For nearly a year, we were waiting, begging, and praying for scientists to quickly develop a COVID-19 vaccine so we could say goodbye to the detested coronavirus.
Now, there are so many vaccines in production that we can’t count them on our hands even if we were born with three.
This is a good thing, of course; since the vaccines work in different ways, people who cannot take one vaccine, for whatever reason, can go for another.
Fortunately, residents in Singapore will soon have yet another vaccine to choose from.
Sinopharm COVID-19 Vaccine will be Available in S’pore from Tomorrow (30 Aug)
From tomorrow (30 Aug), China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Singapore.
It will be obtainable at some hospitals and clinics, and will be priced at either S$98 or S$99 for two doses, including GST.
That ain’t cheap, but you can’t put a price on safety.
Living in Singapore, it probably won’t surprise you that many of the available slots for tomorrow have already been booked.
Sinopharm’s vaccine is now the fourth being used in Singapore. Like the Sinovac vaccine, it is imported under the Special Access Route, and is not included in the national vaccination programme.
Similarities & Differences With mRNA Vaccines
Just like the vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinoharm’s vaccine will be administered in two doses, spaced three to four weeks apart.
Unlike the mRNA vaccines, Sinopharm is an inactivated vaccine, meaning it contains a killed coronavirus which cannot replicate.
In an mRNA vaccine, part of the coronavirus’ genetic code is injected into the body, triggering the body to produce viral proteins, but not the whole virus. This will train the immune system to attack the virus.
Sinopharm’s vaccine, just like Sinovac, uses a more traditional inactivated vaccine, which works by using killed viral particles to expose the body’s immune system to the virus without triggering a serious disease response.
Historically, this type of vaccine has been used against all sorts of viruses, such as polio and rabies.
Efficacy Rate
As you know, Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines have high efficacy rates of around 95% and 94% respectively.
The effectiveness of Sinopharm’s vaccine, while lower than these two vaccines, is higher than Sinovac’s.
Sinovac has an efficacy rate of around 51%, while Sinopharm’s has 79% efficacy.
Where to Book Appointments
Residents can book appointments at either of two healthcare firms – Clearbridge Health’s Medic Surgical and Laser Clinic and IHH Healthcare Singapore.
Bookings open tomorrow, with different hospitals and clinics beginning vaccinations on different days.
At the moment, the Sinopharm vaccine is only approved for those aged 18 and above.
Understand the importance of vaccinations here:
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Featured Image: Steve Heap/shutterstock.com
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