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Indonesia’s Bio Farma ready to produce ‘IndoVac’ Covid-19 vaccines

BANDUNG, INDONESIA, Sep 12, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - PT Bio Farma, the holding company for state-owned pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia, announced a new milestone in manufacturing IndoVac, its Covid-19 vaccines brand, including primary series vaccines, booster vaccines and vaccines for children, in development since November 2021.IndoVac Covid-19 vaccine in production at PT Bio Farma's facilities near Bandung, Indonesia (Image: PT Bio Farma)Honesti Baasyir, President Director of Bio Farma, said the company collaborated with Baylor College of Medicine, a private, independent health sciences centre in Houston, Texas to develop IndoVac, a recombinant protein subunit vaccine produced from yeast.According to Honesti, "IndoVac uses vaccine technology platforms which are compatible with our equipment and facilities. The technology platforms for protein recombinant vaccines also offer other benefits; they can be adapted to new strains of Covid-19."Results from primary series Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials show that IndoVac vaccines offer quality safety and efficacy, no less competitive than other Covid-19 vaccines. Now we are completing documentation to wrap up Phase 3."Honesti said Bio Farma has had intense communication with the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) since July to provide necessary Phase 3 primary series data, so the BPOM can release an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) permit for the vaccine. The EUA is the permit for medical supplies, including vaccines and medications, used during a public health emergency.In Indonesia, BPOM plays the key role as a regulatory gatekeeper of medicines and vaccines used in the country. BPOM's head Penny K. Lukito, during a hearing at the Indonesian House of Representatives, said that the regulator expects to release the EUA for IndoVac's primary series vaccines in mid-September.Shariah ComplianceBio Farma has also processed the Halal (or Shariah compliant) certification for IndoVac's primary series vaccine. The vaccine has passed an audit by The Indonesian Ulema Council Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM MUI), which reviews the halal aspect of a product. The certificate from the Halal Certification Agency (BPJPH) of the Religious Affairs Ministry is expected to be released soon after the BPOM EUA for IndoVac.After securing all the necessary permits, Bio Farma will be ready to move on to the next stage, mass production of the vaccine. Bio Farma plans to produce an initial 20 million doses of primary series vaccine this year, which will be further increased to 40 million doses in 2023, as the company expands its production facilities. In 2024, production may further increase to 100 million doses per year, depending on demand and the market.Booster Vaccine and Vaccine for ChildrenBio Farma also started clinical trials for its booster vaccine on September 1. Bio Farma conducted the trials for its booster vaccine at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in Bandung (Faculty of Medicine, Padjajaran University) and Dr I.G.N.G Ngoerah General Hospital in Bali (Children's Health Sciences Dept, Udayana University). Trials involved 900 subjects aged 8 and above to test the booster vaccines. Next, the company plans to conduct clinical trials for children, following registration with the BPOM.All Covid-19 vaccines made by Bio Farma, including the primary series vaccines, booster vaccines and vaccines for children, will be labelled IndoVac. Bio Farma started the process of registering IndoVac as a brand name for Covid-19 vaccines at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights on July 29.President Joko Widodo gave the IndoVac name to the vaccine. "We are in the process of securing it. Should no-one object at this level, we will proceed to the next stage until we secure an IndoVac trade licence and patent from the ministry, as a product of Bio Farma," Honesti said.Made-in-Indonesia VaccinesHonesti said IndoVac is special, as one of the few made-in-Indonesia vaccine products, developed and manufactured for the nation's children. Bio Farma handles the manufacturing process from upstream to downstream. The locally sourced content in the IndoVac vaccines, according to Bio Farma, will be around 80%."This is a step closer to achieving independence in the health sector. With such a high proportion of local content, we expect to help reduce the nation's dependency on imported vaccines," Honesti said.Bio Farma hopes to capture the export market with its IndoVac vaccines. "We will not only produce them to meet domestic needs, but for the supply of global markets," said Honesti. "We registered for EUL with the World Health Organization (WHO), so the vaccine can be used in other countries through Covax Facility multilateral procurement. (The EUL assesses and lists vaccines during emergencies in non-vaccine-producing countries.)"With our Covid-19 vaccines, we hope to contribute to the health industry, not just in Indonesia, but in the world," said Honesti.For Bio Farma, it is not the first experience with clinical trials, having conducted more than 30 clinical trials (including Covid-19) in Indonesia. Bio Farma also has experience in conducting clinical trials overseas for Pentabio and Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).Bio Farma's Success in Polio VaccineHonesti said apart from the Covid-19 primary series vaccines, Bio Farma previously secured EUA from BPOM and EUL from WHO for its novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). As Indonesia hasn't had any polio outbreaks since 2014, it never used nOPV2. However, the Bio Farma-manufactured vaccine was used by countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.Among the countries in Africa that have used Bio Farma's nOPV2's vaccine are Algeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda. In Europe, the vaccine was used in Ukraine and in the Middle East, it was used in Israel, Egypt, Somalia and Yemen.In manufacturing the nOPV2 vaccine, Bio Farma collaborated with world-class institutions like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), PATH and the WHO. Bio Farma has since become the main supplier of polio vaccines in the world, and currently contributes 67 percent to the global supply of polio vaccines. It distributes the vaccines via bilateral or multilateral means (through UNICEF).Bio Farma's Laboratories have been internationally acknowledged as reference labs to check samples of polio viruses, while Bio Farma's success in producing and exporting nOPV2 vaccines shows the Indonesian state-owned company contributing to the world's health sector, apart from providing the necessary polio vaccine for domestic use at home in Indonesia.Media Contact:R. Rifa HerdianPT Bio Farma (Persero)Corporate Secretary & Investor RelationsTel: +62-81-2542-8844Email: rifaherdian@biofarma.co.id Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Indonesian pharmaceutical Bio Farma ready to produce IndoVac Covid-19 vaccines

