Singapore to continue administering mRNA vaccines to young men: expert panel

Singapore reached the milestone as soon as the task force said two-thirds of the population should have received both doses of the vaccine by National Day on August 9. (Representative image)

The benefits of receiving an mRNA coronavirus vaccine continue to outweigh the risks of being inoculated, the Singapore government expert committee on COVID-19 vaccination said in response to an open letter from a group of doctors, according to a media report.

Earlier this month, the committee highlighted the possibility that the second dose of mRNA vaccines may be associated with a low risk of myocarditis and pericarditis in young men, Channel News Asia reported Monday.

Myocarditis and pericarditis are inflammatory conditions that affect the heart muscles and the outer wall of the heart, respectively. “The assessment after our review is that the benefits of receiving the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines continue to outweigh the risks of the vaccination,” the committee said. “The data on myocarditis and pericarditis have not changed since then, and the expert committee’s assessment remains the same.

The committee’s comments on Sunday were in response to an open letter circulating on social media that was attributed to a group of doctors, including a cardiologist, calling for a stop to COVID-19 vaccinations of young people in Singapore, following US Centers for Diseases reports. Control and Prevention investigations into the death of a 13-year-old boy after being vaccinated with the second dose of an mRNA vaccine.

The response also highlighted recent international reports on the association between myocarditis and the second dose of mRNA vaccines in young men. Singapore uses Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for its national immunization program, both of which are mRNA-based vaccines. The social media post indicated that the 13-year-old from the United States had died of heart failure, although no cause of death has been made public and the case is currently clear. ‘under investigation by US authorities,’ the committee said.

He said U.S. data indicates that cases of myocarditis after mRNA vaccinations are rare, with almost all of these cases resolved with minimal medical intervention. “Professional medical associations in the United States, including the American College of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association in the United States, have continued to strongly encourage vaccination in all people 12 years of age and older,” said the news channel said citing the committee. The committee added that it continues to recommend the use of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for young men.

The expert panel said it continues to recommend that those vaccinated, especially adolescents and young men, avoid strenuous physical activity for a week after their second dose. They should also see a doctor promptly if they develop chest pain, shortness of breath, or abnormal heartbeat. The committee said it would continue to monitor the data and revise its recommendations as needed.

Without more scientific data supporting the exact parameters for easing COVID-19 restrictions, Singapore’s vaccination steps for the opening will need to balance the risk of infection with the social and economic consequences of a shutdown that is too long, a TODAY newspaper said citing infectious disease experts.

The government task force leading the pandemic response said on June 18 that it would gradually ease restrictions both in Singapore and at its borders on the basis of two milestones: when 50% of the population is completely vaccinated and when 75% will receive the vaccines. As of Thursday, however, the target was moved to a point where two-thirds of the population are inoculated with two doses, as authorities have managed to anticipate the delivery of vaccine supplies.

Singapore reached the milestone as soon as the task force said two-thirds of the population should have received both doses of the vaccine by National Day on August 9. One expert, however, suggested that the “magic number” should be fixed. higher, at 80 percent.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease specialist at the Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Center, calls for a “more cautious” stance because he fears that opening too early will stress the health system.

Noting that the Delta variant of the coronavirus originating in India is at least 60% more transmissible, he said: “Once the health system is overloaded, everything will collapse very quickly. He also pointed out that various scientists had asked for 70-90% herd immunity before opening up, but since Singapore has a relatively low number of community (local) cases, its population mainly depends on vaccines for protection. ”(At the two-thirds point,) I don’t think Singapore will be ready. The number of cases and the speed of spread can overwhelm our nation, ”added Dr Leong. “If you think about it, it’s our imagination that humans are in control of the virus. Singapore reported a total of 62,544 COVID-19 cases and 36 deaths in a population of 5.7 million on Sunday.