Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong receives first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, urges others to follow
PM Lee is the first Cabinet member to be vaccinated
By Joyce Teo, The Straits Times, 9 Jan 2021
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong rolled up his sleeve for the Covid-19 vaccine injection yesterday, as the nationwide vaccination effort to combat the coronavirus swung into high gear.
A left-hander, PM Lee was administered the shot in his right arm by nurse Fatimah Mohd Shah, and experienced no side effects despite a 30-minute precautionary wait.
"It is painless, it is effective and it is important," he told reporters at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), where he received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only one to be approved here so far.
"I hope that Singaporeans will take it up as we roll it out."
The Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak, as well as 88 healthcare staff, also received their shots yesterday, as the vaccination drive for healthcare workers and front-line staff gets under way.
The vaccine is free and will be rolled out progressively, with most people here able to get vaccinated by the end of the year.
The elderly, those at greater risk of severe disease and those in jobs or settings with a high risk of super-spreading events will be able to receive the Covid-19 jabs from next month.
Widespread vaccinations will be critical in ending the pandemic and allowing life to become more normal around the world.
While Covid-19 numbers in Singapore remain low, they have been inching up as measures were relaxed since phase three of reopening started on Dec 28.
Imported cases, in particular, have been on the rise, as more people are allowed into the country.
There were eight new cases in the community in the past week, and 10 the week before.
Yesterday, 8 Jan, there were 23 new coronavirus cases, taking Singapore's total to 58,836.
As the pandemic continues to rage around the world, countries are urgently rolling out Covid-19 vaccinations, with Britain the first to start a mass vaccination drive with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Dec 8.
Singapore had launched a small-scale vaccination exercise on 40 staff at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases on Dec 30 to test the roll-out process.
PM Lee will be taking his second dose of the vaccine in three weeks.
"We have got ample vaccines coming in, we ordered them early. We have enough for everybody in Singapore, all the residents, all the citizens and even the non-citizens who are staying here," he said yesterday.
He added: "It will make us safer, and it will make you and your loved ones safer too. So, please take it when you get it."
Senior staff nurse Fatimah, 41, a veteran of almost 20 years at SGH, learnt the night before that she was going to be the one administering PM Lee's injection.
She was "a bit nervous", but said she felt honoured, her smile shining through her mask in the wefie that PM Lee took with her later.
PM Lee, who posted photos of his experience on Facebook, wrote: "In the gentle and capable hands of Senior Staff Nurse Fatimah. I barely felt the needle!"
Ms Chang Yan Jun, 25, a radiographer in SGH's emergency department, also got vaccinated yesterday. "At first, I was a bit nervous, but then, after taking the vaccine, I feel like actually, it is (okay). I don't have any (discomfort)," she said.
The vaccine was also rolled out to the staff at other public healthcare institutions such as Changi General Hospital and Sengkang General Hospital yesterday.
Staff at private healthcare group Parkway Pantai and Mount Alvernia and Farrer Park hospitals will get their shots starting today.
The Government has said that more vaccines are set to arrive soon, including those by American biotechnology firm Moderna and China's Sinovac.
DPM Heng Swee Keat gets first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, says Pfizer shots safe, even for former stroke patients
By Cheryl Teh, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2021
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) yesterday.
"The vaccine is safe and effective, even for former stroke patients like myself," Mr Heng said in a Facebook post in the evening.
He had collapsed during a Cabinet meeting in May 2016, after suffering a sudden stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm. He returned to work in August that year.
Prior to getting his jab, Mr Heng sat down with Dr Shawn Vasoo, clinical director of NCID and head of the Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, to run through a medical questionnaire.
Mr Heng also shared how, thanks to the steady and skilful hands of nurse manager Imrana Banu, his vaccination was "painless and done in less than 10 seconds". He also received his vaccination card, and said he would be back in three weeks to get his second dose.
He also met a group of NCID researchers while at the centre.
Currently, only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been approved for pandemic use by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA).
Data for another vaccine by Moderna has been submitted and is currently being reviewed by HSA.
Mr Heng said: "We are progressively rolling out our national vaccination strategy in the coming weeks and months. I strongly encourage you to take it up when it becomes available to you. This will protect not only you, but also your loved ones and our community."
PM Lee receives second dose of COVID-19 vaccine
By Wong Shiying, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2021
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at Singapore General Hospital yesterday morning, completing his vaccination regimen.
Senior staff nurse Fatimah Mohd Shah, 41, who administered the first dose to PM Lee on Jan 8, did so again for the second one.
"Just like my first jab, it was quick and painless. The doctors watched me for 30 minutes afterwards, just in case. Happy to share that I feel fine," said PM Lee on Facebook.
He added that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is ramping up the vaccine programme and opening more vaccination centres.
MOH announced on Thursday that more than 113,000 people had received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
It added that more than 50 individuals had also received their second dose of the vaccine.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) received 432 "adverse event reports" linked to symptoms generally associated with all vaccinations.
Most of them were for injection site pain and swelling, fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, giddiness, nausea and allergic reactions such as itch, rash, swelling of eyes or lips.
Most of these symptoms resolved on their own within a few days, said MOH.
There were also three cases of anaphylaxis, or rapid onset of severe allergic reactions.
All three individuals, who are in their 20s and 30s, recovered and were discharged from hospital after a day's observation or treatment, said MOH in its statement.
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