144 persons given financial aid after serious side effects from Covid-19 jab; 2 received max S$225,000 payout: MOH

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has approved S$782,000 worth of financial aid so far to 144 people who experienced medically significant serious side effects related to the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a statement to TODAY on Tuesday (Aug 17), the ministry added that two people had received S$225,000 each, the highest possible payout under the Government’s Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (Vifap), which is meant to give greater peace of mind for those considering getting vaccinated.

One of the cases was a 16-year-old boy who collapsed at home following a gym weightlifting session on July 3, six days after receiving his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Comirnaty vaccine. MOH did not provide details on the other case.

TODAY has asked the ministry for more information on the second case.

As for the 16-year-old boy, MOH said in an update on Monday that he developed acute severe myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, that led to a cardiac arrest. He is now undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and would likely be discharged in the coming weeks.

Myocarditis was likely a serious adverse event caused by the vaccine, which may have been aggravated by his strenuous lifting of weights and high consumption of caffeine through energy drinks and supplements, the ministry said.

Vifap is an initiative that provides a one-time “goodwill financial assistance” to those who develop serious side effects assessed to be related to the jab they took under the national vaccination programme.

MOH states on its website that the amount disbursed through the programme is fixed and dependent on the severity of the side effect, which could either be potentially life-threatening or fatal, requires inpatient hospitalisation, or causes persistent incapacity or disability. 

The website states that cases that result in death or permanent severe disability would get a payout of S$225,000.

Those requiring admission to high dependency or intensive care, with subsequent recovery, would get S$10,000, while those who require inpatient hospitalisation and medical intervention, with subsequent recovery, would get S$2,000.

The ministry said that the amounts are not meant to reimburse medical costs associated with the side effect.

Last month, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a written parliamentary reply that the amount approved under the scheme as at June 25 was S$451,000, to be paid to 102 applicants who suffered serious side effects.