New Sinovac Vaccines to Arrive in 4 to 6 Weeks As All Existing Stocks Are Already Allocated

Choose your fighter – Pfizer, Moderna, Sinovac, Sinopharm, or other alternatives.

Okay, not like we really get much free choice in deciding which vaccine to take, besides between the Pfizer and Moderna ones offered in the national vaccination program.

And it looks like Sinovac is gaining much popularity, too.

All Sinovac Stocks Here Fully Allocated

On 10 August, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that all of the 200,000 existing Sinovac stocks here were officially fully allocated.

Of these, 170,000 will be reserved for over 31 private healthcare clinics islandwide to administer.

Lest you’re unaware, you can visit participating private healthcare clinics for the Sinovac vaccine, which uses the traditional vaccine method.

30,000 stocks will be given to those who previously experienced allergic reactions to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, including Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders.

They will also be reserved for “other purposes”, said the MOH.

More Stocks To Arrive Next Month

Good news for those of you who wanted to take the Sinovac vaccine instead – they’re ordering more stocks now.

MOH said that the new stock is expected to arrive at about four to six weeks later, having ordered them to assist private healthcare institutions.

So that means you don’t need to queue overnight at clinics to get your hands on them.

Why the need for Sinovac when we have other vaccines available, you may ask?

Well, the Sinovac vaccine is actually different from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in terms of the technology it uses.

It uses a dead, or inactive, version of the coronavirus to teach your body to build immunity against it.

Pfizer and Moderna on the other hand uses the mRNA technology to train your body’s defence against coronavirus cells.

However, mRNA vaccines have been found to have higher efficacy rates.

Thus, the MOH said that those who are physically able to take the mRNA vaccines should do so if possible instead of non-mRNA ones.

Non-mRNA vaccines like Sinovac are still currently under review with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to be brought in under the Special Access Route.

One should note that those vaccines that come in through the Special Access Route will not be covered by the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme nor subsidised, though.

People who are unable to take mRNA vaccines because of allergies will be able to take Sinovac still, and the MOH will be arranging appointments for them to do so.

With more options available, hopefully we’re well on our way to being more protected, because you won’t want to be that one friend who can’t join the others for dinner.

Read Also:

• People With Allergic Reactions to First mRNA Dose Can Take Sinovac Vaccine & Will be Considered Fully Vaccinated
• Study Shows 2 Shots of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine is ‘Highly Effective’ Against Delta Variant

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