Bandung, W Java, Indonesia, Sep 9, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - PT Bio Farma, the holding company for state-owned pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia, announced a new milestone in the manufacturing of IndoVac, a Covid-19 vaccine brand it has developed since November 2021.IndoVac Covid-19 vaccine in production at PT Bio Farma's facilities near Bandung, Indonesia (Image: PT Bio Farma)Honesti Baasyir, the President Director of PT Bio Farma, said the company collaborated with Baylor College of Medicine, a private, independent health sciences centre in Houston, Texas to develop IndoVac, a recombinant protein subunit vaccine produced from yeast. PT Bio Farma has completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials and is currently in the Phase 3 stage to produce the primary series vaccines or two vaccine doses for everyone aged 18 years and older. "IndoVac uses vaccine technology platforms which are compatible with the equipment and facilities within our factories. The technology platforms for protein recombinant vaccines also offer other benefits: they can be adapted to the new strains of Covid-19. Results from Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials showed that IndoVac offers quality safety and efficacy, not less competitive than other Covid-19 vaccines. Now we are completing a report to wrap up Phase 3."Honesti said, Bio Farma has had intense communication with the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) since July 2022 to provide the necessary data, so that BPOM can release the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) permit for IndoVac's primary series vaccines in the near term. The EUA, released by a country's regulatory agency, is a permit for medical supplies (including vaccines) and medications during a public health emergency. In Indonesia, BPOM plays the key role as a regulatory gatekeeper of medicines and vaccines used in the country.BPOM's head Penny K. Lukito, during a hearing with Commission IX at the Indonesian House of Representatives, has said that the regulator expects to release the EUA for IndoVac's primary series vaccines in mid-September 2022. Shariah ComplianceBio Farma also has processed the Halal (or Shariah compliant) certification for IndoVac's primary series vaccines to provide comfort to Indonesian Muslim consumers. The vaccines have passed an audit from The Indonesian Ulema Council Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM MUI), which reviews the halal aspect of a product. The certificate from the Halal Certification Agency (BPJPH) under the Religious Affairs Ministry is expected to be released in the near term after BPOM release the EUA for IndoVac. After securing all the necessary permits, Bio Farma is ready to move on to the next stage, which is producing IndoVac's primary series vaccines massively. At the first stage, Bio Farma plans to produce a maximum of 20 million doses of primary series vaccines, before this can be further increased to 40 million doses in 2023, as the company expands its production facilities. In 2024, the company may further increase the volume to 100 million doses per year, depending on the demands and needs in the markets. Honesti said after the company has secured all the necessary permits, then IndoVac's primary series vaccines "can be massively used by people aged 18 and above." Booster Vaccine and Vaccine for ChildrenAt the same time, Bio Farma also started clinical trials for its booster vaccine on September 1, 2022. "We have secured approval for a clinical trial (PPUK) from BPOM for IndoVac booster vaccine," Honesti said. Next, Bio Farma plans to conduct clinical trials for children after it secures PPUK from BPOM. Bio Farma conducted clinical trials for its booster vaccine at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital (Faculty of Medicine of Padjajaran University, Bandung) and Dr. I.G.N.G Ngoerah General Hospital in Bali (Children's Health Sciences Department, Udayana University). Trials involved 900 subjects aged 8 and above to test IndoVac's booster vaccines. BPOM requires vaccine manufacturers to conduct clinical trials to decide if a vaccine is safe and can boost immunity against Covid-19, and to determine whether the vaccine offers good efficacy to help protect the subjects from heavy symptoms and risks of fatalities due to Covid-19 infection.All Covid-19 vaccines made by Bio Farma, including the primary series, booster vaccines and vaccines for children, will be labelled IndoVac. Bio Farma started the process of registering IndoVac as a brand name for Covid-19 vaccines at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights on July 29.President Joko Widodo gave the IndoVac name to the vaccine. "We are in the process of securing it. Should no-one object at this level, we will proceed to the next stage until we secure an IndoVac trade licence and patent from the ministry, as a product of Bio Farma," Honesti said. For Bio Farma, it is not the first time embarking on clinical trials. The company has conducted more than 30 clinical trials in Indonesia. This includes the Phase 3 clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccine. Bio Farma also has experience in conducting clinical trials overseas for Pentabio and Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).Made-in-Indonesia VaccinesHonesti Basyir said IndoVac is special as one of the few made-in-Indonesia vaccine products. The vaccines (which include the primary series vaccines, the booster vaccines and vaccines for children) are developed and manufactured for nation's children. Bio Farma handles the manufacturing process from upstream to downstream.The local contents of IndoVac's primary series vaccines, according to Bio Farma, will be around 80%. "This is a step closer to achieving independence in the health sector. With such a high proportion of local content, we expect to help reduce the nation's dependency on imported vaccines. This will also impact foreign exchange reserves," Honesti said. In the long term, Bio Farma hopes to capture the export market with IndoVac vaccines. "We will not only produce them (the three types of vaccines) to meet domestic needs but also target the supply of global markets," he said. "We registered for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) with the World Health Organization (for primary series), so this vaccine can be used in other countries through the Covax Facility (multilateral procurement). Through its Covid-19 vaccines, Bio Farma expects to contribute to the health industry, not just in Indonesia, but also to the world."Bio Farma's Success in Polio VaccineHonesti said apart from manufacturing Covid-19 primary series vaccines, which is currently waiting for the results of Phase 3 clinical trials and the EUA, Bio Farma has previously proven that it can secure the EUA from BPOM and the EUL from the WHO for its novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).The EUL, which is released by the WHO, is a procedure for assessing and listing vaccines during public health emergencies by non-vaccine-producing countries. As Indonesia hasn't had any polio outbreaks since 2014, it never used nOPV2. The Bio Farma-manufactured vaccine was used by countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Among the countries that have used Bio Farma's nOPV2's vaccine are Algeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda. In Europe, the vaccine was used in Ukraine and in the Middle East, it was used in Israel, Egypt, Somalia and Yemen. In the manufacturing of nOPV2 vaccine, Bio Farma collaborated with world-class research institutions like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), PATH and the WHO. Bio Farma has become the main supplier for the polio vaccine in the world. The company currently contributes 67 percent to the global supply of polio vaccines. It distributes the vaccines via bilateral or multilateral means (through UNICEF). Apart from producing polio vaccines, Bio Farma's Laboratories have secured international acknowledgement as the reference labs to check samples of polioviruses. The world was previously waiting for two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to combat polio diseases, before a 'world-free polio' can be declared. However, during the wait, polio outbreaks occurred in Africa and the Middle East. The nOPV2 vaccine became an important product to prevent further spread of the polio disease. Bio Farma's success in producing and exporting nOPV2 vaccine means that the Indonesian state-owned company has contributed to the world's health sector, apart from providing the necessary polio vaccine for domestic use at home in Indonesia. Media Contact:R. Rifa HerdianPT Bio Farma (Persero)Corporate Secretary & Investor RelationsTel: +62-81-2542-8844Email: rifaherdian@biofarma.co.id Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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V-01 as a Sequential Booster Can Produce Good Protection against Omicron —- Latest Phase III Data of COVID-19 Vaccine by Livzon Pharma

