SINGAPORE - The first shipment of paediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty Covid-19 vaccine is expected to arrive in Singapore on Wednesday (Dec 22).

The paediatric doses, which are en route from Europe, will allow the country to start vaccinations for children aged five to 11 years in end-December as planned, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday.

The ministry added that the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty Covid-19 paediatric vaccine "has met quality, safety and efficacy standards" and has been approved by the Health Sciences Authority for use in children in that age group.

The expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination has also recommended its use for these younger children.

In a Facebook post, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the paediatric doses will depart from Germany on Tuesday.

“With more Omicron variant cases detected locally and globally, vaccination is key to protect both the young and old,” he added.

MOH is working with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on details on the roll-out of vaccination. Further operational details will be announced by MOE and ECDA.

Vaccinations and boosters offer the best protection against Covid-19, stressed MOH. "The extension of vaccination to include children aged five to 11 years will strengthen our collective resilience against the evolving Covid-19 situation, and we encourage everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated when it is offered to them."