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Govt urges children aged 12 to 17 to get Covid-19 booster shot to maintain fully vaccinated status

SINGAPORE — The Government on Friday (March 11) urged eligible children aged between 12 and 17 to take their booster shots within 270 days of receiving their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health encouraged everyone who is eligible for Covid-19 vaccine booster doses to take them "as soon as possible".
The Ministry of Health encouraged everyone who is eligible for Covid-19 vaccine booster doses to take them "as soon as possible".
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SINGAPORE — The Government on Friday (March 11) urged eligible children aged between 12 and 17 to take their booster shots within 270 days of receiving their second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.  

In a media release, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reiterated an earlier announcement about the expansion of the booster dose to children in this age group from next Monday onwards.  

Previously, only those aged 18 and above are offered a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine under the national vaccination programme five months after completing their primary vaccination series.

“We strongly encourage all who are eligible to receive booster doses to take them as soon as possible. This will help to keep you and your loved ones safe," MOH said. 

The ministry also announced adjustments to vaccine-related infection controls involving children aged 12 and below. 

From next Tuesday, unvaccinated children in this age group need not be from the same household to be included within a group entering settings where there are checks on vaccination status. 

Speaking at a press conference by the national Covid-19 task force on Friday, MOH's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said that the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination is studying whether there is a need for more booster doses.

He was responding to a question by a member of the media on the need for annual booster shots and whether Singapore has reached herd immunity.

Associate Professor Mak said that the data on this is still too early to tell and that the committee is looking into the experience of other countries.

It will also look at studies in Singapore that examine the effectiveness of the booster dose, and whether the waning of Covid-19 vaccine boosters could lead to an increased risk of re-infections.

Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, who co-chairs the task force, said: “I think we should also bear in mind that there's also a risk of new variants emerging… and we will then have to reassess whether or not an additional booster shot will be needed for the new variants that may emerge from time to time.

“So I think we will need to continue to monitor the situation and watch how the epidemic evolves.”

Related topics

Covid-19 coronavirus MOH Covid-19 vaccination

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