HONG KONG, Feb 18, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Global pandemic control is still facing enormous challenges after more than two years since the outbreak of the COVID-19. Following the Delta and Beta variants, Omicron variant emerged at the end of 2021, and its enhanced infectivity has cast a shadow over the global COVID-19 control. Recently, Omicron quickly spread in Japan and South Korea, and the number of newly confirmed cases in South Korea has exceeded 90,000 for two consecutive days. Although COVID-19 vaccine booster shots have been administered across the globe since 3Q2021, vaccine efficacy is shown to vary among vaccine products, and it is crucial to find and apply a vaccine with stronger protection against Omicron. Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc. ("Livzon"), a long-established pharmaceutical company dedicated to research and development of innovative product, has developed a recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine (the "V-01 vaccine") leveraging their recombinant protein technology platform since 2021.It is reported that the V-01 vaccine is a COVID-19 recombinant protein vaccine jointly developed by Livzon MabPharm Inc. ("Livzon MAB") and the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (the "Institute"). To date, Livzon MAB has conducted two global Phase III clinical trials in multiple countries, including (1) two doses of V-01 as basic immunization scheme, and (2) V-01 as a sequential booster for people who have received two doses of inactivated vaccine 3 to 6 months earlier. This is the only global Phase III clinical trial of sequential boosting immunization of the COVID-19 vaccine that have been approved by the regulatory authorities of multiple countries. On February 16, Livzon has completed the interim analysis of the Phase III clinical trial for the sequential booster protocol, and released key data from this trial. According to the results disclosed, the person-year incidence rates of the V-01 sequential booster (after two doses of inactivated vaccine) group vs. the group who have only received two doses of inactivated vaccine were 6.73% and 12.80%, respectively, which showed a significant statistical difference (P=0.0012); and the absolute vaccine efficacy of the V-01 sequential booster was 61.35%, which is also shown to be significantly superior. The absolute vaccine efficacy after V-01 sequential booster has met World Health Organization's (WHO) standards. Sixty valid genotype sequencing samples in this trial were confirmed to be Omicron using first-generation genotype sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 virus (the rest of samples are in the process of second-generation sequencing), indicating that V-01 sequential booster can produce good protection against Omicron infection. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine in the world of which the Phase III trial interim results have been disclosed since the Omicron outbreak.Additionally, the Phase II trial results showed that V-01 had excellent immunogenicity and safety; and the overall incidence of adverse events was lower in the elder group than that of the younger adult group in comparison. According to the company, the manufacturing of V-01 is well established in China with stable raw material supply and adequate reserves, ready to provide for global market once launched. The production line of Livzon MAB has been approved by the Guangdong Food and Drug Administration, and the vaccine production license has been granted. It is also disclosed that a workshop with an annual bulk product capacity of 3.5 billion doses is up and running at Livzon MAB, and the annual production capacity of formulated product has reached 1.5 billion doses.With 71.32 million confirmed infected cases and 5.85 million cumulative deaths worldwide, the development and application of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is urgent as the virus is spreading and mutating rapidly. Livzon, as a member of the Chinese Vaccine Research and Development Team, is in the process of obtaining EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) and conditional marketing approval for V-01 vaccine domestically and abroad, so as to provide a more robust and clinical-proven option for continuous immunization boosting for general public and to contribute to the global pandemic control efforts. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Football: Man City boss Guardiola urges players to get booster shots

