Some quarantined Westlite Woodlands dorm residents fear missing second vaccine dose; MOM says jabs will be rebooked

• An outbreak of Covid-19 at Westlite Woodlands dormitory has resulted in some residents being quarantined
• Some of them fear they will miss out on their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine as a result
• MOM has reassured the workers they will get the second jab at rescheduled appointments

SINGAPORE — Some foreign workers placed in quarantine after a Covid-19 outbreak at Westlite Woodlands dormitory said they fear they might miss out on a second dose of their vaccination as a result. However, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has said they will get the second jab within the recommended time frame.

“Vaccine is the best protection we have now against Covid-19. To make ourselves safe, it's very important to complete the doses of vaccines despite lockdown and quarantine,” said Mr Abedin AKM Mazharul, 36, who received his first dose on March 31.

Mr Abedin was due for his second dose on April 23 but due to a quarantine order imposed on those in block B of the dorm — initially from April 22 to May 6 — he had to reschedule to April 28. When the quarantine order was extended to May 9, he had to reschedule it again to May 12.

“I'm scared to miss it,” said the mechanical coordinator, who works at Mun Siong Engineering and is quarantined in the dormitory.

“I strongly believe the Government should arrange a vaccination booth in dorms for those of us in quarantine. Many of us are waiting for the second dose. This might weaken our immune system if we don't complete the dose,” he said.

Dr Lam Meng Chon, the medical director of the Assurance, Care and Engagement (Ace) Group, told TODAY on Wednesday (April 28) that those who miss the original appointments for the second dose of the vaccine will have the vaccinations rescheduled.

The Ace Group is a division of MOM put in charge of tackling the Covid-19 outbreak in the dormitories last year.

Dr Lam said that the reason the workers are not getting their second dose for now, even if they have tested positive, is because they could be incubating the virus.

“So we do not want them to actually mix with, for example, in the vaccination centre, people who may not be incubating the virus so that's the risk there,” he said.

“Based on the current guidelines, you need to take the second dose 42 days from the first dose. So as long as it's within this window and definitely, it will be within this window, then there's no issue so they don't have to worry,” Dr Lam said.

In the event that the 42-day period is surpassed, Dr Lam said that the evidence base for vaccine studies is still being gathered.

“This is just a recommendation from the various experts, but it doesn't mean that over 42 days may not be effective or before 42 it is more effective. No matter what, they will receive their second dose,” he said.

Dr Lam also said MOM has provided care packs to the quarantined workers and is working with various non-governmental organisations to ensure their wellbeing.

QUARANTINE IS NECESSARY

The MOM is also instituting the “appropriate public health measures early”, said Dr Lam.

Movement restrictions or quarantines may be imposed on a dormitory if a few workers there test positive, the MOM said in a press release on Monday.

“Recovered workers may be at risk of reinfection given the reigning immunity profile that we have seen, because of the antibodies that have decreased gradually over time,” Dr Lam added.

“Because of the risk of reinfection, out of abundance of caution and for public health measures, quarantine is necessary to ensure that we are able to quickly isolate the case, as well as close contacts to be quarantined to ensure that we address the risk of further transmission If the case proves to be a reinfection case,” he added.

In a Ministry of Health update on Tuesday on the Covid-19 positive cases from Westlite Woodlands dormitory, 24 recovered workers were found to be positive for Covid-19.

Of the 24, 11 have been assessed to be shedding virus fragments of old infections, and five are likely to be cases of Covid-19 re-infections. Two more cases have been determined to be negative for Covid-19 upon re-testing, and the remaining six cases are pending assessment by the expert panel.

Some Westlite Woodlands dormitory residents TODAY spoke to have been moved to quarantine facilities such as Tanjong Pagar Terminal, while others remained in the dorm with access to in-dormitory communal facilities and recreation centres to buy food products to cook their meals, among other things.

Philippine national Nickson Aldovino, 34, who has been a resident of block B since October last year, said that while being back in quarantine is boring, he is grateful he is able to go downstairs once a day at 4pm.

“Every day I’m happy to be out, to go to work but now that I’m stuck again, I’m worried the situation I was in last year will happen again... I was put in isolation. I don’t want that to happen again,” he said.

Bangladeshi Sikder MD Solyman, 34, however, has been moved to a quarantine facility at the Tanjong Pagar Terminal, but is unsure why. Four out of his 11 roommates have been moved to the facility while the others remained in the dorm, though they have all tested negative.

Mr Sikder has been swab tested thrice in the past week — on April 21, 25 and 17.

“Quarantine, most people are always frustrated. People want to (commit) suicide.

“The weather is very hot here. Yes. our company is giving us our salary still but it really feels like being in jail,” said Mr Sikder, who works at an oil refinery.

He added that the potatoes in the curry meals that are given to him twice a day are also “spoilt”.

But most of all, the worry of having missed his second dose of the vaccine which was scheduled for April 27 is weighing heavily on his mind.

Another Westlite Woodlands dorm resident, Indian national Nagarathinam Siva, 40, who also missed his April 27 vaccination date, said that he wishes to protect himself and those around him from the coronavirus and was looking forward to being fully vaccinated.

“They have changed the date again but I am not aware of which date as I have not received a message. There has been no news so far,” he said.