents will receive a link to complete the appointment process within three to five working days.