(REUTERS) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola urged his players to get their Covid-19 vaccine booster shots and advised them to be careful amid a surge in cases in Britain. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday (Dec 13) that at least one person has died in the United Kingdom after contracting the Omicron coronavirus variant. The UK Health Security Agency said Omicron - first detected in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong in late November - can overcome the immunity of those who have had two shots of vaccines such as AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech. "Absolutely, the doctors suggest they have to do it," Guardiola told reporters on Monday, when asked about players getting the booster shots. "We speak with the players every day to say be careful. Stay healthy, wear masks, social distance. "It's Christmas, the tendency is to party and go out. But the virus is still here. The virus doesn't allow you to suffer much, but cases rise day by day, so just be careful." Tottenham Hotspur recorded 13 Covid-19 cases at the club last week, while Leicester City and Manchester United were also affected by the virus. City, top of the English Premier League on 38 points after 16 games, are due to host 15th-placed Leeds United on Tuesday. Guardiola said Leeds, who are 12 points behind City, will pose a challenge even in the absence of top striker Patrick Bamford and midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who are out injured. "Leeds is one of our toughest opponents," Guardiola said. "They play every week in a special unique way and we play against the special and unique way just two times a year. It is completely different to other opponents. "Bamford was injured for a long time now, Phillips too... "But if there is one person who doesn't complain about what happens, it is Marcelo (Bielsa). He loves to work when the situation is tough." Guardiola said all players are available for Tuesday's game, except for the suspended Joao Cancelo and Ferran Torres, who is recovering from a foot injury. More on this topic   Related Story Football: Manchester United suffer Covid-19 outbreak   Related Story At least one dead from Omicron as UK boosts response

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Around 30% of Home Team front-liners have received booster jabs

