Last Updated : Nov 10, 2020 07:40 PM IST | Source: PTI

Singapore working on securing portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines

Gan added that even when vaccines become available, it will have to be given out progressively as it is not possible to vaccinate the entire nation at once.

PTI

Singapore will work towards securing a "portfolio" of COVID-19 vaccines to cater to different segments of the population instead of relying on one vaccine, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on November 10.

Speaking during a virtual press conference by the multi-ministry task force on COVID-19, Gan said that the application of a vaccine will have to take into account varying efficacy and safety profiles for different groups.

"Some vaccines may be effective for different segments of the population. Some may not be effective for children…and some may not be effective for seniors," The Straits Times quoted Gan as saying.

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Gan added that even when vaccines become available, it will have to be given out progressively as it is not possible to vaccinate the entire nation at once. Negotiations with various pharmaceutical companies that are conducting clinical trials are ongoing, added Gan.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

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How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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An expert committee on COVID-19 vaccination set up last month will assess the data coming out of the trials and advise the ministry on its vaccination strategy, said the minister. He said details about which vaccines will make the list and which segments of the population will receive a vaccine are still being worked out.

The Health Ministry's director of medical services, Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, noted that one vaccine candidate developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer was recently found to be more than 90 per cent effective. While this is welcome news, Prof Mak said more information is needed about the Pfizer vaccine and others that are close to finishing phase three trials.

For instance, if vaccines do not provide long-lasting immunity, a patient may need repeated vaccinations instead of a single dose.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here.
First Published on Nov 10, 2020 07:40 pm

tags #coronavirus #Covid-19 #Health #Singapore #World News