THE Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has extended the authorisation of Moderna’s Spikevax Covid-19 vaccine - via the Pandemic Special Access Route - to children, including those between 6 months and 5 years old.

The Health Ministry (MOH) said in a press release on Wednesday (Aug 24) that a decision on the recommendation for vaccination of this age group is expected soon.

Children aged between 5 and 11 are also now recommended to take a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Comirnaty vaccine, from 5 months after the second dose of their primary vaccination series, to sustain protection against severe illness.

“This will also strengthen our preparation for the next infection wave,” the ministry said.

If approved, the vaccination for the children aged 6 months to 5 years old will be timed together with the booster exercise for children aged 5 to 11, and administered at the same vaccination centres for the convenience of parents.

Separately, it was also announced that people aged 60 years and above are recommended to receive a second mRNA Covid-19 booster vaccine, from 5 months after getting their first booster shot.

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“The first booster confers good protection against hospitalisation and severe Covid-19 in persons aged 60 to 79 years, and has helped us weather through the current wave,” said MOH.

“However, as it has been over a year since we administered the first booster to this age group, we expect the protection to gradually wane. We need to keep our vaccinations up-to-date, to prepare for possible future infection waves.”

All persons who are eligible for their primary series vaccination, and the first or second boosters, can get their shots by walking into any of the 10 Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres. They may also book an appointment at the centres, participating Public Health Preparedness Clinics, or polyclinics when invited to do so by SMS.

MOH also said that Covid-19 vaccination will continue to be a condition for the approval of all new applications for long-term passes and work passes. Vaccination will also continue to be required for the renewal of existing work passes for work permit holders and S Pass holders who are from the Construction, Marine Shipyard and Process sectors or residing in dormitories, given that their worksites and dormitories are settings with a higher risk of disease spread. Other work pass renewals will no longer be subject to a vaccination requirement from Oct 1.