SINGAPORE - Around 30 per cent of Home Team front-liners, or 10,090 personnel, have received their Covid-19 booster shots as at Nov 26. These front-line personnel include officers aged between 18 and 29 years old and span the range of Home Team departments, which include the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the Singapore Prison Service. Full-time national servicemen are also in the group. Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Monday (Dec 6): "The Home Team targets for eligible officers to complete the booster vaccination exercise by the first quarter of 2022 while balancing against the need to maintain operational continuity." Those eligible can take either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty booster vaccine and will be exempted from strenuous physical activity for two weeks after receiving their booster jabs. From Oct 9, Home Team officers aged 30 and above and selected groups of front-line officers aged below 30 - such as those involved in front-line healthcare operations - were progressively invited by the Ministry of Health to receive their boosters, as long as they met the interval of six months after their second vaccine dose. On Nov 5, the criteria was expanded to all front-line officers aged between 18 and 29. Since Dec 2, Home Team officers aged below 30 who are undergoing training have also been progressively offered their booster vaccination for further protection to train safely, added the spokesman. The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) had announced on Dec 2 that all essential Mindef and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel who had been assessed to have a higher risk of Covid-19 infection, similar to healthcare and front-line workers, would be offered booster shots. This included personnel under the age of 30 from operational units, active units undergoing operational training, and SAF training schools such as the Officer Cadet School and Specialist Cadet School. More than 99 per cent of service personnel were fully vaccinated by September, and the progressive expansion of the booster programme is expected to increase vaccine booster coverage of the Mindef and SAF population from 40 per cent to over 80 per cent at the end of six months, the ministry added. The MHA spokesman said on Monday that as at late November, about 99 per cent of eligible Home Team officers, including the front-liners, have been fully vaccinated. "The health and safety of our Home Team officers remain our priority. The Home Team departments will continue to schedule Home Team personnel to receive the booster vaccination expeditiously, taking into account the manpower required for front-line duties," added the spokesman. More on this topic   Related Story Get a Covid-19 vaccine booster now and don't wait for Omicron shot, say experts   Related Story People can get booster shots 5 months after second dose from Nov 24

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More Covid-19 booster shot invites to be sent out, take dose at any polyclinic

SINGAPORE - The first batch of 140,000 SMS invitations has been sent out to seniors who are due for their Covid-19 booster shots, with more invitations expected to be sent out weekly, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). The ministry also clarified that these seniors, aged 60 and above, can get their booster shots at any vaccination centre, polyclinic, or participating Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC). However, walk-in vaccinations are not available yet, the ministry said. Prior booking must still be made. Singapore kicked off its national Covid-19 vaccine booster programme on Wednesday (Sept 15). Seniors who completed their vaccination regimen around March this year will be the first in line for the third dose. They are required to make an appointment via the personalised link in the SMS sent to their mobile number registered for their first two doses. An MOH spokesman, in assuring the public, said: "The capacity of our vaccination sites are more than enough to cater to the volume." The ministry is working with the People's Association (PA) and the Silver Generation Office to encourage seniors to go for their booster doses via phone calls or house visits. Seniors may also visit any of PA's community clubs and centres islandwide for help in booking their appointment online. Those who are immunocompromised have also started receiving their third dose at hospitals and specialist outpatient clinics from last Wednesday, said MOH. This group of people have been advised to receive their third dose of the same mRNA vaccine two months after their second dose, as this ensures they start off with adequate protective immune response to the virus. The mRNA vaccines include Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. More on this topic   Related Story PM Lee receives his Covid-19 booster jab   Related Story Who should get Covid-19 booster shots next in S'pore?   Related Stories:  Related Story The science behind Covid-19 vaccine boosters: Do we really need an extra shot? Related Story Bats in Laos caves found to carry coronaviruses that share key feature with Sars-CoV-2 Related Story Let us buy Covid-19 vaccines, pleads Africa Related Story Governments face tough call on risky reopenings as Covid-19 persists Related Story Testing positive for Covid-19: Where do you seek help and what kind of treatment do you need? Related Story When Covid-19 stole their sense of smell, these experts lost their careers Related Story Britain and neighbours set out paths for coping with Covid-19 Related Story 'My saviour': Hanoi's tiny balconies a refuge in Covid-19 lockdown Related Story Unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die of Covid-19: US CDC Related Story In world first, Cuba starts Covid-19 jabs for toddlers

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PM Lee receives his Covid-19 booster jab

