Ah, the COVID-19 vaccine. One of the only goods more desirable than hand sanitisers in this pandemic. Some would even argue it surpasses the gasp hallowed toilet paper.
That’s a bold claim.
Its popularity is clear, however, as about 6,900 appeals have been made by Singapore residents to be vaccinated early ahead of the nationwide rollout.
As Channel Newsasia reports, while the government’s vaccination plans currently prioritise the elderly and other vulnerable groups or frontline workers, people can appeal for early vaccination if they have an urgent need for it.
This allows for people who urgently have to travel for work or study to receive the immunisation they need; this is the reason cited by most of the appeals.
To appeal, you’ll have to complete an application form about eight weeks before leaving Singapore, and factor in the four weeks needed to administer both doses of the vaccine.
Unfortunately, however, escaping the Singapore heat will have to wait. Maybe have some Pizza in the meantime?
Vaccination Drive Brought Ahead
The good news is that the COVID-19 vaccination drive has been pushed forward overall, thanks to the arrival of additional vaccine supplies.
While seniors aged 60-69 were originally scheduled to receive the vaccine starting end-March, they have been able to receive the vaccination since the first half of this month, according to The Straits Times.
Essential workers in “critical functions” will also become eligible to receive the vaccine, including teachers, logistics workers, and bank workers involved in critical financial operations. This is in addition to taxi drivers, those working in the utilities industry, and other frontline workers with higher risks of infection.
If you are eligible for the vaccine, you should receive a personalised SMS or invitation letter which will instruct you on your next steps towards becoming COVID-19-immune.
The most in-demand superpower nowadays.
How Do COVID-19 Vaccines Work?
No, forget the forwarded WhatsApp messages—the vaccine won’t give you some incurable disease 50 years later, nor will it somehow infect you with COVID-19 itself.
Singapore’s vaccine drive currently uses vaccines designed by Moderna, and a partnership between Pfizer and BioNTech. Both of these work the same way: they contain messenger RNA (mRNA), which our genetic material that instructs our cells to make certain proteins, as The New York Times explains.
Once in our bodies, the vaccine particles introduce the mRNA to cells they come across, allowing vaccinated cells to make the same spikes as those found on coronaviruses.
When such a cell dies, our immune system will detect the spike proteins and develop antibodies accordingly, which can then protect us from the actual COVID-19 virus.
The SinoVac vaccine, which is still pending approval by the Health Sciences Authority, works slightly differently by introducing dead viruses to our bodies, training our immune systems to recognise and defend ourselves from the virus.
The Ministry of Health has also set up a Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme if you suffer from serious side effects like a severe allergy. So even if you are afraid of them, you can still take the vaccine with relative peace of mind.
Milder effects like a low fever or pain at the injection site, meanwhile, should subside in a few days and are no cause for alarm.
You can read more updates here.
Featured Image: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz / Shutterstock.com
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