COVID-19 Vaccines

After getting a vaccination, your immune system is trained to recognise the virus and produce antibodies which attack the virus and remain in our bodies. In doing so, the immune system will be able to recognise the virus in the event of an infection and fight off the virus before it causes any symptoms.

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, while the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines use an inactivated vaccine technology.

• mRNA vaccines contain material from the COVID-19 virus that instructs our cells to produce a protein that is unique to the virus. After our cells make copies of the protein, they destroy the genetic material from the vaccine. Our bodies recognise that the protein should not be present and work to produce antibodies to attack the virus.
• Inactivated vaccine technology uses weakened or inactive viral particles to stimulate our body to produce antibodies that will help neutralise the COVID-19 virus.

Some coronavirus vaccines require multiple doses, with the doses given weeks or months apart. This allows us to produce longer-lasting antibodies and develop memory cells, so that our bodies and immune systems will be able to quickly fight the virus if we are exposed to it again.

Read more about COVID-19 vaccines and how vaccines work.

Listen to Dr Leong Hoe Nam, infectious disease specialist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, in this video as he explains more about the coronavirus vaccine.

References: gov.sg, World Health Organisation

The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine (BBIBP-CorV) is the first China-made vaccine to be approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in December 2020. It is an inactivated vaccine, a tried-and-tested form of vaccine technology used in other well-established vaccines, such as the flu and hepatitis B vaccines.

The Sinopharm vaccine provides an alternative option for people in Singapore who have previously been found unsuitable to receive the mRNA options. (e.g. If a person has taken a dose of Pfizer/Moderna and has had an allergic reaction.) This is in line with efforts to enhance vaccination coverage against COVID-19 in Singapore.

The recommended age for the Sinopharm vaccine is 18 years and older.

As of 22 July 2021, IHH Healthcare Singapore has obtained approval from the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore to import the vaccine under the Special Access Route (SAR) scheme. The Sinopharm vaccine is priced at S$99 for 2 doses, inclusive of GST.

Please note that we are currently out of stock for the Sinopharm vaccine. Stay tuned for more information as we work to replenish supplies.

The Sinopharm vaccine was approved for use by the China’s National Medical Products Administration in December 2020 and gained the World Health Organisation’s approval for emergency use in May 2021.

It was developed by the Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products (BBIBP) and is the first China-made COVID-19 vaccine approved by the WHO for emergency use.

Here are 5 things you should know about the Sinopharm vaccine.

The Sinopharm vaccine’s efficacy rate is currently at 79% in preventing symptomatic infection in the multi-country Phase 3 trial. This can be compared to 51% for the Sinovac vaccine and 95% for the Pfizer-BioNTech/Cominarty vaccine.

More studies are required to prove the BBIBP-CorV’s efficacy against COVID-19 variants.

Learn more about the Sinopharm vaccine and its efficacy.

Both the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are inactivated vaccines and require two doses.

The Sinopharm vaccine, however, has been proven to be 79% effective in preventing symptomatic symptomatic disease, compared to 51% for the Sinovac vaccine.

According to the World Health Organisation, the recommended interval between the first and second dose for the Sinopharm vaccine is 3 – 4 weeks, compared to 2 – 4 weeks for the Sinovac vaccine.

The Singapore government has advised that COVID-19 vaccination, together with safe distancing measures, contact tracing and proactive testing, will help to protect us and our loved ones against COVID-19. Vaccination will not only reduce the number of people susceptible to the coronavirus, but also reduce the chances of transmission in the community.

The Ministry of Health in Singapore has stated that only vaccines that comply with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines and adhere to strict standards of safety, quality and efficacy have been identified and will be used in Singapore.

Learn more about how the vaccinations are accessed and monitored on gov.sg.

Based on current data, the mRNA vaccines are found to be effective. Pfizer BioNTech’s vaccine has a reported 95% effectiveness while Moderna’s has charted a 94% efficacy.

The Sinovac vaccine efficacy, which uses inactivated vaccine technology, has been found to be at 50.4%.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam, infectious disease specialist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, advises: “No vaccine is 100% effective, but they do help to reduce the severity of the illness – from a severe one to a moderate or mild one, or one with no symptoms at all. In this way, it can convert a deadly viral infection into a harmless common cold.”

Learn more about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.

According to Dr Adrian Chan, respiratory physician at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are similar to those of the influenza vaccine.

These can range from mild symptoms such as pain at the injection site, fatigue and tiredness, muscle aches and chills, to more severe (but less common) symptoms such as fever and vomiting. There have been case reports of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), but based on current data so far, the overall incidence of such reactions is low.

While COVID-19 vaccination in Singapore is voluntary, the government is encouraging all individuals who are medically eligible to be vaccinated when it is available. When more people in a community are vaccinated, the harder it is for a disease to spread.

Yes, but the efficacy is not the same.

Dr Leong stresses on the importance of getting vaccinated: “If you didn’t get the vaccine [and become infected with COVID-19 virus] you may end up more severely ill, and more likely to die.”

Learn more on the virulence of the new COVID-19 variants and the effectiveness of vaccines.

Both vaccines target different viruses. Therefore, it is recommended that while we protect ourselves against COVID-19, it is also prudent to protect ourselves against influenza by vaccinating ourselves with the influenza vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccines are not 100% effective. Time is also needed for more people to receive the vaccination, and some individuals may be unable to take the coronavirus vaccines or do not wish to do so. For these reasons, it is recommended to continue current safety practices such as regular hand washing and sanitisation, wearing your masks, and keeping to social distancing measures.