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received his Covid-19 booster jab at the Singapore General Hospital on Friday morning (Sept 17). "Cases are increasing rapidly. A booster jab will strengthen your protection against Covid-19," said PM Lee on Facebook. He added that Singapore's expert committee on Covid-19 vaccines has recommended this additional dose for those aged 60 years and older, residents in aged-care homes and immunocompromised individuals. "If you are offered a booster, please take it. It will reduce your chances of getting seriously ill, or needing ICU (intensive care unit) care," he said. PM Lee's booster jab comes as Singapore's Covid-19 cases are closing in on the 1,000 mark. The Republic reported 910 new cases on Thursday, the highest daily number since May 1, 2020. Of the 803 cases in the community, 244 are seniors above 60 years old. More on this topic   Related Story About 3,200 seniors in S'pore receive Covid-19 vaccine booster shots as programme begins   Related Story 140,000 seniors being invited to get Covid-19 booster shots, says Ong Ye Kung

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Singapore kicks off Covid-19 vaccine booster programme for seniors

SINGAPORE - Singapore has kicked off its national Covid-19 vaccine booster programme on Wednesday (Sept 15), with more than 100 seniors having taken their shot at one of the many centres islandwide. Over the next few days, a total of 140,000 seniors would have received invitations from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to make an appointment to receive their booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Seniors can also receive their third dose at Tanjong Pagar Community Club and some existing vaccination centres, polyclinics and participating Public Health Preparedness Clinics islandwide. Retired NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian was among the first in line at Teck Ghee Community Club, home to a vaccination centre run by Raffles Medical Group. By noon, more than 100 seniors had taken their third shot at the centre. "I'm in favor of vaccinations. If you're unvaccinated you're five to eight times more likely to suffer serious illness," said Mr Tan, who went after his morning exercise. "People are getting quite frightened as the number of cases rise," said the 73-year-old who took the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Retired clerk Ronnie Lee, 79, also took his booster shot on Wednesday morning as he was concerned about the sudden rise in Covid-19 cases in the community. "I read in the papers that unvaccinated senior citizens face more problems. It's for your own good, to get the vaccine," he said. Singapore kicks off Covid-19 vaccine booster programme Mr Lee, who experienced mild soreness in his arm after the first jab, added that he would not mind going for more booster shots in the future. "I believe it's the same as flu. I get the flu jab every year." Raffles Medical Group, which runs 14 vaccination centres including the one at Teck Ghee CC, told The Straits Times that more than 200 seniors will be receiving their booster shots at Tanjong Pagar CC on Wednesday. ST understands that some seniors had even walked in to Teck Ghee CC and some vaccination centres on Tuesday (Sept 14) to receive their booster shots. Retired NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian waiting to be discharged after receiving his booster jab at Teck Ghee Community Club on Sept 15, 2021. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM A senior getting her booster shot at Tanjong Pagar CC on Sept 15, 2021. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN On Tuesday (Sept 14), 755 new cases were reported in the community, the highest in over a year. Among these cases were 231 seniors aged 60 and above. The Ren Ci nursing home in Bukit Batok and All Saints Home in Jurong East have also emerged as Covid-19 clusters with 29 and 10 cases, respectively, as at Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Agency for Integrated Care urged seniors to stay home as much as possible and to get their Covid-19 booster shots if eligible. The Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination had recommended that people aged 60 and above should receive their booster shots six to nine months after having completed two doses. Seniors can choose between the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine for their booster shot, but they will have to make an appointment at the site offering their preferred vaccine, said a Raffles Medical spokesman. "Mixing of the two mRNA brands between the primary vaccination course of two doses and the booster is allowed." More on this topic   Related Story Seniors urged to avoid social interactions for 2 weeks amid surge in Covid-19 cases   Related Story 140,000 seniors being invited to get Covid-19 booster shots, says Ong Ye Kung

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askST: Will I be considered ‘unvaccinated’ if I do not take booster shots?

