First batch of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine available from Aug 30 in Singapore

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

First batch of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine available from Aug 30 in Singapore

It is understood that many of the Monday slots have already been taken. Read more at straitstimes.com.

www.straitstimes.com

SINGAPORE - The first batch of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine will be available at some hospitals and clinics from Monday (Aug 30).


People can book an appointment at healthcare firm Clearbridge Health's Medic Surgical and Laser Clinic at Tanjong Pagar Plaza from Saturday, and it will begin administering the vaccine on Monday.


The vaccine is priced at $98 for two doses, including goods and services tax (GST).




It is understood that many of the Monday slots have already been taken.


IHH Healthcare Singapore - which offers the Sinopharm vaccine at Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Shenton Medical Group clinics in One Raffles Quay and Duxton - will open appointment bookings on Monday.


The vaccine will be available at Gleneagles Hospital and the Shenton Medical Group clinics on Wednesday, while Mount Elizabeth Hospital will begin administering it from Sept 7.







IHH Healthcare Singapore offers the vaccine at $99 for two doses, including GST.


The Sinopharm vaccine is administered in two doses, which are given three to four weeks apart. It is approved to be used for people aged 18 and above.


Clearbridge Medical Group, which runs Medic Surgical and Laser Clinic, said on Saturday that it has received the first batch of the Sinopharm vaccine, procured directly from the manufacturer.


Vaccination appointments at Medic Surgical and Laser Clinic can be booked at this website.




Bookings for IHH Healthcare Singapore can be done at this website.


The Sinopharm vaccine is the fourth Covid-19 vaccine to be used in Singapore. It is imported under the Special Access Route, along with the Sinovac vaccine.


Unlike vaccines administered under the national vaccination programme involving the use of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna, vaccines under the Special Access Route are not subsidised by the Government. There is one exception: individuals who had previously been rejected from taking the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna) because they had severe allergies or were allergic to the first dose.


Singapore's Special Access Route allows private healthcare providers to bring in Covid-19 vaccines that are on the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Emergency Use Listing.


Vaccines under the Special Access Route are also not covered under the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme, which supports people who suffer adverse effects from their Covid-19 jabs.


Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced earlier this month that those who have taken the Sinovac, Sinopharm, Johnson & Johnson, Covishield or AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines will be eligible for vaccination-differentiated safe management measures.


As at Thursday, 79 per cent of Singapore’s population had completed the full vaccination regimen.


This includes 85,390 individuals who took vaccines recognised in WHO's Emergency Use Listing.