SINGAPORE - With the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots expected to start this month, The Straits Times tackles key questions about the programme, including whether someone will be considered "unvaccinated" if they do not get the booster shots. Q: Why is there a need for booster shots? A: Booster shots will increase vaccine effectiveness and help in maintaining a high level of protection against more severe infections, said Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong in a press conference on Friday (Sept 3). The strength of vaccine protection will come down as antibodies wane several months after the vaccination, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. Despite this, vaccines continue to be very effective in protecting against severe illnesses and deaths, should one be infected. Internationally and in Singapore, more breakthrough infections - where fully vaccinated individuals are infected with the Delta variant - have been observed, he said. Israel, among the countries in the world with the highest vaccination rates, began offering those aged 60 and above a third vaccine dose in late July. They are eligible five months after their second dose. Other countries such as the United States, Britain, France and Germany have also announced booster campaigns. Q: Why are healthcare workers not the first group to receive booster shots? A: When it comes to booster shots, two groups of people were identified as priorities by the expert committee, said Singapore's director of medical services Kenneth Mak. Immunocompromised patients may not have developed sufficient protection even after the first two doses are completed, said Associate Professor Mak. "This third dose is considered an expanded primary course of vaccination for them." The second group comprises those aged 60 and above. Prof Mak said they are more likely to have worse outcomes if they do get infected, such as an increased risk of being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and needing oxygen support. Migrant workers will, like everyone else, have over time a waning antibody response, said Prof Mak. But because they are generally younger, they do not need to be prioritised as much as those aged 60 and above. But any migrant worker aged 60 and above can get vaccinated earlier as they fall into that same higher-risk group, he said. The same goes for healthcare workers aged 60 and above. More on this topic   Related Story Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for seniors, some immunocompromised people from Sept   Related Story Covid-19 vaccines are 40% effective against infection, 'very effective' against severe illness Q: Will the rest of the population need to take booster shots? A: Prof Mak said the rest of the population not aged 60 and above will be offered booster shots at a later point in time. This would be in accordance with a subsequent set of expert committee recommendations, he said, after further study to determine the best time for them and what form of booster vaccination is the most appropriate. Q: Will those who have taken two doses of the Covid-19 vaccines still be considered fully vaccinated if they do not take the booster shots? A: They will still be considered fully vaccinated, said Mr Ong. Singapore is taking a pre-emptive move before antibodies wane further, even as ICU cases and the number of deaths still show that seniors are well protected against getting very ill should they be infected, he said. More on this topic   Related Story S'pore to maintain current Covid-19 measures, will rely on vaccination and testing to move ahead   Related Story askST: What's the point of vaccines if I can still get Covid-19 and end up in ICU?   Related Stories:  Related Story S'pore to maintain current Covid-19 measures, will rely on vaccination and testing to move ahead Related Story WHO monitoring new Covid-19 variant named 'Mu' Related Story S'porean with breakthrough Covid-19 infection lost his sense of taste and smell Related Story A look at what we know about Japan's contaminated Moderna Covid-19 vaccines Related Story Malaysian PM in quarantine after contact with Covid-19 patient Related Story Zero-Covid-19 strategy: Does the approach still work with rise of Delta variant? Related Story Experts warn of imminent third wave of Covid-19 pandemic in India Related Story Sars-CoV-2 virus can change its shape to improve survival: S'pore study Related Story Finding the true global toll of the Covid-19 pandemic

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Covid-19 booster jabs: Some may not get same vaccine from earlier shots

SINGAPORE - When Covid-19 booster shots are rolled out in Singapore, some may be given the same vaccine they took earlier while others may be administered a different one. "Both approaches are being considered, with pros and cons to both strategies,"  Associate Professor Lim Poh Lian, director of the High Level Isolation Unit at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, told The Straits Times. "We have to look at which is more effective in protecting against the current and future virus strains circulating. We have to look at safety issues and different segments of the population. "What might be good for older adults might have more side-effects in younger persons, so it may not be a one-size-fits-all recommendation. Those kinds of data just take time to be collected, analysed and reported," said Prof Lim, who is also a member of the Expert Committee on Covid-19 vaccination. Those who got inactivated Covid-19 vaccines such as Sinovac may benefit from receiving an mRNA booster jab, some experts said. mRNA vaccines include the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are part of Singapore's national vaccination drive. Professor Ooi Eng Eong from Duke-NUS Medical School's Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases explained: "Inactivated vaccines do not generate appreciable levels of killer T-cells. Such individuals thus rely mainly on a single line of defence - their antibodies."  Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, vice-dean of global health and Infectious Diseases Programme leader at Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, pointed out that China is reportedly considering the use of an mRNA vaccine as a booster following the primary vaccination with the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccine - the reason being to broaden coverage against other Covid-19 variants, including the Delta variant. "Neutralising antibody levels appear to drop rapidly six months post-Sinovac vaccination, which is the other reason for considering a booster dose with either an mRNA or the same vaccine," he added. The experts agreed, though, that with different countries taking different approaches, there is a need for more data before a decision is made. Britain, for example, is looking into mixing its vaccines for booster doses, after results from its Com-Cov study launched in February showed that administering one dose of the Pfizer vaccine after a dose of the AstraZeneca jab could help to boost the immune response. But Israel - the first country to administer booster shots of the mRNA vaccines to those aged 60 and older and recently extended the booster shots to those above 30 - has decided not to do this. Prof Lim said that the vaccine committee is also studying several other things, including the incidence rate of adverse reactions from a booster shot in other countries and the steps that can be taken to remove or mitigate the risk. She acknowledged that there are theoretical concerns about the side-effects of a third dose of vaccine, though countries such as Israel and the United States which are already implementing boosters can soon provide real world data on the effectiveness and safety of these approaches. She noted that Moderna has tested different doses for its booster, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has held discussions with the company on which dose provides the best combination of effectiveness and safety. More on this topic   Related Story Booster shots of Covid-19 vaccine being studied; kids under 12 to get jabs next year   Related Story Elderly and immunocompromised will be first in line for Covid-19 booster shots if needed The Moderna vaccine contains 100 micrograms of vaccine a dose, while the Pfizer has 30 micrograms a dose. Asked if a booster shot at a lower dose was more favourable in preventing adverse side-effects, Prof Lim said that dosages are not directly comparable between vaccines, or other medications. "Even in the same class of high blood pressure medicines, 5mg of one medicine may have the same therapeutic effect as 50mg of another medicine," she added. On who should get the boosters fist, Associate Professor David Allen, an infectious diseases clinician at the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, said: "If the goal is to decrease hospitalisation, severe disease and death, then give the booster to those people it has been shown to be efficacious for - such as the immunocompromised...and probably the elderly." How do booster jabs work and when should they be given?  Prof Hsu said that a vaccine booster is an extra dose of a vaccine that is given to maintain or augment the protection provided by the original dose or doses. "It will augment (or boost) whatever part of the immune system that the original vaccine targets, so in the case of Covid-19 vaccines, it will probably increase the number of memory B- and T-cells in addition to the level of circulating antibodies targeting the Sars-CoV-2 virus," he said. Memory B-cells help to produce antibodies on demand which target the virus and its variants, thus preventing severe lung disease, while T-cells are able to detect and kill infected cells to prevent the Sars-CoV-2 virus from spreading. Prof Ooi noted that some have suggested monitoring antibody levels and giving boosters to those with waning levels of antibodies against the Sars-CoV-2 virus. "However, antibody measurements alone are insufficient to guide such decision-making on booster shots, and doing so would miss out on all the different ways in which the immune system is able to protect us from Covid-19," he said. More on this topic   Related Story Booster jab targeting Sars virus may be effective for all Covid-19 variants: S'pore scientists   Related Story S'pore's expert committee on Covid-19 vaccines discussing need for booster jabs Prof Hsu pointed out that the experiences of Israel and Britain show that the protection from asymptomatic and mild infection decreases within six months post-vaccination, particularly with the Pfizer vaccine. "However, these same experiences also show that protection against severe Covid-19 disease (cases requiring hospital care, oxygen support) remains excellent, with more than 85 per cent effectiveness when compared with unvaccinated people, even for the elderly," he said. "Will protection against severe disease wane over time? We do not know for sure at this point if and when this will happen, but it will certainly take a far longer period of time compared with protection against infection," Prof Hsu added. He pointed out that different vaccines affect the immune system differently, so current  results cannot be extrapolated to other vaccines, such as the Moderna shot. As to how often the Covid-19 jab should be administered, Prof Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said that it is still too early to tell - though it might be the case that Covid-19 is like hepatitis B or measles, each of which needs three jabs. "It is highly unlikely that we will need annual jabs as the mutation rate is much lower than influenza," he said. Likewise, Prof Ooi added that there is no fixed formula for when booster shots should be administered. More on this topic   Related Story Will vaccinated people need Covid-19 booster shots and, if so, when?   Related Story Necessary or not, booster shots are probably coming "The immune response does not wane at a fixed rate but varies from vaccine to vaccine and infection to infection. Moreover, how much immune response is needed to prevent infection and disease varies from virus to virus. There is thus no theoretical way to estimate when booster shots are needed," he said. He suggested that a more accurate way of determining when to administer booster shots would be to conduct active surveillance of Covid-19 cases in hospitals to guide decision-making. Once a trend towards an increase in severe Covid-19 cases among the vaccinated is observed, then perhaps there will be sound evidence for the need of booster shots. This approach should also apply to special groups of the population, including people with compromised immune systems, he added. Prof Lim also said that waning immunity may be more of a problem in such people, as well as older adults.   Related Stories:  Related Story Sars-CoV-2 virus can change its shape to improve survival: S'pore study Related Story New York governor reveals 12,000 more Covid-19 deaths than previously counted Related Story Taiwan reports no new domestic Covid-19 cases for the first time since May 9 Related Story Toronto's hospital network to sack employees unvaccinated at end of October Related Story China reports no new local Covid-19 cases for first time since July Related Story New Zealand's Covid-19 strategy criticised as lockdown extended Related Story Beating back Delta will take extra Covid-19 vaccine shot for privileged few Related Story Finding the true global toll of the Covid-19 pandemic Related Story Asian Insider: The race for home-grown Covid-19 vaccines

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